Gracy Chen doesn’t just want to run a crypto exchange. She wants to run the exchange, one that makes the distinction between traditional finance and crypto feel like a relic from a previous era.
Since taking over as CEO of Bitget in May 2024, Chen has been pushing the platform toward what the company calls a “Universal Exchange,” or UEX. The concept is straightforward: instead of forcing users to hop between platforms to trade crypto derivatives, spot tokens, tokenized stocks, ETFs, and real-world assets, Bitget wants to be the single venue where all of that happens under one roof.
The numbers backing the pivot
Bitget’s recent growth figures suggest the strategy is gaining traction, particularly among institutional players. The platform reported a 452% month-over-month increase in tokenized US stock spot trading volume by late 2025. Futures trading on tokenized equities climbed even more dramatically, posting a 4,468% surge over the same period.
Over 80% of that activity is coming from institutional participants. The platform now claims a global user base of 120 to 125 million.
