OKX Blockchain 60 Lectures | Episode 44: Garage Cafe: The Birthplace of Blockchain in China

Hello everyone, I'm Xiao K. Today we're going to talk about: "Garage Cafe: The Birthplace of Blockchain in China."

We've mentioned before that blockchain technology entered China in 2011. Initially, there were two types of people who encountered this technology: one group focused on mining, and during 2011-2014, as the mining industry rose, they gradually formed the "mining circle" represented by Bitmain; the other group didn't stay idle either. They were obsessed with the philosophy of Bitcoin and continuously spread blockchain knowledge to the world. This group focused mainly on researching cryptocurrency, so they gradually formed what we know as the "coin circle."

In the early days, everyone didn't really have any organized structure. They were self-taught like Wu Jihan or Changxia, promoting blockchain out of personal interest. It wasn't until a specific location appeared that these people slowly gathered together and grew into the first generation of crypto circle leaders. That place was "Garage Cafe."

Speaking of Garage Cafe, this place was originally a themed coffee shop focused on "entrepreneurship." As long as entrepreneurs ordered a cup of coffee here, they could enjoy a full day of office environment and guidance, providing a space for entrepreneurs to exchange ideas. Logically, this place had nothing to do with blockchain, but at that time, Garage Cafe happened to have an investment person who would later become very famous serving as CTO here, which tightly linked Garage Cafe's fate with blockchain. That person was Zhao Dong.

Zhao Dong was originally the co-founder of Moji Weather. When he joined Garage Cafe, he had just sold all his shares. At the time, he believed that housing prices were at a high level and the financial bubble was about to burst. He needed to find a new investment target. Coincidentally, he met Wu Gang, one of the earliest players in China to encounter Bitcoin. Introduced by Wu Gang, he bought 10 Bitcoin and made a small profit. From then on, he was deeply captivated by Bitcoin, foreshadowing the rest of the story.

In March 2013, an American student named Jack passed by here and bought a cup of coffee. Because Jack was also a Bitcoin enthusiast, he asked the staff here "whether he could pay with Bitcoin." At that time, Zhao Dong was obsessed with Bitcoin, so he happily accepted this trading.

Unexpectedly, this偶然 occurrence was reported by CCTV. It attracted the attention of many blockchain entrepreneurs, who came one after another out of admiration. Li Xiaolai, who was a teacher at New Oriental, and Guo Hongcai, who sold pork in Shanxi, all met here.

Common goals and common interests naturally cultivate similar circles, and slowly, the initial coin circle was formed.

Thereafter, with the 2013 bull market, the first generation of leaders grew rapidly. They began to try entrepreneurship and investment. Zhao Dong went into investment, Guo Hongcai built mining farms, and Li Xiaolai established a fund, bringing more entrepreneurs and investors into this industry. Since then, countless talents, projects, and funds have emerged from this circle, laying the foundation for domestic blockchain. Their initial gathering place, "Garage Cafe," was hailed as the birthplace of blockchain in China.

Today, although Garage Cafe no longer accepts any cryptocurrency payments, it still stands on a certain entrepreneurship street in Beijing, recording those formative years of domestic blockchain development...

Thanks to Xiong Yue for his help and guidance with this episode's content.

Sina Weibo: @Xiong Yue 熊越

"OKX Blockchain 60 Lectures" is a blockchain science animation video co-produced by OKX & Sina Tech, targeting zero-basis blockchain users. Through series articles, science animations and other forms, from the perspectives of concept, technology, and applications, through 5 major sections and 60 knowledge points, it vividly explains blockchain concepts. This episode's content was completed under the guidance of Bixin partner Xiong Yue.

Disclaimer

This article may contain product-related content not applicable to your region. This article is intended to provide general information only and does not take responsibility for any factual errors or omissions therein. This article represents only the author's personal views and does not represent the views of OKX. This article is not intended to provide any of the following advice, including but not limited to: (i) investment advice or investment recommendations; (ii) offers or solicitations to buy, sell or hold digital assets; or (iii) financial, accounting, legal or tax advice. Holding digital assets (including stablecoins) involves high risk, may fluctuate significantly, and may even become worthless. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding digital assets is suitable for you based on your financial situation. For questions about your specific situation, please consult your legal/tax/investment professional. The information appearing in this article (including market data and statistics, if any) is for general reference only. Although we have taken all reasonable precautions in preparing these data and charts, we accept no responsibility for any factual errors or omissions expressed herein. © 2025 OKX. This article may be reproduced or distributed in full, or excerpts of 100 words or less from this article may be used, provided such use is non-commercial. Any reproduction or distribution of the entire article must also prominently state: "This article is copyrighted © 2025 OKX, used with permission." Permitted excerpts must cite the article name and include attribution, for example "Article Name, [Author Name (if applicable)], © 2025 OKX". Some content may be generated or assisted by artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Derivative works or other uses of this article are not permitted.

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