Neo

Neo is a blockchain-based open source platform and cryptocurrency released in 2014, designed to enable payments, smart contracts and digital asset management. Neo is often touted as "China's Ethereum" due to its similarities with the latter platform, although the two do have more differences than similarities.

Neo also supports decentralized applications (dapps) and operates on an advanced distributed network of nodes that form a network capable of confirming payments within seconds. Additionally, Neo has delegated governance system which allows users to vote on changes or improvements to the protocol.

NEO gained mainstream popularity in 2017 crypto bull run. This was time when smart contract currencies and platforms such as Ethereum entered public consciousness and investors started to view these as second generation cryptocurrencies, disrupting the more simple Bitcoin and Bitcoin forks. Neo presented investment opportunity with potentially higher returns than more established Ethereum.