China Crypto Exchange Safety Checker
⚠️ WARNING
Important Notice: As of June 1, 2025, no cryptocurrency exchange is legal for Chinese residents. All exchanges, even international ones, violate Chinese law and carry severe consequences including asset seizure, account freezing, and criminal charges.
This tool provides information about exchange restrictions based on China's 2025 regulations. The only legal digital currency in China is the Central Bank Digital Currency (e-CNY).
Type an exchange name to check its legal status for Chinese users
If you're a Chinese resident, there is no such thing as a "safe" crypto exchange. Not one. Not even the ones you think you can use. As of June 1, 2025, the People’s Bank of China made it illegal for any Chinese citizen to trade, own, or even access cryptocurrency through any platform-domestic or overseas. This isn’t a warning. It’s the law. And the penalties aren’t fines. They’re asset seizures, criminal investigations, and bank account freezes.
Why Every Exchange Is Off-Limits
It doesn’t matter if the exchange is based in the U.S., Singapore, or the Cayman Islands. If it lets you log in with a Chinese phone number, accepts Chinese ID, or even allows a Chinese IP address, it’s violating Chinese law. The government doesn’t just ban exchanges-it bans the act of using them. That includes Binance, Coinbase, Kraken, OKX, KuCoin, Gate.io, and even decentralized platforms like Uniswap if you’re accessing them from within China. The ban isn’t just about trading. It covers mining, staking, lending, OTC deals, and peer-to-peer transfers. Even holding Bitcoin in a wallet registered under your Chinese name is considered illegal. Financial institutions are legally required to scan every transaction for signs of crypto activity. If your Alipay or WeChat Pay account sends money to a known crypto OTC dealer, your account gets flagged. No warning. No second chance.What Happens If You Try Anyway?
People still try. They use VPNs. They buy crypto through friends abroad. They use fake IDs. But the enforcement system is built to catch them. Chinese authorities have a nationwide digital monitoring network that tracks online behavior linked to crypto. If you visit a crypto exchange website-even once-your device’s IP and browsing history get logged. Financial institutions cross-check those logs with transaction data. If there’s a match, the Ministry of Public Security gets involved. In 2024, over 1,200 individuals in Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces were prosecuted for crypto-related violations. Some lost their homes. Others had their savings frozen for over a year while investigations dragged on. One man in Shanghai was fined 2.3 million RMB ($320,000 USD) after buying $180,000 worth of Ethereum through an OTC dealer. His bank account was permanently closed. There’s no gray area. No legal loophole. No "small amount" exception. The law doesn’t care if you bought $50 of Bitcoin for fun. It still counts as a violation.Why China Banned Crypto-And Why It Won’t Change
China didn’t ban crypto because it’s dangerous. It banned it because it’s uncontrollable. The government’s goal isn’t to stop innovation. It’s to own the digital money system. That’s why they created the digital yuan-the official Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). Unlike Bitcoin or Ethereum, the digital yuan is fully trackable. Every transaction is recorded. Every user is identified. Every flow of money is monitored. The digital yuan isn’t an alternative to crypto. It’s the replacement. The government wants to eliminate private digital currencies so they can control inflation, track tax evasion, and prevent capital flight. Crypto’s anonymity and decentralization directly threaten that control. Other countries regulate crypto. China shuts it down. The U.S. has licensed exchanges. The EU has MiCA rules. Japan allows regulated platforms. But China? No exceptions. No licenses. No compromises. This isn’t a temporary crackdown. It’s the end of a 16-year strategy. From 2009’s first ban on using Bitcoin to buy goods, to the 2017 exchange shutdowns, the 2021 mining ban, and now the 2025 total prohibition-China has been methodically closing every door.
Exchanges You Must Not Use (Even If They Say You Can)
Here’s the reality: if you’re in China, you shouldn’t even open the app.- Binance - Once the most popular exchange for Chinese users. Now blocked at the network level. Even its mobile app was removed from Chinese app stores in 2023. Any account linked to a Chinese ID is frozen.
- Coinbase - Doesn’t allow Chinese residents to register. But some try using foreign passports. If caught, they risk criminal charges for fraud and circumventing capital controls.
- Kraken - Has KYC checks that flag Chinese addresses. Even using a foreign bank account doesn’t protect you if your identity is tied to China.
- OKX - Originally founded in China. Now officially banned. Its Chinese team was dissolved in 2021. Any user with a Chinese phone number is blocked.
- KuCoin - Still accessible via VPN, but actively targeted by Chinese regulators. In 2024, over 300 KuCoin-linked bank accounts were frozen in Beijing alone.
- Gate.io - Popular among Chinese traders. Now under active investigation. Its Chinese customer support team was shut down in early 2025.
