Da Hongfei

Da Hongfei is most known for co-founding the blockchain-based “Smart Economy” network Neo with Erick Zhang in 2014. Hongfei received his education the South China University of Technology, receiving degrees in technology and English. He worked at a consulting firm until 2013, after which he learned how to code before founding Neo. Along with Zhang, Hongfei also founded OnChain — a commercial blockchain firm that provides services to private companies. 

Da Hongfei is a noted luminary. He has been responsible for the first few blockchain companies based in China. Such is his pedigree in the Chinese blockchain and cryptocurrency space that government officials reportedly contacted him prior to issuing the September ICO and cryptocurrency exchange platform bans. He is a pioneer of blockchaintechnology and cryptocurrency applications in Asia.

Da Hongfei worked as CEO of IntPass Consulting from 2005 to 2013. He left in December 2013; in January 2014, he founded NEO. The same month, he also founded Onchain.

He taught himself how to code before founding NEO in 2014. Da Hongfei has said on-record that he welcomes regulation of cryptocurrency mining and trading, as the danger of becoming a victim of fraud is a problem that is holding the potential of the technology back. He has described the current financial system as "outdated, if not broken," and believes NEO will be able to benefit Chinese consumers in a broad sense. 

In September, Da hongfei announced the testnet launch of Neo3, a revamp of the Neo blockchain protocol intended to power large-scale commercial applications. That same month, Neo became the first blockchain member of Microsoft’s .NET Foundation. At the Consensus 2019 event in May, Da announced the launch of the EcoBoost Initiative, a $100 million fund to support the growth of the Neo network and community.

Da Hongfei's vision encompasses the advancement of decentralized systems and the utilization of blockchain to transform various industries. At the core of Da Hongfei's vision is the concept of a smart economy. He envisions a future where blockchain technology seamlessly integrates with traditional systems, enabling the creation of a more efficient and transparent economy. This smart economy is built on the principles of digital assets, digital identity, and smart contracts.

Digital assets play a significant role in Da Hongfei's vision. He believes that blockchain can revolutionize the way assets are created, managed, and transferred. By tokenizing real-world assets, such as real estate or intellectual property, individuals can have more liquidity, transparency, and accessibility to a wide range of assets.