Beijing: China has called for the creation of a national blockchain network as part of a broader policy drive to integrate digital technologies with manufacturing, data infrastructure and the wider economy. The proposal was included in guidelines issued by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council on October 9, 2026, outlining 19 measures to develop technology-driven industries and strengthen the country’s innovation capabilities.
The policy places blockchain alongside a nationwide integrated computing network, industrial internet development and smart manufacturing. It also calls for improvements to data ownership rules, data trading mechanisms and the protection of economic interests linked to the use of data.
The announcement signals Beijing’s intention to treat blockchain as part of its national digital infrastructure rather than limiting its development to individual commercial applications. However, the guidelines do not specify an implementation timetable, budget or designated operator for the proposed network.
The move should also be distinguished from cryptocurrency adoption. China continues to maintain restrictions on cryptocurrency-related activities, and the new policy does not announce the legalisation of Bitcoin trading or cryptocurrency mining.
National blockchain network becomes a policy priority
The national blockchain proposal appears in a wider set of guidelines focused on developing what Chinese policymakers call “new quality productive forces”. The term refers to economic growth driven by technological innovation, industrial modernisation and improvements in productivity.
According to state news agency Xinhua, the guidelines contain 19 key measures across five areas, including scientific and technological innovation, the integration of research with industrial development, institutional reform and talent development.
Within the digital economy section, the document calls for the construction of a national blockchain network and an integrated computing network. These initiatives are intended to strengthen the connection between the digital economy and real-world production.
The guidelines also call for improvements to national data infrastructure and greater adoption of digital technologies in manufacturing. Other priorities include industrial internet projects, smart manufacturing and the development of internationally competitive digital industry clusters.
The policy does not identify a particular blockchain protocol or explain whether the proposed network will connect existing platforms or operate as a new national system. Technical architecture, participation requirements and the range of services to be offered remain unspecified.
China seeks to connect blockchain with manufacturing
China’s blockchain initiative is part of a broader effort to accelerate the digital transformation of traditional industries.
Manufacturers increasingly use digital systems to monitor production, track components, verify transactions and exchange information across supply chains. Blockchain technology can support some of these applications by maintaining shared records that are difficult to alter without detection.
For example, a blockchain-based system could help businesses verify the movement of goods, document the origin of components or exchange transaction records with suppliers and financial institutions. Such applications can be particularly relevant when several organisations need access to a consistent record of an event.
A nationwide infrastructure could potentially make it easier for businesses and public institutions to connect different data systems. However, the benefits would depend on how the network is designed, which organisations are permitted to participate and how data privacy and access controls are enforced.
Blockchain is not a solution for every data-management problem. Its usefulness depends on the quality of the information entered, the governance of the network and the practical advantages it offers over conventional databases.
China’s policy announcement establishes a direction for development, but further technical and regulatory details will be needed to determine how the proposed network would work in practice.
New rules planned for data ownership and trading
Alongside the blockchain proposal, the guidelines call for improvements to rules governing data ownership, transactions, rights allocation and the protection of participants’ interests.
The government also wants to explore pilot projects that treat data as an economic resource and improve the development and operation of national data infrastructure.
These measures are significant because data increasingly supports business decisions, artificial intelligence systems, industrial automation and financial services. However, questions remain over who can use particular datasets, who benefits financially from their use and how sensitive information should be protected.
A clearer framework for data rights and trading could help businesses exchange information under more predictable conditions. Blockchain infrastructure may support the verification and recording of those transactions, although the policy does not establish that all data markets will operate on a blockchain.
The guidelines also call for exploring mechanisms to facilitate cross-border data flows while maintaining security. This reflects the challenge of supporting international digital business while protecting information that governments or companies consider sensitive.
National computing network and AI development
The blockchain proposal is accompanied by plans for an integrated national computing network. Computing infrastructure is increasingly important for artificial intelligence, scientific research, industrial automation and other data-intensive applications.
China has been expanding computing capacity and encouraging the use of digital technologies across industries. A more integrated network could help connect computing resources across regions and support businesses that require substantial processing power.
The guidelines also call for implementing the country’s “AI Plus” initiative, which seeks to expand the use of artificial intelligence in traditional industries. They emphasise innovation in AI and other digital technologies, alongside measures to monitor risks and ensure that AI systems are safe, reliable and controllable.
Together, the computing and blockchain proposals point towards a strategy in which digital infrastructure supports manufacturing, data services and technological development.
However, the two networks serve different purposes. Computing infrastructure supplies processing resources, while blockchain systems are designed to maintain and verify shared records. Their inclusion in the same policy package does not mean they will necessarily operate as a single technical platform.
Digital yuan expansion is a separate development
China has also been expanding participation in its digital yuan system, the central bank digital currency issued by the People’s Bank of China.
On August 17, 2026, the central bank announced the addition of eight banking operators, bringing the number of approved operators to 30. The new participants included Ping An Bank, Bank of Shanghai and Bank of Hangzhou, among others.
The expansion reflects the government’s continued development of digital payment infrastructure. However, the digital yuan and the proposed national blockchain network should not be treated as interchangeable projects.
A central bank digital currency is a form of digital money issued by a monetary authority. Blockchain is a technology for maintaining records and coordinating transactions, and it can be used in several settings without involving a cryptocurrency or a central bank digital currency.
The October guidelines do not state that the proposed blockchain network will be integrated with the digital yuan. Details about any connection between the systems would require a separate official announcement.
China’s cryptocurrency restrictions remain in place
The announcement does not signal a reversal of China’s restrictions on cryptocurrency-related activities.
Beijing has maintained a distinction between developing blockchain technology for controlled industrial and administrative uses and permitting decentralised cryptocurrency markets to operate freely.
The national network proposal does not mention the legalisation of Bitcoin trading, the introduction of a publicly traded token or the removal of restrictions on cryptocurrency mining.
This distinction is important for investors interpreting the news. A government decision to support blockchain infrastructure does not automatically create a more favourable regulatory environment for privately issued cryptocurrencies.
The policy instead focuses on national infrastructure, data management, manufacturing upgrades and the integration of digital technologies into the economy.
What happens next?
The October 9 guidelines establish a policy objective, but several practical questions remain unanswered. Authorities have not publicly specified the network’s operator, funding, technical architecture or deployment schedule in the announcement.
Further details will be needed to establish whether the network will build on existing Chinese blockchain infrastructure, connect multiple systems or introduce a separate nationwide platform.
Its eventual impact will depend on adoption by businesses and public institutions, interoperability with existing systems and the rules governing access to data.
For China, the initiative forms part of a broader attempt to strengthen technological capabilities and modernise industry. For the international technology sector, it offers another indication that governments are exploring blockchain as infrastructure for data exchange and industrial applications rather than treating it solely as the technology behind cryptocurrencies.
The immediate development is a policy commitment, not a completed network. Until technical plans and implementation details are published, the scale and practical effects of the proposed national blockchain system remain uncertain.