Organizers postponed the Solana Shanghai event on Friday morning after law enforcement officers blocked access to the Shangri-La Hotel. Attendees reported waiting outside for over an hour before the program was cancelled. The official communication from the Solana Accelerate China team attributed the delay to venue logistics and did not reference the police presence.
This incident occurred just two days after the Solana Foundation opened a new office in Shanghai. Binance founder Changpeng Zhao noted that a similar disruption took place less than a year ago during the Solana Accelerate APAC event in Shenzhen, where police intervened citing overcrowding. The current series of events is scheduled to continue in Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and Beijing.
Mainland China maintains a strict ban on cryptocurrency trading, which has been in effect since 2021, while blockchain technology remains legal. In February, authorities issued a notice prohibiting unauthorized yuan-pegged stablecoins. The government is currently developing a national blockchain network that does not incorporate tokens, creating a complex regulatory environment for foreign crypto firms.
