30 Under 30 – Crypto and Compliance: The Next Generation of Blockchain Builders
How Zhou Feng, a 23-year-old coder, is shaping blockchain’s future within China’s strict regulatory framework.
📝 By David Karim | Senior Economic Correspondent
From Coding Clubs to Crypto Labs
Zhou Feng (23) grew up in Chengdu, a city more famous for hotpot and pandas than fintech. At age 16, he joined a local high school coding club, where he first encountered blockchain technology. While most classmates were excited by Bitcoin’s price swings, Zhou was fascinated by its underlying mathematics.
“Everyone was chasing coins,” he laughs. “I was chasing the code.”
Building Blockchain with Chinese Rules in Mind
Today, Zhou works at a Shanghai blockchain research lab, focusing on regulatory-compliant decentralized finance (DeFi) solutions. While global startups often push for full decentralization, Zhou is working on permissioned blockchains designed to cooperate with Chinese regulators.
His latest project, ChainClear, enables transparent supply-chain payments while embedding compliance checks. The system is already being tested by logistics firms in Guangdong.
Zhou explains: “In China, technology must align with the state’s priorities. Our blockchain is not about rebellion—it’s about trust and governance.”
Gen Z’s Pragmatic Approach
Unlike earlier crypto enthusiasts, Zhou’s generation takes a more pragmatic view. For him, blockchain is not about escaping regulation but about strengthening China’s digital economy. He often cites the phrase “合规创新 (compliance-driven innovation)” as his guiding principle.
His approach fits neatly into Beijing’s push for Digital Yuan integration and cross-border settlement systems under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Recognition and Skepticism
At just 22, Zhou presented his work at the China Blockchain Conference in Hangzhou, where officials praised his vision for merging innovation with regulation. He was later listed in Forbes China 30 Under 30 – Finance & Tech.
Still, he faces skepticism from peers abroad who see compliance as stifling. Zhou disagrees: “Freedom without order is chaos. Blockchain must earn trust in China’s cultural and political context.”
Inspiring Young Developers
Beyond his research, Zhou mentors coding students through online Bilibili tutorials, teaching blockchain basics in plain Chinese. His videos, which explain smart contracts using examples like dumpling shops and Taobao sales, have millions of views.
He insists this grassroots education is as important as lab research: “If young developers don’t understand blockchain, we risk being dependent on foreign standards.”
Looking Ahead
Zhou’s next project involves cross-border blockchain pilots with Southeast Asian partners. He hopes Chinese-designed systems can ensure both efficiency and sovereignty.
On his desk, he keeps a copy of Sun Tzu’s Art of War with a handwritten note: “Know the rules, then innovate within them.”
A Chinese Path to Blockchain
Zhou Feng represents a distinctly Chinese approach to blockchain: ambitious, innovative, but firmly rooted in national priorities. For him, the goal is not speculation but stability.As he puts it: “The West talks about freedom. We talk about harmony. Blockchain must serve harmony.”
