Chinese Authorities Officially Define Stablecoins as Virtual Currency, Ending Gray Speculation Era

In accordance with BlockTempo, Chinese regulators have, for the first time, officially defined stablecoins as a form of virtual currency in formal documents and included them within the regulatory framework for illegal financial activities. This marks the end of the speculative and ambiguous space that had previously surrounded stablecoins. The meeting, attended by a national-level regulatory team including the Ministry of Public Security, Cyberspace Administration, and the State Council's Financial Office, signals a unified and strict regulatory stance. The key statement — that stablecoins are a form of virtual currency — closes all previous loopholes and confirms that stablecoins are subject to the same regulations as other virtual currencies, with no exceptions or pilot programs. The regulatory focus is on risks such as money laundering, fraud, and cross-border capital flows, rather than technological innovation. For Chinese entrepreneurs, the message is clear: any stablecoin project involving domestic users or capital is now classified as illegal financial activity.