Neo Legacy Network Officially Sunset as Neo N3 Takes Over

Neo Legacy, the original blockchain that pioneered China’s smart contract ecosystem, has reached its end-of-life phase. The network will be formally decommissioned in October after an eight-year run, marking a symbolic transition to NEO N3—its more technologically advanced successor.

Once heralded as "China’s Ethereum," Neo Legacy (originally launched as AntShares) laid the groundwork for tokenization and decentralized applications in the region. Its retirement underscores the relentless pace of blockchain evolution, where even foundational networks must yield to next-generation architectures.

The Neo team commemorated Legacy’s milestones—from its 2016 rebranding to its role in catalyzing China’s blockchain development—while executing the sunset process. The shutdown exemplifies the crypto industry’s pragmatic approach to technological obsolescence, where sentimentality rarely outweighs efficiency gains.