Gracie Chen is the CEO of BitGet, one of the top-five global cryptocurrency exchanges. She holds a mathematics degree and worked as a financial journalist before entering crypto investment in 2015, purchasing Bitcoin at $300. Chen joined BitGet as Managing Director in 2022 and was promoted to CEO two years later.

The conversation covers BitGet's evolution from a derivatives-focused exchange to a "universal exchange" offering 700 cryptocurrencies, tokenized U.S. stocks, and AI-powered trading tools. Chen discusses the competitive landscape between centralized and decentralized exchanges, the role of AI in trading platforms, and her predictions for the crypto market in 2025-2026.

BitGet's Growth from Derivatives Specialist to Universal Exchange

BitGet started in 2017 during the ICO era and nearly closed due to intense competition, surviving by focusing on derivatives and the East Asia market before expanding globally.

Since Chen joined in 2022, BitGet has grown from 150 to 2,200 employees and now serves 120 million users across six blockchain networks including Solana, Base, Ethereum, BSC, Morph, and Monad.

The "universal exchange" vision aims to blur lines between crypto and traditional assets: "crypto exchanges will all offer some sort of on-chain access to equities, ETFs, commodities and indices" - Gracie.

Tokenized Assets Strategy Targeting Underserved Markets

BitGet's tokenized U.S. stocks reached $10 billion trading volume within 73 days of launch, addressing users who cannot access traditional brokers due to KYC restrictions or geographic limitations.

Tokenized stocks capture financial gains including dividends but lack voting rights, with underlying assets held by partners like Ondo who provide redemption mechanisms for qualified users.

The platform offers 24/7 trading for U.S. stocks globally and plans to launch tokenized commodities and forex products soon, competing with traditional brokers like Robin Hood and Futu.

AI Integration Across Trading and Operations

BitGet developed "Get Agent," a crypto-specific AI advisory tool powered by 40 different LLMs and APIs, providing real-time analysis after Chen found ChatGPT recommended collapsed Luna token due to outdated knowledge cutoffs.

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) now drives over 40% of new user acquisition, surpassing traditional SEO methods by feeding AI systems neutral, comprehensive information about top exchanges.

"You have to give them information that are quite subjective... you can write about maybe top five exchanges and then fit in BitGet's information" - Gracie on AI optimization strategy.

Market Predictions and Altcoin Skepticism

Chen assigns 70% probability to another bull market in 2025-2026 driven by interest rate cuts and quantitative easing, predicting Bitcoin could reach $130-150 based on macro conditions rather than crypto-native factors.

"I'm quite bearish on the altcoins... most maybe 99.9% of the altcoins will not be performing as well" - Gracie, citing Wall Street capital flowing to Bitcoin ETFs rather than altcoins.

Chen remains bullish on infrastructure projects with real-world value like stablecoins, RWAs, and payment solutions, but expects many won't issue tokens and may pursue IPOs instead.

CEX-DEX Integration and Compliance Strategy

"We see DEX and CEX more as integration rather than pure competitor" - Gracie explains BitGet's acquisition of BitKeep wallet to capture volume from users seeking tokens not available on centralized exchanges.

BitGet offers 700 cryptocurrencies compared to Binance and OKX's 200-300, with permissionless trading across six blockchain networks while maintaining centralized exchange infrastructure.

Compliance focus includes pursuing MiCA license for European operations and considering U.S. market entry, viewing regulatory adherence as essential for offering traditional financial products.