China has announced plans for a national blockchain network as part of a wider effort to improve its digital economy. The plan shows that the country wants to make greater use of advanced technology in factories, finance, data systems, and public services.
The policy came from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on October 9, 2026. It forms part of a wider set of 19 measures under a plan called Opinions on Developing New Quality Productive Forces. The main goal is to improve the country’s ability to use new technology and support future economic growth.
However, the news does not mean that China has changed its strict rules on cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin, Ether, and other private crypto assets remain subject to major restrictions on the mainland. The new policy focuses on blockchain as a tool for digital infrastructure, not on the approval of public cryptocurrencies.
This difference is important. China wants to make greater use of blockchain systems while it maintains control over financial activity that involves private digital tokens.
What Is China’s National Blockchain Network?
A blockchain is a type of digital record that stores data in a way that makes changes easier to detect. Copies of the record may exist across several computers, and the system follows set rules to check and confirm new records.
For example, a factory may use a blockchain to record where a product came from, which parts it contains, and when it moved from one supplier to another. A bank or government office may use a similar system to verify records or share data with approved partners.
China’s proposed national blockchain network aims to support such uses on a much larger scale. The plan places this network alongside other digital infrastructure projects that could help firms and public bodies share data and use technology more effectively.
The policy does not yet explain the network’s full design. It does not name a final operator, state how much money the project will receive, or set a date for its launch. It also does not confirm whether the network will use an existing Chinese blockchain platform or form a separate system.
For now, the announcement sets a policy goal rather than a complete technical plan. Further details will be needed to show how the network will work in practice.
Why China Wants a National Blockchain Network
China sees advanced technology as a key part of its future economic growth. Its new policy seeks to improve the link between the real economy and the digital economy.
The real economy includes areas such as factories, farms, transport, trade, and other services. The digital economy relies on software, data, computer networks, and other digital tools. China wants these two parts of the economy to work more closely together.
A national blockchain network could help firms share trusted records across different sectors. For example, a manufacturer could use digital records to check the source of raw materials. A transport firm could record when goods leave a warehouse and reach their destination. A public office could use verified records to check details supplied by a company.
These uses may help reduce errors, improve trust between firms, and make some processes easier to review. They could also help firms keep a clear record of changes to important data.
Still, blockchain alone cannot solve every business problem. The quality of the records depends on the data that users submit, the rules of the system, and the way each firm manages its own processes.
China’s policy shows that the government wants to give this type of digital infrastructure a larger role in the country’s economic plans.
The Policy Has 19 Measures
The national blockchain network is one part of a wider set of 19 policy measures. The document covers technology, industrial growth, and changes to the systems that support the economy.
The plan also calls for a nationwide network for computing power. Such a system could help connect computer resources across different parts of China and allow firms to access the capacity they need for data work and other advanced tasks.
Another key idea is the closer use of digital tools in factories. Smart manufacturing systems can use sensors, software, and data to help firms check production, track equipment, and improve the use of resources.
The policy also refers to China’s “East Data, West Computing” programme. This effort aims to make better use of the country’s computing resources by linking data needs in eastern regions with computer capacity in western areas.
These plans fit together. A national blockchain network could support trusted data records, while a wider computing network could provide some of the resources needed to run digital services.
However, the policy does not state that all these systems will form one platform. It sets out a broad direction for future development, while the exact links between projects remain unclear.
Blockchain Is Not the Same as Cryptocurrency
One of the most important points in this story is the difference between blockchain and cryptocurrency.
Blockchain is a type of technology. Cryptocurrency is a form of digital asset that may use a blockchain to record transfers and confirm ownership.
Bitcoin and Ether are examples of crypto assets that operate on public blockchain networks. On these networks, people can usually take part without prior approval from a central operator, subject to the rules of the network and the laws that apply to them.
A blockchain network does not need to have a public cryptocurrency. A company or government can use a controlled system to store records, check data, or share information between approved users.
China’s proposed national network appears within a policy plan for digital infrastructure and industrial use. The policy text does not announce support for Bitcoin, Ether, or crypto trading. It also does not create a new right for mainland residents to buy or sell private crypto assets.
This explains how China can support blockchain projects while it keeps strict limits on crypto markets. The government can promote a technology for approved uses without accepting every financial product that uses that technology.
China’s Crypto Restrictions Remain in Place
China has imposed strict limits on cryptocurrency activity for years. In 2017, authorities took action against initial coin offerings and domestic crypto exchanges. In 2021, the government further tightened its rules on crypto transactions and related services.
A notice dated February 6, 2026, states that Bitcoin, Ether, and Tether do not have legal-tender status in China. It also prohibits a range of activities, such as exchanges between traditional money and crypto assets, trades between different cryptocurrencies, token sales to raise funds, and certain crypto-related financial services.
These rules show that the government continues to treat private crypto activity as a financial and legal risk. The new blockchain plan contains no clear sign of a change to that position.
