Top 5 Chinese Cryptos: Beyond the Crackdown

The image depicts a futuristic cityscape, possibly Shanghai, illuminated at night with towering skyscrapers. In the foreground, a glowing Bitcoin symbol is embedded in a circuit board-like design, representing cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. A yuan currency symbol is also visible, hinting at China's influence in the digital finance space. The artwork conveys a fusion of technology, finance, and urban innovation.

China has played a major role in the crypto industry, despite its strict regulations. While the government has cracked down on trading and mining, several Chinese blockchain projects have continued to grow, gaining global recognition. These projects are driving innovation in areas like smart contracts, decentralized finance (DeFi), and enterprise solutions.

In this post, we’ll highlight the top five Chinese cryptocurrencies, exploring their key features, real-world applications, and why they stand out in the competitive crypto space.

VeChain (VET)

Overview

  • Founded: 2015
  • Founder(s): Sunny Lu
  • Blockchain Type: Public
  • Use Case: Enterprise solutions, supply chain management, IoT integration, sustainability tracking

Key Features

  • Dual-Token System – Uses VET for value transfer and governance, and VTHO for transaction fees and smart contracts.
  • Proof-of-Authority (PoA) Consensus – Offers fast, energy-efficient transactions with minimal computational power.
  • Enterprise-Focused Solutions – Specializes in supply chain transparency, anti-counterfeiting, and carbon footprint tracking.

Market Performance

  • Market Cap: $2.79 billion (As of February 2025)
  • Current Price: $0.032 (As of February 2025)
  • All-Time High (ATH): $0.28 (February 2021)

Adoption & Ecosystem

  • Major Partnerships: Walmart China, BMW, H&M, DNV GL, PwC, Bayer
  • Real-World Use Cases:
    • Tracking luxury goods to prevent counterfeiting.
    • Monitoring food safety and pharmaceutical supply chains.
    • Carbon emission tracking for sustainability initiatives.
  • Notable Developments:
    • Renaissance 2025 roadmap introducing upgrades like dynamic fee models and EVM compatibility.
    • Expansion of economic node tiers for enhanced decentralization.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Strong enterprise adoption with Fortune 500 partnerships.
  • Energy-efficient blockchain design (PoA consensus).
  • Real-world utility in supply chain and sustainability sectors.
  • Dual-token system stabilizes transaction costs for businesses.

Cons

  • Regulatory risks due to ties to Chinese markets.
  • Competition from other enterprise blockchain platforms.
  • Limited DeFi options for retail investors.

Community & Social Media

Neo (NEO)

Overview

  • Founded: 2014
  • Founder(s): Da HongFei and Erik Zhang
  • Blockchain Type: Public
  • Use Case: Smart economy, digital asset management, smart contracts, decentralized applications (dApps)

Key Features

  • Dual-Token System – NEO (governance token) and GAS (utility token for transaction fees and smart contracts).
  • Delegated Byzantine Fault Tolerance (dBFT) – Energy-efficient consensus mechanism enabling high transaction speeds (up to 10,000 TPS).
  • Multi-Language Support – Smart contracts can be written in C#, Java, Python, and other common programming languages.

Market Performance

  • Market Cap: $1.45 billion (As of February 2025)
  • Current Price: ~$20.56 (Calculated from $1.45B market cap / 70.53M circulating supply)
  • All-Time High (ATH): $196.85 on January 15, 2018

Adoption & Ecosystem

  • Major Partnerships: Microsoft, Alibaba, HyperLedger
  • Real-World Use Cases: Digital identity verification, decentralized storage (NeoFS), cross-chain interoperability via Poly.Network.
  • Notable Developments: Launch of Neo 3.0 (N3), integration of NFT projects, and expansion into DeFi protocols.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • High scalability with dBFT consensus (up to 10,000 TPS).
  • Developer-friendly platform supporting multiple programming languages.
  • Quantum-resistant cryptography (NeoQS) for enhanced security.

Cons

  • Centralization concerns due to governance model and developer control of token supply.
  • Limited adoption in Western markets compared to competitors like Ethereum.
  • Regulatory focus on compliance may reduce decentralization.

