Most Influential in Blockchain 2017 #6: Yao Qian

Call it the biggest short in history. China took plenty of actions against cryptocurrencies in 2017, banning ICOs, shutting down domestic exchanges and all but taking a match to what was once one of the industry's largest and most thriving ecosystems. But if China is setting a course apart from the world, Yao Qian may be its biggest asset. The man in charge of rethinking bitcoin on behalf of the world's largest state isn't just empowered, he seems to know crypto inside and out.