Picture this: you’re Jack Ma, the visionary who built Alibaba into a global powerhouse and turned Alipay into China’s digital payments king. After years of regulatory hurdles and a quieter public profile, you decide it’s time to step into the next frontier—Web3. Enter Yunfeng Financial Group, your fintech vehicle, and a bold appointment that has the blockchain world buzzing.
On September 18, 2025, Yunfeng officially named Jiang Guofei, a blockchain veteran from Ant Group, as chairman of its brand-new Web3 Development Committee (Yahoo Finance, 2025). This isn’t just another executive shuffle; it’s a signal that Chinese finance is preparing to remix itself with decentralized technologies. And if successful, it could reshape how billions of dollars move across Asia.
Why Yunfeng’s Web3 Pivot Matters Now
For years, China’s crypto policy has been a balancing act—strict mainland bans colliding with Hong Kong’s pro-crypto stance (South China Morning Post, 2025). Yunfeng, with $12.3 billion in assets and deep ties to Jack Ma’s empire, is no small player. It’s a Hong Kong-listed insurance and fintech firm that now wants to leverage blockchain to solve age-old financial inefficiencies like high transaction costs and sluggish cross-border payments.
The timing is key. In early September, Yunfeng invested $44 million into 10,000 ETH, labeling it a “strategic reserve” to support real-world asset (RWA) tokenization (Cointelegraph, 2025). Just days later, Hong Kong’s SFC granted Yunfeng a virtual asset trading license, making it one of the first major Chinese-linked firms allowed to trade ETH and BTC under regulation (SCMP, 2025). This double move shows Yunfeng isn’t speculating—it’s building the infrastructure for a tokenized future.
Jiang Guofei: From Ant’s Blockchain Labs to Web3 Leadership
So, who is Jiang Guofei?
He’s not just a suit; he’s a technologist with a PhD-level background and years of experience turning blockchain concepts into scalable products. His most notable achievement came in 2020, when he spearheaded Trusple, Ant Group’s blockchain-powered global trade platform. Built on AntChain, Trusple automated order verification, payments, and financing for SMEs, while working with banks like Citi, Standard Chartered, and BNP Paribas (Business Wire, 2020).
By 2021, Trusple was processing real transactions and proving that blockchain could streamline global trade (Forkast, 2021). Beyond trade finance, Jiang expanded AntChain into industries like food safety, copyright protection, and data privacy—laying the foundation for blockchain as a trust infrastructure (Ledger Insights, 2021).
After stepping away from Ant during Beijing’s fintech crackdown, Jiang became Chief Scientist at China Electronics Corporation (CEC) in 2024. There, he led national-scale projects blending AI, blockchain, and secure data infrastructure. This experience makes him uniquely positioned to navigate Web3’s compliance-heavy landscape while scaling real-world adoption (Yahoo Finance, 2025).
Yunfeng’s Web3 Strategy: More Than Just Crypto
Yunfeng isn’t chasing hype; it’s targeting real utility. Its strategy rests on four pillars:
| Initiative | Description | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| ETH Reserve | $44M ETH buy to support RWAs | Tokenizes insurance policies & ESG assets |
| License Upgrade | SFC approval for ETH/BTC trading | Positions Yunfeng as a compliant Web3 gateway |
| RWA Tokenization | Pilot projects in insurance & carbon credits | Reduces costs by 30–50%, boosts liquidity |
| AI + Blockchain Fusion | Data security for fintech apps | Enables scalable apps for 1B+ users in Asia |
This layered approach—reserve first, compliance second, innovation third—shows Yunfeng’s long-term Web3 ambitions.
The Jack Ma Factor: Quiet but Strategic
Jack Ma’s influence looms large. After retreating from public life post-2020, Ma has carefully re-entered through Yunfeng, using it as a stealth Web3 platform. By reuniting with Jiang, the man who once led Ant’s blockchain efforts, Ma is signaling continuity and vision.
Hong Kong is the perfect stage: its pro-crypto regulations and role as a bridge to mainland capital create fertile ground for experimentation (Bitget News, 2025). With industry heavyweights like Xiao Feng (HashKey CEO) also on Yunfeng’s board, the company is amassing a brain trust of Web3 pioneers.
Challenges on the Horizon
Still, Yunfeng faces major hurdles:
- Regulatory tightrope: Mainland China’s bans remain, meaning Yunfeng must rely heavily on Hong Kong’s policies.
- Volatility: ETH’s recent 7.89% 30-day rise is exciting, but downturns could impact reserves.
- Talent gaps: Web3 expertise in China is still limited, making execution tough.
However, Jiang’s playbook—blending enterprise blockchain adoption with state-level oversight—may help Yunfeng navigate these complexities.
Why Jiang’s Appointment Could Be a Game-Changer
Jiang isn’t starting from scratch. His Ant days proved he could scale blockchain solutions for billions. His CEC work proved he could design secure, compliant digital infrastructures. At Yunfeng, he’s expected to deliver:
- Tokenized carbon credits tied to ESG bonds.
- Smart contracts for insurance payouts.
- Cross-border payment rails that cut costs and time.
As Yunfeng put it in a recent filing: “Web3 solves geography and security issues for finance.” (SCMP, 2025) Jiang is uniquely equipped to turn that statement into reality.
The Bigger Picture: China’s Web3 Renaissance
This isn’t just about Yunfeng. Across Asia, firms are testing tokenization, Hong Kong is approving spot crypto ETFs, and Shenzhen is piloting blockchain applications for trade. Yunfeng’s Web3 bet could trigger a domino effect of corporate adoption, attracting global partners who want access to Asia’s liquidity (Cointelegraph, 2025).
If successful, this could mark the beginning of China’s Web3 renaissance, led not by retail traders but by institutions bridging TradFi and DeFi.
Conclusion: Jack Ma’s Next Legacy Move
With Jiang Guofei at the helm, Yunfeng isn’t trying to reinvent finance—it’s electrifying it. The move combines Jack Ma’s strategic vision, Hong Kong’s crypto-friendly stance, and Jiang’s proven blockchain expertise.
For investors, builders, and policymakers, this is a moment to watch. If Yunfeng succeeds, it won’t just change Chinese finance—it could reshape global capital flows.
Are you bullish on China’s Web3 pivot, or do you think regulatory headwinds will hold it back? Share your thoughts below.
Sources
- Yahoo Finance: “Jack Ma-backed Yunfeng names ex-Ant Group executive as top Web3 architect” (2025)
- South China Morning Post: “Yunfeng Financial invests US$44 million in ether amid Hong Kong’s virtual asset push” (2025)
- Cointelegraph: “Jack Ma-linked Yunfeng Financial acquires $44M of ETH amid Web3 push” (2025)
- The Coin Republic: “Jack Ma-affiliated Yunfeng Financial Buys $44M ETH Stake for Web3 Expansion” (2025)
- Business Wire: “Ant Group Launches Trusple, an AntChain-Powered Trade Platform” (2020)
- Forkast: “Ant Group launches Trusple blockchain platform for B2B trade” (2021)
- Ledger Insights: “Ant Group’s blockchain predictions anchored by trust” (2021)
- Bitget News: “Jack Ma becomes an E-Guardian with Xiao Feng’s support? Yunfeng’s Web3 strategy explained” (2025)
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