Chinese Investors Forge Crypto Path Amidst Economic Turmoil: Seeking Safety in Digital Assets

Despite China's ban on cryptocurrency trading and mining since 2021, Chinese investors like Dylan Run have found creative ways to invest in cryptocurrencies, believing them to be safer than domestic stock and property markets. They use bank cards from rural commercial banks to buy cryptocurrencies through grey-market dealers and can trade on platforms like OKX and Binance or open overseas bank accounts. Hong Kong's endorsement of digital assets has also attracted Chinese citizens who use their $50,000 annual forex purchase quotas for cryptocurrency investments in the territory. This trend has prompted Chinese brokers and financial institutions to explore crypto-related businesses in Hong Kong as they seek growth opportunities amid sluggish domestic markets. The Chinese crypto market, despite being banned, recorded substantial transaction volumes, with Chainalysis reporting a surge in peer-to-peer trade volume and significant retail transactions. This situation has led to speculation that the Chinese government may be warming to cryptocurrencies, with Hong Kong potentially serving as a testing ground for related efforts.