The Valorant Champions Tour China Stage 2 officially begins today, July 9, at the Helong Gymnasium in Changsha. The tournament carries a $250,000 prize pool and features roughly 12 to 14 teams split across two divisions, with group stages running through July 26 before playoffs shift to Chengdu in September.
Big esports, zero blockchain
Riot Games, TJ Sports, and Hero Esports are co-organizing the event as part of the broader 2026 VCT China circuit. Top-tier squads like EDward Gaming, XLG Esports, Bilibili Gaming, and AG headline the competition, split into Alpha and Omega divisions.
The format is straightforward: group stage performance determines playoff seeding, which directly impacts championship points for international qualification. Teams are essentially fighting for a ticket to Champions Shanghai, one of the most prestigious events in competitive Valorant.
Despite esports being one of the industries most frequently name-dropped as a natural fit for blockchain technology, VCT CN Stage 2 features zero crypto or blockchain integration. No fan tokens, no NFT collectibles, no on-chain ticketing, no decentralized betting markets. Nothing.
