Cryptocurrencies continue reshaping the financial landscape, with China being a complex key player. Amidst this digital revolution, finding the best crypto exchange in China holds the key to unlocking your assets' potential. But is Bitcoin legal in China? Is any crypto legal inside Chinese borders?
China's crypto regulations are intricate, overseen by the People's Bank of China (PBOC). With a restrictive approach, the PBOC has issued directives, leading to local exchange and ICO bans. Despite this, Chinese investors are constantly looking for ways to access global platforms like Binance, Kraken, Coinbase, and others.
Today, I'll guide you through the Chinese crypto landscape and review the best crypto exchanges China residents can access (with a bit of help from a VPN):
But before going through this list of crypto exchanges China residents can access, let's talk about the country's crypto landscape.
Crypto Landscape in China
So, is cryptocurrency legal in China? Well, you might have heard that the country's crypto landscape is quite hectic. Understanding this is surely important before trying to find the best crypto exchange in China.
TL;DR:
- China's Stance. As of writing, crypto is not legal in China. Overall, the country has a history of implementing strict regulations and bans on various aspects of the cryptocurrency industry, including Bitcoin trading, initial coin offerings (ICOs), and, most notably, cryptocurrency mining.
- Crypto Mining Ban. In 2021, China imposed a ban on cryptocurrency mining, leading to a significant drop in Bitcoin's hash rate and driving many miners out of the country. This move also came with a ban on all cryptocurrency trading and transactions, with harsh penalties for those involved. The best Chinese crypto exchanges fled the country.
- Cryptocurrency Ownership. While China has banned many cryptocurrency-related activities, it's important to note that there are no specific policies against owning digital assets like Bitcoin, Dogecoin, or Ethereum. Holding cryptocurrencies in a wallet is not against the law.
- Hong Kong's Different Path. In August 2023, Hong Kong took a different approach, acknowledging the significance of cryptocurrencies and granting licenses to cryptocurrency exchanges. This marked a departure from mainland China's stringent stance.
- Complex Regulatory Landscape. The regulatory landscape in China reflects the broader global challenge of regulating cryptocurrencies. Their decentralized nature, accessibility via the internet, and cross-border nature make them difficult to control on a national level.
Now, for those who want to get the full picture:
China's journey through the crypto landscape has been a roller coaster ride, marked by bans, restrictions, and unexpected turns.
In 2021, the shockwaves it sent through the blockchain sector were felt globally when it announced extreme restrictions on Bitcoin mining and crypto trading (which was a top cryptocurrency in China, by the way). This move wasn't entirely unprecedented, as China had a history of wavering crypto stances.
In 2011, China's interest in Bitcoin started to grow, largely due to the establishment of Bitcoin China, a centralized exchange founded by software engineer Bobby C. Lee.
This exchange played a significant role in global Bitcoin trading activity. The following years saw the top cryptocurrency in China's adoption growing, with Chinese businesses even accepting it as payment.
However, 2013 marked China's first attempt to clamp down on Bitcoin trading. The People's Bank of China issued rules that restricted financial institutions from holding or transacting in virtual currencies like BTC.
So, was Bitcoin legal in China at this point?
Well, this didn't make buying or using Bitcoin illegal for citizens, but it certainly made it more challenging.
In 2017, China's focus shifted to ICOs, leading to a ban on platforms offering these tokens due to concerns about scams. Centralized crypto exchanges also faced closures. This was a time when Bitcoin China rebranded to BTCC and moved its headquarters to the UK.
Then came the watershed moment in 2021 when China imposed a ban on crypto mining, leading to a significant drop in Bitcoin's hash rate. Along with the mining ban, all crypto trading and transactions were outlawed, with severe penalties for those associated with the industry. The platforms you used to find in the best Chinese crypto exchange lists fled the market.
At that point in history, when asked, "Is cryptocurrency legal in China?", most people would reply with a definitive "no".
The reasons behind China's crypto ban are varied, from concerns about scams and capital flight to the desire to maintain control over its own central bank digital currency (CBDC) initiatives.
Despite China's bans, cryptocurrencies have proven difficult to entirely shut down. Bitcoin mining, for instance, continued even after the ban, and some Chinese mining pools operated underground.
The decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies, coupled with their accessibility via the internet, presents challenges in terms of regulation and enforcement. Furthermore, the global reach of crypto renders it difficult for any single nation to impose a complete ban.
Fast-forward to August 2023, Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous Chinese territory, embraced cryptocurrencies, recognizing their importance for the global financial hub.
The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission granted licenses to HashKey Exchange and OSL, marking a shift in attitude compared to mainland China's stance on crypto.
This move highlights the uniqueness of Hong Kong's "one country, two systems" arrangement, which allows the city to shape its financial policies. It also aligns with China's indirect interest in maintaining influence over the cryptocurrency industry while focusing on its own CBDC and metaverse projects.
As the crypto landscape continues to evolve, China's bans have had far-reaching effects, but they have also revealed the resilience and adaptability of the crypto ecosystem.
While China's regulatory stance has shifted, the future remains uncertain, as the global cryptocurrency industry undergoes transformations, presenting both opportunities and challenges for regions like Hong Kong.
That said, is cryptocurrency legal in China now? Not really, but Chinese traders still find ways to participate in crypto trading[1]. So, how do they do that?
How Chinese Investors Access Crypto Trading?
In China, navigating the crypto landscape requires more than just financial acumen; it demands ingenuity in overcoming regulatory barriers. To circumvent these restrictions, many turn to virtual private networks (VPNs) as a crucial tool in their trading arsenal.
A VPN essentially is a technology that allows users to create a secure, encrypted connection to servers outside their national borders. This disguises their IP address and gives the appearance of accessing the internet from another country[2], effectively sidestepping domestic restrictions.
VPNs offer notable benefits for crypto trading. However, you have to keep in mind that the legality of VPNs has always been questionable. While they are legal in most countries, China has severe restrictions on VPN usage and blocks many VPN providers.
Therefore, choosing this approach to access cryptocurrency exchanges in China comes with potential hurdles, so tread at your own risk.