China sets 2030 deadline for its national blockchain network

24 Oct 2026

24 Oct 2026, 01:47 UTC+02:00

China has put a date on its state blockchain ambitions. A five-year digital development plan published on Friday sets 2030 as the target for largely completing a national blockchain network, according to Cointelegraph.

What the plan says

The 15th Five-Year Plan for National Informatization was issued by the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, a senior Communist Party body that coordinates digital policy. It calls for deeper blockchain use in trade and finance in the Yangtze River Delta and for deployment at scale in manufacturing and agriculture in the Chengdu and Chongqing region in southwestern China.

The document also asks for stronger blockchain technical standards and wider use of the technology in data circulation and trading. The network itself is not new: it was already included in the national development plan released in March, and a joint policy from the party’s central leadership and the State Council on 9 October called for its construction. What is new is the explicit completion target.

Blockchain yes, crypto no

The plan does not change China’s stance on cryptocurrency. Mainland China bans crypto related business activities, including trading and exchange services, while promoting blockchain as a strategic technology. President Xi Jinping called for greater investment in blockchain back in October 2019, framing it as a key area for domestic technological capability.

That split has persisted for years. Even so, demand for digital dollars has not disappeared: Chainalysis has reported strong growth in peer-to-peer stablecoin wallets in China despite the restrictions.

What it means for traders

• No reopening signal: do not read this as a sign that China will allow crypto trading again. The plan covers permissioned, state controlled infrastructure.
• Watch the infrastructure angle: state networks compete with public chains for enterprise use cases such as trade finance, which can affect narratives around tokenization projects.
• Use regulated platforms: if you trade from a country with restrictions, check local law first. Our exchange comparison shows which exchanges serve which regions, and our testing methodology explains how we rate them.

Sources

• Cointelegraph: China targets 2030 for its national blockchain network buildout

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