Community & Social Media

Conflux (CFX)

Overview

  • Founded: 2018
  • Founder(s): Dr. Andrew Yao (Turing Award winner)
  • Blockchain Type: Public
  • Use Case: DeFi, Smart Contracts, Cross-Chain Interoperability, dApps

Key Features

  • Tree-Graph Consensus – Hybrid PoW/PoS mechanism enabling parallel block processing (6,000+ TPS)
  • EVM Compatibility – Supports Ethereum-based smart contracts and dApps
  • Cross-Chain Architecture – Facilitates asset/data exchange between blockchains

Market Performance

  • Market Cap: $589.7 million (As of February 2025)
  • Current Price: $0.12 (As of February 2025)
  • All-Time High (ATH): $1.70 (Date unspecified)

Adoption & Ecosystem

  • Major Partnerships: China Telecom, Tsinghua University, Binance, Chainlink
  • Real-World Use Cases:
    • Decentralized exchanges
    • NFT marketplaces
    • E-commerce payment solutions
  • Notable Developments:
    • Bug Bounty Program with CFX rewards (Jan-Feb 2025)
    • Strategic expansion into African markets

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • High throughput (6,000+ transactions/second)
  • Low transaction fees compared to Ethereum
  • Government-endorsed status in China

Cons

  • Faces competition from established Layer-1 chains
  • Regulatory uncertainty in some jurisdictions
  • Dual consensus mechanism complexity

Community & Social Media

Ontology (ONT)

Overview

  • Founded: 2018
  • Founder(s): Jun Li
  • Blockchain Type: Public
  • Use Case: Enterprise solutions, decentralized identity, cross-chain interoperability, smart contracts

Key Features

  • Dual-Token System – Uses ONT (governance and staking) and ONG (gas for transactions/smart contracts). Staking ONT rewards users with ONG.
  • High-Speed Consensus – Utilizes Ontorand Consensus Engine (modified dBFT) for ~5,000 TPS and fast block confirmation (1-30 seconds).
  • Cross-Chain Interoperability – Supports atomic swaps and data sharing between public/private chains, including Ethereum and Bitcoin networks.

Market Performance

  • Market Cap: $230 million (As of February 16, 2025)
  • Current Price: $0.25 (As of February 16, 2025)
  • All-Time High (ATH): $11.18 on January 2018

Adoption & Ecosystem

  • Major Partnerships: Microsoft, Binance
  • Real-World Use Cases:
    • Decentralized identity verification for healthcare data
    • Supply chain traceability solutions
    • Enterprise-grade DeFi platforms
  • Notable Developments:
    • Community engagement initiatives like Ontology Wordle Challenge with NFT/ONG rewards
    • Ongoing upgrades to enhance cross-chain capabilities

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Enterprise-focused infrastructure with modular design for custom solutions
  • Passive income opportunities via ONT staking
  • Strong emphasis on data privacy and regulatory compliance

Cons

  • Faces competition from other identity-focused blockchains
  • Complex tokenomics may deter casual investors
  • Price volatility (down 97% from ATH as of 2025)

Community & Social Media

Nervos Network (CKB)

Overview

  • Founded: 2018
  • Founder(s): Information not available in the search results
  • Blockchain Type: Public
  • Use Case: Smart Contracts, DeFi, Interoperability

Key Features

  • Layered Architecture – Separates core functionalities with a base layer (CKB) for security and upper layers for scalability
  • Proof-of-Work Consensus – Uses NC-MAX, an optimized version of Bitcoin's Nakamoto consensus
  • Cell Model – An extension of Bitcoin's UTXO model for data storage and asset management

Market Performance

  • Market Cap: $298.3 million (As of February 16, 2025)
  • Current Price: $0.0065 (As of February 16, 2025)
  • All-Time High (ATH): $0.0441 (Date not specified)

Adoption & Ecosystem

  • Major Partnerships: CKB Eco Fund, CELL Studio
  • Real-World Use Cases: Bitcoin Layer 2 solution, cross-chain asset transfers
  • Notable Developments: "BTCKB" initiative launched in 2024 to enable CKB as a Bitcoin Layer 2

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • High security through PoW consensus
  • Scalability through layered architecture
  • Interoperability with other blockchains, especially Bitcoin
  • Low transaction fees

Cons

  • Complex layered architecture may be difficult for some users to understand
  • Relatively new project compared to established cryptocurrencies

Community & Social Media

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice. Stocks or financial products mentioned may carry significant risks. Please make investment decisions carefully and at your own risk.

Best of luck with your investments!