Bitget renews US push with 125M users as CEO says expansion proceeds regardless

Bitget is renewing its push into the US market after shelving expansion plans in 2022, with Chief Executive Officer Gracy Chen saying the exchange will proceed "with or without" the Clarity Act.

"UEX is built around the belief that investors don't want separate platforms for crypto and traditional finance, they want frictionless access to opportunities across both," Chen said. The exchange's US entry will proceed regardless of the Clarity Act's status, she added.

Bitget serves more than 125 million users globally and offers access to over 2 million crypto tokens, 500 tokenized stocks, ETFs, commodities and forex. The exchange generated nearly $70 billion in TradFi perpetual trading volume in Q2 2026, capturing 11.01% market share and ranking second among all exchanges, according to TokenInsight's Q2 2026 Crypto Exchange Report.

The US expansion marks a reversal from 2022, when Bitget shelved its American ambitions during a period of regulatory uncertainty. The exchange now enters a market where the Clarity Act — legislation that would establish a federal framework for digital asset regulation — remains pending in Congress. A successful US entry could intensify competition among exchanges serving American users, potentially driving innovation in product offerings and fee structures.

Bitget's renewed US ambitions follow a year of product expansion that has transformed the exchange from a crypto-only platform into a multi-asset trading venue. Under its Universal Exchange strategy, Bitget has launched tokenized stock perpetual contracts, IPO Prime for pre-IPO trading, Stocks 2.0 for direct US equity access, and the industry's first TradFi Quanto perpetual futures.

The exchange's TradFi perpetuals business has become a key growth driver. Monthly trading volume in the segment expanded from roughly $52 billion in January to $268 billion in June, a fivefold increase over the first half of the year, TokenInsight data shows. Equity perpetuals overtook commodities as the primary growth driver during Q2, with Bitget ranking second in market share.

A Changing US Regulatory Environment

The Clarity Act, which would create a federal regulatory framework for digital assets, has been a focal point for exchanges considering US expansion. Bitget's decision to proceed regardless of the legislation's outcome reflects confidence in the current regulatory environment, which has seen increased clarity under recent SEC guidance.

The exchange joins a growing list of international crypto platforms targeting US users. If successful, Bitget would compete directly with Coinbase, Kraken and other established players in the world's largest digital asset market.

Product Arsenal for US Entry

Bitget's US strategy will likely use its full product suite, including the Stocks 2.0 platform that offers both tokenized equity exposure through rTokens and direct US stock ownership via Stock+. The exchange also recently launched US stock options, becoming the only major crypto exchange to offer long call and long put strategies on US-listed equities.

The exchange's AI agent, which co-pilots trade execution, and its copy trading tools could serve as differentiators in a market where user experience is a key competitive factor.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.