VCT China Stage 2 kicks off as esports continues to sidestep crypto integration

The Valorant Champions Tour 2026 China Stage 2 group stage is underway, with Day 2 featuring FunPlus Phoenix squaring off against Trace Esports and JDG Esports taking on TYLOO. All four teams enter at 0-0, marking the earliest innings of a round-robin format that will stretch from July through August 2026.

What’s happening on the server

The VCT China Stage 2 features more than ten teams competing for spots at international events, including the prestigious Champions Shanghai. FunPlus Phoenix recently made a significant roster move. On June 25, 2026, FPX signed Colin “coconut” Chung as their new in-game leader, bringing him over from JD Gaming.

The crypto-shaped hole in esports

There are no cryptocurrency tokens associated with the tournament. No NFT-based collectibles tied to player performances. No on-chain governance letting fans vote on map picks. The only crypto-adjacent activity comes from third-party prediction markets, and even those show limited engagement compared to traditional sports betting platforms operating in regulated markets.

Tournament organizers like Riot Games, which runs the VCT, have shown little appetite for integrating crypto elements into their competitive ecosystems. Riot controls every layer of the Valorant competitive stack, from the game client to broadcast rights to team partnership agreements. Introducing blockchain elements would mean ceding some of that control, or at minimum adding regulatory complexity in markets like China where crypto restrictions are particularly strict.

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