P2P Crypto China: How Peer-to-Peer Trading Works Despite the Ban

When you hear P2P crypto China, peer-to-peer cryptocurrency trading done by individuals without centralized exchanges, often used to bypass government restrictions. Also known as cryptocurrency OTC trading, it’s the quiet lifeline for millions in China who still want to hold Bitcoin or USDT, even after the government shut down all official exchanges. The ban isn’t just a rule—it’s enforced with fines, bank freezes, and sometimes jail. But people still trade. Not on Binance or Huobi. Not through apps. They trade face-to-face, over WeChat, through trusted contacts, or on decentralized platforms that don’t ask for ID.

How? They use stablecoins, digital currencies pegged to the US dollar, designed to avoid Bitcoin’s volatility and serve as a bridge for cross-border value like USDT. You pay someone in yuan through Alipay or WeChat Pay, they send you USDT on the TRON or Ethereum network. No bank account needed. No KYC. Just a QR code and a text message. It’s not legal, but it’s practical. And it’s everywhere—from university campuses in Shanghai to small shops in Guangzhou. Even though the government cracked down on mining and exchanges in 2021, P2P trading kept going. Why? Because people still need to protect their savings from inflation, send money abroad, or buy goods from overseas markets that only accept crypto.

It’s not without danger. Scammers pose as buyers, then vanish after you send the crypto. Some traders get arrested when police trace a large transfer. Banks flag accounts that send money to known crypto wallets. But the demand doesn’t fade. People in sanctioned countries like Iran or Venezuela do the same thing. In China, it’s not about speculation—it’s about survival. And that’s why the posts below dive into the real stories: how Russians bypass withdrawal limits, how citizens in restricted regions use DEXs, and why privacy coins like Monero are becoming more valuable when governments watch every transaction. You’ll find hard truths about fake airdrops, dead tokens, and exchanges that vanish overnight. But you’ll also see how people keep trading, even when the system says they can’t. This isn’t a guide to breaking laws. It’s a look at how real people adapt when the rules don’t match their needs.

Crypto Adoption in China Despite Ban: How 59 Million Still Trade in 2025

5 December 2025

Despite China's 2021 crypto ban, 59 million people still trade Bitcoin and stablecoins using VPNs, P2P networks, and offshore exchanges. Here's how they do it - and why the government can't stop them.

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