China Expands Police Cyber Checks to Personal VPNs, Crypto Wallets

China has long restricted unauthorized cross-border internet access and cryptocurrency trading, while cybersecurity inspections have largely focused on companies and institutions. Rules issued by the Ministry of Public Security expand that oversight to individuals, raising the prospect that VPN use, overseas exchange accounts and self-custody wallets could face police scrutiny. The shift extends routine cyber-enforcement powers into personal devices, intensifying debate over where security checks end and privacy protections begin.

The new cyberspace security supervision and inspection rules take effect in October 2026. They authorize local public security authorities to conduct vulnerability scans and copy data from personal devices, potentially exposing users of VPNs, overseas crypto exchanges and wallet apps to inspection. Experts say the framework materially broadens police powers, but key questions remain over what triggers a check, how consistently it will be enforced and what safeguards or remedies individuals will have.