China launched a new intergovernmental artificial intelligence body called WAICO this week, with 29 countries as founding members. The group's governance scope explicitly excludes crypto and blockchain — a move that signals a widening split between how the world regulates AI versus decentralized tech. For the crypto industry, the exclusion raises questions about where it fits in the future of global tech governance.
What WAICO is — and what it isn't
WAICO stands for the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization. It's a Beijing-backed initiative that brings together nations from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The group's stated mission is to coordinate AI standards, ethics, and development. But the founding documents make one thing clear: WAICO won't touch crypto or blockchain. Those technologies are explicitly carved out from its governance mandate.
The choice is deliberate. China has long taken a hard line on crypto — banning trading and mining years ago — while pushing aggressively on AI. WAICO extends that logic to the international stage. The 29 member countries are effectively signing on to a framework where AI governance proceeds separately from any blockchain-related regulation.
A tech governance split that could reshape the industry
By excluding crypto, WAICO draws a line that could have real consequences. Many AI projects rely on blockchain for data provenance, decentralized compute, or token incentives. If WAICO's governance framework becomes influential, those projects may find themselves outside the tent — subject to rules that don't account for their hybrid nature.
It's also a signal to other regional blocs. The EU is working on its own AI Act, which takes a different approach. The US has yet to settle on a unified strategy. WAICO's exclusion of crypto could push the industry toward jurisdictions that embrace both technologies, or force a reckoning in countries that join WAICO but still want to foster blockchain innovation.
What the industry is watching for now
WAICO hasn't released a detailed roadmap yet. The next concrete step is likely a meeting to set technical standards, expected within months. The crypto industry will be watching to see if any member countries introduce domestic regulations that mirror the exclusion — or if the bloc's stance creates friction for cross-border AI-crypto projects.
For now, the message is clear: China and its partners are building a governance structure for AI that deliberately leaves crypto out. Whether that drives the industry to adapt or to find new allies is an open question — and one that will play out in the coming months.
