Neo, also known as NEO or Antshares, is a blockchain platform and cryptocurrency that aims to build a smart economy by combining digital assets, digital identity, and smart contracts. In this ultimate guide to Neo, we'll cover its background, key features, and provide you with the necessary information to understand and get started with this platform.


Background:

Neo was founded in 2014 by Da Hongfei and Erik Zhang in China.

Initially known as Antshares, it rebranded to Neo in 2017 to reflect its vision of a new, smart economy.

Neo has gained significant popularity and is often referred to as "China's Ethereum" due to its similarities with the Ethereum blockchain.


Key Features:


Neo Virtual Machine (NeoVM): NeoVM is a lightweight and scalable virtual machine that executes smart contracts on the Neo blockchain. It supports various programming languages, including C#, Java, and Python, making it accessible to a broader developer community.


Smart Contracts: Neo supports the creation and execution of smart contracts. Smart contracts are self-executing agreements with predefined rules and conditions. They enable developers to automate processes and create decentralized applications. Neo's smart contracts can be written in various programming languages, providing flexibility for developers.


Digital Assets: Neo enables the creation, management, and transfer of digital assets on its platform. These assets can represent various real-world or digital items, such as cryptocurrencies, tokens, intellectual property, and more.


NeoID: Neo incorporates a digital identity system called NeoID. It allows users to create and manage their digital identities on the blockchain. This digital identity framework can be used for authentication, authorization, and compliance purposes, providing a secure and trusted environment for various applications.


Digital Identity: Neo provides a decentralized digital identity system, allowing users to create, own, and manage their identities securely. This feature enhances trust, enables regulatory compliance, and facilitates the integration of blockchain technology with real-world applications.


Delegated Byzantine Fault Tolerance (dBFT): Neo uses a consensus mechanism called dBFT, which ensures finality and transaction certainty within the network. dBFT relies on a set of trusted consensus nodes that validate and confirm transactions, ensuring a high level of security and performance.


Governance: Neo has a unique governance model that involves its community members. NEO holders can participate in decision-making processes through voting and enjoy certain benefits, such as the ability to claim GAS tokens, which are used to fuel transactions on the Neo network.



NEO and GAS:


NEO and GAS are two interconnected tokens within the Neo ecosystem.

  • NEO: NEO tokens represent ownership of the blockchain and serve as an investment asset. NEO holders have voting rights for protocol upgrades and decisions within the Neo ecosystem.
  • GAS: GAS tokens are used to pay for transaction fees, deploy and run smart contracts, and interact with the Neo ecosystem. GAS is generated automatically by holding NEO tokens, and holders can claim it periodically.

Wallets and Development:


  • NEO Wallets: To store NEO and GAS tokens, you can use official Neo wallets such as Neo-CLI (command-line interface), Neo-GUI (graphical user interface), or third-party wallets like O3 Wallet, Neon Wallet, and hardware wallets like Ledger and Trezor.


  • Development on Neo: If you're interested in developing on the Neo blockchain, you can explore the Neo Developer Center (https://docs.neo.org/), which provides comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and resources for smart contract development, NeoVM integration, and other developer tools.



Neo has a thriving ecosystem with various decentralized applications (DApps) and projects built on top of its blockchain.

Some notable projects include decentralized exchanges like Switcheo, gaming platforms like NeoWorld, and identity solutions like Ontology, which collaborates closely with Neo.

Exploring the Neo ecosystem can provide insights into different use cases and opportunities for developers and users alike.


Neo has gained significant attention and adoption, particularly in China and other Asian countries. It has been used for various applications, including supply chain management, decentralized finance (DeFi), and digital identity solutions. The platform continues to evolve, with ongoing development and improvements to enhance its scalability, interoperability, and functionality.