China’s Communist Party has directed a tougher campaign against corruption that exploits virtual currencies, blockchain technology and cross-border financial channels. The call appears in a resolution adopted by the Party’s Central Committee on October 29 during the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee and published in full by the state news agency on November 1.

The document forms part of a wider drive for full and rigorous Party self-governance. In the section addressing anti-corruption work, it instructs officials to “resolutely crack down on corruption carried out through the internet, virtual currency, cross-border funds, blockchain and the like.” The text does not name Bitcoin or any other specific digital asset and contains no new rules on trading, mining or stablecoins.

Focus on Concealed Bribery and Illicit Asset Transfers

Investigators are told to dig into new and hidden forms of misconduct. These include delayed rewards for abuse of public office, assets held through proxies, arrangements known as “white gloves,” and the revolving door between government posts and private business. Officials, their family members, associates and intermediaries who facilitate such schemes are all placed under closer scrutiny.

The resolution places particular weight on senior cadres and younger officials who misuse their positions. It also calls for stronger coordination among disciplinary agencies, regulatory bodies and local authorities, along with expanded use of digital inspection systems and integrated government data platforms to trace unusual transactions and relationships between officials and private firms.

Authorities have already pursued cases involving digital-asset bribes. One prominent example involved Yao Qian, a former official who once led digital-currency research at the central bank and later worked at the securities regulator. Investigators determined he received 2,000 ETH from a businessman seeking help with a cryptocurrency fundraising project; the transfers were traced through wallets, exchanges and related bank accounts.

Cross-Border Cooperation and Asset Recovery

Beyond domestic cases, the resolution presses for closer international cooperation to pursue fugitives and recover assets moved overseas. It directs investigators to examine arrangements that conceal ownership or shift criminal proceeds across jurisdictions. This builds on earlier anti-money-laundering efforts that identified virtual currencies, underground banking networks and overseas transfers as enforcement priorities.

A recent overseas example involved Thai police arresting a Chinese national accused of laundering more than 74 million USD through cryptocurrency and traditional bank accounts, illustrating the practical difficulties digital assets create for cross-border probes.

Existing Restrictions Remain Unchanged

The latest directive does not alter China’s long-standing ban on cryptocurrency activity. Banks were barred from handling Bitcoin transactions in 2013. Initial coin offerings and domestic exchange services were prohibited in 2017. In September 2021 regulators declared all cryptocurrency transactions illegal and intensified the campaign against mining. A February 2026 notice led by the People’s Bank of China restated that virtual-currency business on the mainland constitutes illegal financial activity and restricted offshore yuan-pegged stablecoins as well as unapproved tokenization of real-world assets.

The October resolution addresses a distinct issue: the use of these technologies by officials and intermediaries to hide bribes or move illicit wealth. It does not introduce fresh trading prohibitions or name specific tokens, OTC desks or offshore venues.

Expanded Oversight of Technology Platforms

Alongside the anti-corruption measures, the resolution tightens Party oversight of internet companies and rapidly growing digital businesses. Enterprises are required to integrate Party-building processes into decision-making and daily management. Disciplinary agencies are directed to deploy advanced digital tools, including artificial-intelligence systems already piloted in cities such as Zhengzhou and Suifenhe to detect collusion, price manipulation and social-security fraud.

While authorities continue to develop blockchain applications for government and industrial use, these efforts remain separate from the prohibition on cryptocurrency trading services. The Party’s latest guidance makes clear that digital-finance networks now form an integral part of anti-corruption enforcement and that investigators will treat virtual currencies and blockchain as channels requiring the same vigilance applied to conventional financial misconduct.