Hassan Maishera
TL;DR
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Bitget is discussing digital-asset distribution opportunities in Asia with major global financial institutions.
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CEO Gracy Chen said the exchange maintains close communication with BlackRock about regional distribution.
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BlackRock confirmed regular engagement with industry participants but declined to discuss specific Asian expansion plans.
Cryptocurrency exchange Bitget is holding discussions with some of the world’s largest financial institutions about expanding their digital-asset presence in Asia.
CEO Gracy Chen highlighted BlackRock as one of the companies interested in widening the regional distribution of tokenized exchange-traded products.
“I’m talking to all the Wall Street giants to understand where they are coming from and how we could collaborate,” Chen said. “We have very close communication with BlackRock, for example, in terms of our distribution in the Asia market.”
BlackRock Declines to Confirm Expansion Plans
A BlackRock spokesperson confirmed that the asset manager’s crypto exchange-traded products are already available in Asia.
The company regularly communicates with a broad range of participants across the digital-asset ecosystem, the spokesperson added. However, BlackRock declined to comment on any specific plans to expand distribution through Bitget or other regional platforms.
The distinction means discussions may be taking place, but no formal distribution agreement has been announced.
Asia is becoming an increasingly important region for cryptocurrency adoption and investment.
Blockchain-based crypto-asset transaction activity in Asia grew 69% year over year as of June 2025, the fastest rate of any region, according to the OECD’s Asia Capital Markets Report 2026.
Rising wealth, strong retail participation, and increasing demand for digital investment products have made the region a major target for exchanges and traditional asset managers.
BlackRock Expands Tokenized Cash Products
BlackRock manages approximately $15.3 trillion in client assets, making it the world’s largest asset manager.
The company recently expanded its tokenized cash offering with additional blockchain-based money market products.
Its head of digital assets, Robert Mitchnick, also said recently that Bitcoin’s macroeconomic investment case was becoming stronger.
These initiatives demonstrate BlackRock’s growing focus on combining conventional investment products with blockchain infrastructure.
BlackRock has repeatedly highlighted Asia’s potential impact on global crypto markets.
During Consensus Hong Kong 2026, Nicholas Peach, head of BlackRock’s APAC iShares division, estimated that a 1% regional allocation to crypto could generate almost $2 trillion in investment flows.
Peach based the estimate on approximately $108 trillion in household wealth across Asia.
The projection illustrates the scale of potential demand, although actual investment would depend on regulation, product availability and investor appetite.
BlackRock created a new digital-assets position in Singapore in December. The role was designed to influence the company’s strategy throughout Asia and identify opportunities where BlackRock could establish an early market position.
Singapore has emerged as a major center for regulated stablecoins, tokenized securities and institutional crypto services, making it a strategic location for regional expansion.
Bitget Offers Access to 125 Million Users
Bitget has 125 million registered users globally, according to Chen. Approximately half of them are based in East and Southeast Asia, giving the exchange a potentially valuable distribution network for asset managers seeking regional crypto investors.
The company’s first-quarter 2026 data also indicated that 52% of Bitget users hold both cryptocurrencies and traditional equities.
Chen argued that this overlap makes crypto exchanges a natural distribution point for investors who no longer view digital assets and conventional securities as entirely separate categories.
Asset managers are increasingly issuing tokenized money market funds, equities and other traditional investments on blockchain networks.
Crypto exchanges could provide a distribution channel for these products because they already serve users familiar with digital wallets, continuous trading and onchain settlement.
For institutions such as BlackRock, partnering with established exchanges may provide access to millions of potential customers without building an entirely new retail distribution network.
Any arrangement would still be subject to local regulations, customer eligibility rules and licensing requirements.
