NEO is a next generation smart economy platform (formerly Antshares) and China's first open source blockchain that was founded in 2014, is often known as the “Ethereum of China”. What is NEO? NEO uses a smart economy approach to implement its distributed network concept. Its main objective is to digitize assets using the decentralized network of blockchain technology and digital identity. Neo’s main aim is to be the distributed network for “smart economy”. As their website states: 'Digital Assets + Digital Identity + Smart Contract = Smart Economy.' Neo was developed by Shanghai-based blockchain R&D company “OnChain” and funded by two crowdsales: first crowdsale on October 2015 sold 17.5 million NEO tokens for $550,000 and the second crowdsale sold the remaining 22.5 million NEO tokens for $4.5 million. So why NEO? Asset digitization and identity on the NEO platform essentially creates a novel way for asset registration, issuance, and circulation. This means that tangible assets like real estate, company shares or even fiat money can be digitized and traded on the NEO network, thus giving rise to a whole new economy. Its digital identity system allows for integration between the platform and the real world economy. It has custom digital identity standards that enable the creation of electronic identity data for individuals, organizations and even entities. These electronic systems use multi-layered authentication models that include facial and voice recognition as well as fingerprints. All digital assets on the platform enjoy legal protection thanks to the use of digital certificates on its public blockchain. This, in turn, guarantees trust as the system offers an indelible and unalterable record of all entities’ holdings.
Utilizing a community of world-class developers, managers, marketers and researchers, the Apollo community, backed by the Apollo Foundation, has set out to accomplish the goal of making Apollo the most technologically advanced, feature-rich currency on the market. The Apollo Foundation understands the demands of a top tier cryptocurrency and they believe they can create a coin that will integrate everything necessary to replace the current currency options. Having started from NXT, a proven cryptocurrency, the Apollo Foundation will continue development with the goal of being first all-in-one cryptocurrency, innovating and incorporating every ability that could be beneficial in a digital currency, all in a single decentralized platform. The first major update, Olympus Protocol, puts mass adoption-proof privacy at Apollo's core. This is because the Apollo Foundation knows the ability for a user to buy, sell, trade and send in absolute secrecy is vital in an industry that could be moments away from intense regulation. The Apollo team is here because they believe the only person or entity that should be in control of your funds is you.