- DeFi platforms (Uniswap, Aave, etc.) - Even if you think you’re "not using an exchange," accessing DeFi protocols from China is still illegal. The law covers all crypto transactions, regardless of platform type.
What You Can Legally Use Instead
There’s only one legal digital currency in China: the digital yuan. It’s not Bitcoin. It’s not Ethereum. It’s not even a cryptocurrency. It’s a government-issued digital version of the renminbi. You can download the official digital yuan app through your bank. You can pay for groceries, taxis, and utilities with it. You can even send it to family members instantly. The catch? There’s no anonymity. The government sees every transaction. There’s no decentralization. No mining. No price volatility. And no chance of profit. If you want to invest, your legal options are limited to:- Stocks traded on the Shanghai or Shenzhen exchanges
- Government bonds
- Bank wealth management products
- Alipay and WeChat Pay-linked financial services
What If You Move Abroad?
If you relocate permanently to another country-say, Canada, Australia, or Singapore-you can legally use crypto exchanges there. But you still need to be careful. Chinese law applies to citizens abroad if they’re still registered as residents in China. If you haven’t officially changed your household registration (hukou), you’re still considered a Chinese citizen under the law. And if your bank account in China is still active, any crypto transaction-even from overseas-can trigger a domestic investigation. To fully escape the ban, you need to:- Obtain legal residency or citizenship in another country
- Closed all Chinese bank accounts
- Remove your Chinese ID from all crypto platforms
- Stop using any Chinese phone number or address for verification
Puspendu Roy Karmakar
November 28, 2025 AT 08:54Man, this is wild. I’m in India and we’ve got our own crypto mess, but China’s going all-in on control. No room for error here. If you’re Chinese, just stick to the digital yuan. No drama, no jail time.
Tina Detelj
November 30, 2025 AT 02:10So… let me get this straight: the government doesn’t want you to have money that can’t be tracked? That’s not a ban on crypto-it’s a demand for total surveillance? And people call the U.S. dystopian? 😅
Shelley Fischer
November 30, 2025 AT 16:28As an American with deep ties to East Asian financial systems, I find this policy both chilling and strategically coherent. The Chinese state is not merely regulating finance-it is redefining sovereignty in the digital age. Private digital assets represent a fragmentation of monetary authority, which, in a one-party state with centralized governance, is an existential threat. The digital yuan is not an alternative-it is the inevitable culmination of a 16-year project to eliminate financial opacity. This is not oppression; it is statecraft.
Vijay Kumar
December 2, 2025 AT 14:07Of course you can’t use crypto. You’re Chinese. You’re supposed to obey. Stop being greedy. The state knows best.
Vance Ashby
December 2, 2025 AT 17:11Bro. I used to trade on KuCoin. Now I just stare at my wallet like it’s a ghost. 😔
Brian Bernfeld
December 3, 2025 AT 15:18Let me be real: if you’re in China and you’re still trying to access crypto, you’re not a savvy investor-you’re playing Russian roulette with your bank account and your freedom. The penalties aren’t hypothetical. People are losing homes. Families are being torn apart. This isn’t about banning tech-it’s about survival. Stick to the digital yuan. It’s boring. It’s safe. And right now? That’s the only win.
Christina Oneviane
December 4, 2025 AT 00:05Oh wow, so the government wants to control your money… shocker. Next they’ll tell you what to think. Or maybe they already do. 🤡
Susan Dugan
December 4, 2025 AT 12:15China’s move is brutal, yes-but it’s also brutally logical. If you’re building a national digital currency, you can’t have competing systems leaking value, hiding transactions, or enabling capital flight. The digital yuan isn’t just a payment tool-it’s a governance instrument. And honestly? If I were Chinese, I’d rather have a transparent, state-backed system than gamble on volatile, unregulated crypto. No one’s forcing you to get rich. Just don’t get arrested.
Komal Choudhary
December 5, 2025 AT 00:52But what if you just want to help your cousin in Canada buy ETH? Is that illegal too? 😭
Savan Prajapati
December 6, 2025 AT 06:05Stop lying. Everyone in China uses crypto. The law is just for show.
fanny adam
December 8, 2025 AT 05:38This isn’t a ban-it’s a prelude. The digital yuan is the first step. Next: biometric ID tracking for every transaction. Then: AI-driven behavioral scoring to punish ‘financial deviance.’ Soon, even owning gold might require state approval. This is the new totalitarianism-and it’s wearing a sleek app interface.
Evelyn Gu
December 10, 2025 AT 05:01I just read this whole thing and I’m sitting here in my pajamas, sipping tea, wondering how anyone in China even sleeps at night. Imagine being told you can’t even hold something digital because the government says so. And then you realize-you’re not even allowed to be angry about it. You just… accept it. Because resistance is a bank account freeze. And that’s not a threat. That’s a fact. I don’t know if I could live like that. I really don’t.
