Centralized cryptocurrency exchanges are rapidly integrating traditional finance (TradFi) with their offerings, demonstrating significant growth in the adoption of tokenized assets. TradFi tokenization involves the representation of traditional financial instruments—such as stocks, bonds, and commodities—on a blockchain, allowing investors to engage with off-chain assets in a digital environment. This transition not only expands access to various assets but also enables trading around the clock, reducing barriers for participation.
Bitget, a centralized cryptocurrency exchange established in 2018, has embraced this shift by launching Bitget TradFi in January. This initiative provides tokenized access to a variety of global financial products, including foreign exchange (forex), commodities, indices, metals, and stock contracts. According to Bitget’s Transparency Report from January 2026, users traded an impressive $4 billion per day in tokenized TradFi products shortly after the launch. In a compelling display of growth, the daily trading volume for TradFi products doubled from $2 billion within just two weeks, indicating a burgeoning interest in hybrid trading platforms.
While crypto remains the driving force behind Bitget’s operations—accounting for 88.25% of total trading volume—the increasing activity in tokenized TradFi products, which constitutes approximately 11-12% of total volume, underscores a notable trend where centralized exchanges are evolving into hybrid platforms. This shift allows for trading not only in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ether but also in tokenized versions of traditional financial instruments.
Bitget’s CEO, Gracy Chen, emphasized that the data indicates users favor managing their investments through a single account, effectively removing the delineation between traditional market hours and crypto trading hours. “TradFi-linked products tend to scale quickly because traders want to hedge, rotate and react when default platforms are closed,” Chen explained, noting the benefit of consolidated accounts and workflows.
The growth of TradFi linked products also implies a rising demand for stablecoin settlement, essential for trading in tokenized foreign exchange, commodities, and indices. Chen elaborated that this development augments on-chain lending liquidity, encourages more sophisticated collateral management, and enhances the funding mechanisms available within protocols and wallets.
For CEXs to gain users’ confidence, establishing themselves as reliable custodians is crucial. Beyond sheer volume, Bitget’s proof-of-reserves disclosures reveal how strong balance sheets and on-chain checks can position major exchanges as trustworthy entities. With an average reserve ratio of 163% (with Bitcoin at 254% and Ether at 161%), Bitget convincingly demonstrates its capacity to cover user deposits. The option for users to verify their inclusion in proof-of-reserves snapshots indicates a growing expectation for transparency in the industry.
Overall, this emerging framework suggests that centralized exchanges could capture significant retail demand for accessible, regulated exposure to global markets without displacing decentralized finance (DeFi). Rather, Bitget’s developments could compel DeFi to refine its focus on foundational elements such as liquidity pools, oracles, and settlement layers, while centralized platforms maintain dominance in attracting users seeking straightforward trading options.
As these dynamics unfold, the interaction between traditional financial instruments and the crypto market could redefine investment strategies and accessibility for a broader range of users.
