What It Means to Be Chinese in Crypto
Categories: Crypto News US
Crypto conferences used to be quite the scene in Shanghai: fancy venues in five-star hotels, rooftop bars overlooking Huangpu River at The Bund, where chandeliers sparkled above well-dressed, champagne-sipping attendees, chatting the night away before heading out to clubs where more champagne gets poured.That scene is no more, now that China’s “zero Covid” policy has turned the buzzing city into a ghost town. Some residents have reported being cooped up in their homes for three months, not once stepping outside. But the lockdown did not stop ETH Shanghai from happening—this year, a virtual-only event.ETH Shanghai went live May 20 with an unusual list of speakers: a combination of high-flying Chinese and U.S. government officials, and O.G. Ethereum founders.The two groups couldn’t have been in greater contrast, and the dichotomy reflects how the crypto community is trying to survive in China: striking a balance between being politically correct (at least in public) but still true to crypto’s grassroots spirits.