Bitget's Billion-User Bet: Can Crypto Go From Trading Floors To Coffee Shops?

Bitget aims to become “the first billion user company” in crypto within two years by focusing on everyday payments rather than trading, according to Chief Operating Officer Vugar Usi.

What Happened: Usi told Benzinga during an interview at Consensus 2025 that to have a billion users in crypto, the industry should not focus on traders.

“Billion people will never trade, but what a billion person wants to do is buy a coffee with crypto, hold their money in crypto, actually own their money,” Usi explained, emphasizing that Bitget’s vision centers on financial autonomy rather than speculation.

The exchange currently serves 100 million customers, making it “the second largest crypto exchange by the number of users,” with approximately $20 billion in daily trading volume.

This represents significant growth, as Usi noted the company has expanded “10 times” over the past two years and “five times in terms of number of users” last year alone.

Also Read: Want To Earn Yield On Your Bitcoin? Here’s How

Why It Matters: Bitget’s strategy involves bridging centralized and decentralized finance through its wallet product, which Usi claims has surpassed both MetaMask and Trust Wallet to become “the biggest trading and most loved trading wallet” with 60 million customers and $12 billion in daily volume.

The company invested $30 million to build this decentralized wallet during the bear market three years ago when “literally everyone in the industry thought we are crazy,” according to Usi.

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The COO believes crypto payments will revolutionize commerce by eliminating intermediaries and reducing costs for merchants.

“Instead of paying 3% for bank card processors and waiting 15-20 days to receive their money, it will happen instantaneously, which will boost the economy, boost the businesses, and make crypto an everyday thing,” he stated.

When asked about skeptics, Usi compared crypto adoption to previous technological shifts that seemed unnecessary until they became indispensable.

“If 10-15 years ago someone told us that we will have a phone and we’re going to use Apple Pay to pay something, people would have thought you are crazy,” he said, adding that “technology makes our life so much easier” once people adapt to it.

Looking ahead, Usi predicts significant industry convergence: “In next 5 years, almost all banks will become centralized exchanges,” noting that major financial players have “understood that crypto is undeniable the future.”

He envisions a world where users won’t distinguish between on-chain and off-chain transactions, similar to how people use payment cards today without understanding the underlying technology.

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