For people who follow the crypto market, this distinction matters. A national blockchain network may create new opportunities for technology firms, software providers, and industrial companies. It does not, by itself, give crypto exchanges or private tokens permission to operate on the mainland.
The new policy should therefore not be read as a signal that China will soon lift its crypto restrictions. Any such change would require clear official action.
China Already Has a Blockchain Platform
China’s new plan also raises questions about the country’s existing Blockchain-based Service Network, or BSN.
China began work on BSN in September 2018 through a partnership that included China Mobile and China UnionPay. The platform later opened to public use and provides infrastructure for organisations that want to build blockchain-based services.
BSN supports approved uses such as data services, digital records, and enterprise applications. Its mainland permissioned networks have access controls, and their rules do not allow the use of cryptocurrencies.
A permissioned blockchain is a system in which access depends on approval. Unlike a public network that allows broad participation, a permissioned platform can set rules about who may join, submit records, or confirm transactions.
BSN offers a useful example of how blockchain can serve business and public needs without a public crypto asset. It also fits China’s wider approach to digital systems under state rules.
However, the October 2026 policy does not say that the proposed national network will be part of BSN. It does not state whether BSN will serve as its base, whether the new project will replace an existing platform, or whether several systems will connect.
Until the government shares more details, any claim about the exact link between the two should be treated with care.
How the Plan Could Help Industry
If the proposed network becomes a working system, it could support several types of industrial use.
In manufacturing, companies could use shared digital records to trace raw materials, check product details, and confirm each stage of a supply chain. This may help firms identify errors and check whether goods meet agreed standards.
In finance, approved institutions could use blockchain systems to share certain records and confirm information. Such tools may reduce some manual work, though they would still need to meet the rules that apply to each financial service.
Public bodies could also use digital records to verify documents or exchange data between departments. A shared system may help reduce the need for repeated checks when different offices rely on the same trusted information.
These benefits are possible rather than guaranteed. A blockchain network needs clear rules, secure software, reliable data, and support from the organisations that use it. Firms may also need to change their current systems before they can take part.
The project could create demand for software developers, data services, cybersecurity firms, and companies that build digital infrastructure. Yet the size of any business opportunity will depend on the project’s budget, access rules, technical design, and actual use.
The government has not yet provided enough detail to estimate the project’s cost or its likely economic impact.
What About Bitcoin and Ethereum?
Bitcoin and Ethereum are unlikely to gain any new legal status from this policy alone.
Bitcoin relies on a public blockchain that supports transfers of BTC between users. Ethereum also has a public network, which supports Ether and a wide range of other digital applications.
China’s proposed national blockchain network has a different stated purpose. The policy places it within plans for industrial development, data systems, and the digital economy. It does not state that the government will adopt Bitcoin or Ethereum as part of this project.
The proposal also does not confirm that the new network will connect to public crypto networks. Any such link would require technical and legal details that are not yet available.
For crypto investors, the announcement is therefore more relevant to China’s technology policy than to the short-term price of Bitcoin or Ether. It may affect views on the demand for enterprise blockchain tools, but it does not prove that China will return to the public crypto market.
Market prices depend on many other factors, such as demand, investor confidence, interest rates, and rules in other countries. This policy alone cannot tell us where crypto prices will go next.
What Happens Next?
The next major step will be the release of more details about the proposed network. Firms and observers will want to know which agency or company will run it, how much money the state will provide, and when the first services may become available.
The technical design will also matter. It remains unclear who will have access, how the system will verify records, and whether it will connect to existing platforms such as BSN.
The rules for data use will be important as well. A national network may need clear standards for data ownership, access rights, privacy, and cross-border transfers. These rules can shape which companies take part and how the system works across sectors.
The government may also need to show how the network fits with its wider computing and smart manufacturing plans. The policy places these projects under the same broad goal, but it does not yet give a full picture of how they will work together.
Until more information appears, the safest view is that China has set a national policy goal, not confirmed a fully funded or ready-to-use network.
Conclusion
China’s plan for a national blockchain network marks another step in its effort to expand the use of digital technology across industry and public services. The policy, issued on October 9, 2026, places blockchain within a wider set of 19 measures for economic and technological development.
The proposed network could help firms share trusted records, improve supply-chain checks, and support digital services. It also sits alongside plans for a nationwide computing network, smart manufacturing, and the wider use of data.
Yet the proposal does not give a budget, a launch date, or a named operator. It also does not confirm how the new system will relate to China’s existing BSN platform.
Most importantly, the plan does not mark a change in China’s crypto rules. The country continues to restrict private crypto transactions and related services, even as it promotes blockchain for approved uses.
The message is clear: China wants greater use of blockchain as a tool for its digital economy, but that does not mean it accepts Bitcoin, Ether, or open crypto markets. The real impact of the plan will become clearer when officials release more details about how the network will work.
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