Neo Founders Set Hong Kong Meeting After Public Finance Dispute

The long-running fight inside the Neo Founders may finally be heading toward a face-to-face talk. Neo co-founder and core developer Erik Zhang said he has agreed to meet Da Hongfei in Hong Kong later this month. According to Da, the goal of the meeting is to “jointly promote the value of NEO and GAS.”

I have agreed to meet with Da Hongfei in Hong Kong later this month. According to him, the purpose of this meeting is to “jointly promote the value of NEO and GAS.” He has also committed to delivering a complete set of financial statements to me during this meeting.
In my view,…

— Erik Zhang (@neoerikzhang) January 13, 2026

But Erik Zhang made his position very clear. He said Da must bring a full and honest financial report of the Neo Foundation to the meeting. He also said, “Resources should not be scattered across multiple projects.” Additionally, he will formally ask Da Hongfei to step down from Neo. In short, this is not just a friendly coffee catch-up. It is a serious showdown.

How the Neo Founder Fight Started

The public dispute exploded on December 31, 2025. Erik Zhang accused Da Hongfei of hiding the true state of NEO funds. Additionally, the foundation lacks transparency regarding how it uses its funds. He also stated that the team wastes too many resources on side projects instead of building Neo itself. Da fired back. He claimed that Erik controls most of the NEO and GAS assets and voting power. 

Da Hongfei said that this has slowed down decentralization and blocked progress after the N3 upgrade. The tension had been developing for years. Neo was founded in 2014 as AntShares and rebranded in 2017. It became one of the earliest smart contract platforms. It is known as the platform for its dBFT consensus model and “smart economy” vision. But behind the scenes, control of treasury funds and decision making has remained split between the two Neo founders, that structure is now breaking.

What Erik Is Demanding

Erik says the mission is simple: build Neo, nothing else. He wants all engineering, funding and attention focused only on the Neo blockchain. He criticized token projects that could compete with Neo, especially EON. In his words, Neo should not be fighting itself. He also wants full transparency from the Neo Foundation. That means real numbers, real wallets and real fund flows. No vague charts or theory reports. If Da Hongfei does not meet these conditions, Erik says he will formally request his resignation from Neo.

Community and Market Reaction

The Neo community is watching closely. Some users praised Erik Zhang for pushing for accountability. Others hope the meeting will finally end years of quiet tension between the Neo founders. Many investors are tired of the drama. Neo is now over 11 years old and trust has taken a hit. After the dispute went public, NEO price showed a short term bounce and posted several green days in a row. But long term holders are still deep in the red. People want progress, not politics.

What Happens Next

The upcoming Hong Kong meeting could change everything. If Da Hongfei delivers clean financials and agrees to refocus on Neo, trust could slowly return. That would be a big win for NEO and GAS holders. But if talks fail, the situation could explode again. The Neo founders’ split would shake the project and scare developers. Currently, the Neo community is waiting. One table, two founders and years of tension on the line.