What is the NEO cryptocurrency, and what does it represent?

NEO, formerly known as AntShares, is generally known as the "Ethereum of China." But an even more accurate description of the project would be "China's public blockchain," according to the company.

NEO made news when it went from being a top 15 cryptocurrency to a top 10 cryptocurrency as of the time of this writing. NEO's token value surged from sub-$10 to more than $20, and its market cap to more than $900 million.

NEO's platform is similar to Ethereum's but has some clear advantages and a different overall mission.

• First of all, it provides various advanced languages for its compiler, such as Python and Go.
• Second, and more important, its NEO Contract (which is run through a NEO Virtual Machine) supports various commonly used programming languages, such as C# and Java, which is a major advantage. This makes its barrier to entry for new developers much smaller than other platforms', as they do not need to learn new languages to code.

The BIG move for NEO is creating an entire smart economy. It has incorporated digital assets, smart contracts, and a digital identity that can be used for real-world applications and become integrated into the real economy. China could (and may) be a candidate for that first real-world application and integration.