NEO

Neo is the most feature-complete blockchain platform for building decentralized applications. Neo enables developers to digitize and automate the management of assets through smart contracts. Multi-language support (including C#, Python, Go, TypeScript, and Java) makes it easy for developers to build on the platform in the language they are most comfortable with. Neo also provides powerful native infrastructures such as decentralized storage, oracles, and domain name service, creating a solid foundation for the Next-Gen Internet.

Neo bills itself as a “rapidly growing and developing” ecosystem that has the goal of becoming the foundation for the next generation of the internet — a new economy where digitized payments, identities and assets come together. Initially known as Antshares, this project was believed to be China’s first-ever public blockchain when it was launched in February 2014. The open-source platform subsequently rebranded to Neo three years later. As well as creating a worldwide community of developers who create new infrastructure for the network and lower barriers to entry, the team behind this project operate an EcoBoost initiative that’s designed to encourage people to build decentralized apps and smart contracts on its blockchain.It’s often been likened to the Chinese version of the Ethereum network.

Neo was founded by Da Hongfei and Erik Zhang in 2014 under the name Antshares. The original source code was published to GitHub in July 2015 and the MainNet subsequently launched in October 2016. In 2017, Antshares was rebranded to Neo as it implemented Smart Contracts 2.0. It underwent aggressive global expansion as hundreds of new developers poured onto the blockchain. Neo leadership began distributing NEO token rewards to groups and individuals that contributed to the growth of the Neo platform. Some of the earliest groups to join Neo included COZ, NeoEconoLabs, and O3 Labs.

In 2021, Neo is being upgraded to version 3.0, known as N3. As a project that began in June 2018, the N3 upgrade represents the biggest advancement in Neo’s history. It is aimed at bringing the first all-in-one blockchain development experience to the industry, packed with powerful native features such as distributed storage, oracles, and name services. Neo N3 also boasts a simpler and more modular architecture than its predecessors, along with an improved governance and economic model.

Neo was a pioneer in the early blockchain industry. Not only was it the first public smart contract platform to be founded in China, it was also the first chain to use a dual token model and the first to implement a BFT style consensus mechanism. Further, Neo is still the first and only token sale to return all the original raised funds to its participants once the project had generated enough money to be self-sustaining.