Ben Costlee
December 12, 2025 AT 01:54It’s easy to judge from the outside. But for millions of Chinese citizens, the digital yuan isn’t a prison-it’s a lifeline. It’s fast, reliable, and works when banks don’t. The crypto ban isn’t about control. It’s about stability. In a country with 1.4 billion people, chaos is the real enemy. And sometimes, safety means giving up the dream of getting rich overnight.
Ian Esche
December 13, 2025 AT 05:27China’s got the right idea. Let Americans and Europeans waste their money on digital fantasy coins. Real nations build systems. Not gambling dens disguised as finance.
Eddy Lust
December 15, 2025 AT 02:37man i used to send my mom crypto for her birthday… now i just buy her tea. she says it’s more useful anyway. guess that’s what love looks like now
Wilma Inmenzo
December 16, 2025 AT 00:22They’re using this to build a surveillance state. The digital yuan? It’s not money-it’s a tracking chip in your pocket. Every coffee, every bus ride, every gift to your kid-it’s all logged. And one day, you’ll wake up and your ‘financial score’ will be too low to buy a phone. This isn’t policy. It’s dystopia with a user manual.
SHIVA SHANKAR PAMUNDALAR
December 17, 2025 AT 23:54People think crypto is freedom. But freedom without responsibility is just chaos. China’s doing what every other major economy should’ve done years ago. Stop romanticizing anonymity. It’s just a loophole for criminals and tax evaders. The digital yuan? It’s the future. And it’s clean.
priyanka subbaraj
December 19, 2025 AT 10:55My cousin got arrested for buying $200 of Bitcoin. They took her car. Her parents cried for weeks. Now she works at a government call center. Don’t risk it.
George Kakosouris
December 20, 2025 AT 20:52Let’s be real-this isn’t about control. It’s about fear. The CCP knows crypto exposes the fragility of their monetary system. The digital yuan is a Band-Aid on a hemorrhage. They’re terrified that if people realize how weak the renminbi is, the whole house of cards collapses. So they silence the truth. Classic.
jeff aza
December 21, 2025 AT 06:34FWIW, the regulatory architecture here is a textbook example of sovereign monetary hegemony enforcement. The PBoC’s implementation of extraterritorial compliance via IP geolocation, KYC cross-referencing, and AML-linked OTC monitoring constitutes a de facto global jurisdictional extension. The legal fiction of ‘no crypto for Chinese citizens’ is functionally a panopticon of capital mobility. Also, Uniswap? You’re still on-chain. Your wallet’s on the blockchain. That’s not ‘accessing’-that’s participating. And participation = liability under Article 191 of the PRC Criminal Law. Just saying.
Grace Zelda
December 22, 2025 AT 04:34What’s worse-the ban or the fact that we’ve all accepted that governments can just erase your financial freedom overnight? I used to think crypto was about decentralization. Now I think it’s about who gets to decide what’s legal… and who gets punished for believing otherwise.
Kristi Malicsi
December 22, 2025 AT 21:59the digital yuan is just money with a leash
Martin Doyle
December 24, 2025 AT 19:15People who say ‘just move abroad’ don’t get it. You can’t just leave your family, your home, your history. This isn’t a choice. It’s a trap. And the worst part? You’re supposed to be grateful they let you keep your phone number.
SARE Homes
December 26, 2025 AT 05:09Oh, so now you’re the moral authority? You think your ‘safe’ stocks are any better? The stock market is just another government-controlled casino. At least crypto gave you a shot. Now you’re just a wage slave with a QR code.
Rachel Thomas
December 27, 2025 AT 17:05China’s the only country that actually won the crypto war. Everyone else is still arguing about regulations. China just deleted the game.
Sierra Myers
December 28, 2025 AT 04:43lol imagine thinking you can outsmart a country of 1.4 billion people with a VPN
Tony spart
December 29, 2025 AT 10:26USA should do this. Let’s ban crypto. Let’s make it illegal to own anything the government can’t track. Freedom is overrated anyway.
Tom MacDermott
December 29, 2025 AT 15:35Wow. So the only way to be free is to leave your homeland? That’s not a ban. That’s a citizenship test. And you fail if you care about money.
Casey Meehan
December 31, 2025 AT 10:56China: 🚫₿
USA: 🤷♂️💸
Me: still holding my 0.002 BTC like it’s a family heirloom
jeff aza
January 1, 2026 AT 15:38Actually, I need to correct myself-Article 191 applies to money laundering, but the PBoC’s 2025 circular under Order No. 12-2025 explicitly criminalizes *any* crypto-related transaction by a Chinese national, regardless of intent. So even gifting 0.001 BTC to your sister is now a Class C offense under the Anti-Money Laundering Law of the PRC. This isn’t enforcement. It’s legal overreach on a systemic scale.