Bitget CEO Gracy Chen Interview: Her vision and Bitget’s growth

Gracy Chen, the CEO of Bitget since May 2024, is a leader whose career journey exemplifies adaptability, determination, and a forward-thinking mindset.

Raised by a single mother, Gracy grew up with a strong sense of independence and a desire to lead from an early age. She was never content with simply following the status quo.

This mindset led her to a diverse career path, beginning as a scholarship student in Applied Mathematics, progressing to a career in television, and ultimately finding her place in the world of blockchain and cryptocurrencies.

Her entry into crypto wasn’t planned. During her time as a TV host, Gracy had conversations with prominent industry leaders like Tim Draper, which sparked her curiosity about blockchain technology.

Gracy interviewing Michelle Yeoh (2016) | Bitget

What started as interviews evolved into a deeper fascination, leading her to invest in crypto projects such as BitKeep, a Web 3 wallet that would later become part of Bitget’s ecosystem.

In 2022, Gracy joined Bitget as Managing Director, bringing her analytical skills and global perspective to the company during a critical growth phase. Over the next two years, she helped expand Bitget’s user base and built partnerships that strengthened the platform’s position in the highly competitive crypto market.

Her leadership drove a fourfold increase in Bitget’s user base, cementing its position as a top-3 derivatives platform. Among her key achievements was securing a partnership with La Liga , which elevated the platform’s visibility and reinforced its reputation as an innovative industry leader.

Gracy also played a key role in Bitget’s strategic innovations. These include the launch of the Bitget Wallet’s product blueprint to enhance Web 3 integration and the introduction of the Bitget Card, enabling seamless crypto-backed transactions in everyday life.

She has spearheaded initiatives like #Blockchain4Youth and #Blockchain4Her, reflecting her commitment to fostering diversity and education in the blockchain space.

This interview offers a closer look at the person behind the leadership, her inspirations, challenges, and hopes for the future of crypto and Web 3.

Now that you’ve been Bitget’s CEO for several months, has anything changed in your daily routine? How do you prioritize your time across such a global operation?

Since taking on the role of CEO at Bitget, my daily routine has become more hectic and globally focused. I find myself traveling more frequently, often spending nearly two weeks at a time on work trips, connecting with innovative thinkers and exploring new opportunities at events across the world. These conversations are invaluable in shaping our strategic vision and supporting partnerships that align with Bitget’s mission.

Given the nature of my schedule, I’ve become adept at maximizing fragmented time. Whether it’s transitioning from a keynote speech to a quick work session in a quiet corner—sometimes even while wearing traditional attire, like during my visit to Vietnam—I’ve learned to stay agile and efficient.

Despite the demands of my role, I make it a priority to carve out time for my family. Maintaining that balance keeps me grounded and reminds me of what truly matters amidst the hustle of leading a global crypto exchange.

Recently, tokens like $PNUT and $ACT were listed on Bitget’s spot markets before other major exchanges. Given this track record, how do you decide which projects to onboard, especially as Bitget avoids listing a large number of tokens?

Projects looking to list a token on Bitget must undergo a rigorous legal and technical review to assess its code quality, security measures, and regulatory compliance, in accordance with Bitget’s listing criteria. 

Bitget strengthens requirements for the token evaluation process by introducing updated protocols and stricter criteria. Special attention will be paid to tokenomics, including a detailed analysis of token supply, distribution, and utility, as well as the experience and qualifications of the development team. And projects will be carefully evaluated based on their previous funding rounds, which will help identify any potential risks associated with fund management and use.

What’s more, for projects with tokens already in circulation, on-chain data is analyzed to assess the economic health and token’s trading activity. And another critical criterion will be the project’s activity on social media, including community engagement and online reputation, as well as the team members.

Additionally, Bitget will require projects to present a detailed business plan and roadmap to reduce the risk of the listing of short-lived projects and scams. 

By implementing these rigorous standards, we are not only protecting our users but also ensuring that the projects listed on Bitget are robust and have long-term potential. We are committed to growing our spot market in the coming years, and these enhanced criteria are a crucial part of that strategy.

The partnership with LaLiga offers exposure to over a billion fans globally. How do you plan to use this partnership to educate fans about cryptocurrencies and promote adoption?

Bitget plans to include educational initiatives to raise awareness about cryptocurrency and Web3, helping fans and the broader audience understand and embrace these technologies. The initiatives will be collaborated between LALIGA Business School & Bitget’s $10M Blockchain4Youth program.

The partnership will explore various activities to integrate cryptocurrency with sports, including potential NFT collaborations, fan engagement activities, and Web3 innovation.

What do you see as the most transformative trend in blockchain technology for 2025, and why?

First, In 2025 crypto payments might surge with stablecoins becoming a norm in small businesses to cut down on fees. This could make transactions faster and cheaper, although regulations will play a key role in adoption. Second, AI agents are expected to become more integral, managing everything from trading to user interaction in the crypto world. They’ll provide personalized services but bring concerns about market manipulation. Third, the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA) will likely expand, turning physical assets into digital tokens for broader access and liquidity. This trend, supported by institutions like BlackRock, suggests a blending of traditional finance with blockchain for more integrated financial systems.

In a previous interview, you mentioned that $100K could be a key profit-taking zone for Bitcoin. Now that we’ve already hit that milestone, how do you see the market evolving from here?

BTC price continues to rise, and can be expected to potentially reach between $180,000 to $200,000. This forecast is supported by increasing institutional adoption, US tariffs, quantitative easing, the perceived safety of Bitcoin among investors, and the crypto-friendly policies mentioned by Trump.

You’ve mentioned that Bitget’s listing strategy focuses on quality over quantity. How do you decide which tokens meet the criteria for listing?

Bitget pays special attention to tokenomics. For debut projects, the evaluation begins with an analysis of the project’s fully diluted valuation (FDV), a key metric that measures the potential value of the total token supply. The FDV should align with the amount raised, typically not exceeding 20 times the financing. For projects with tokens already in circulation, on-chain data is analyzed to assess the economic health and token’s trading activity. A critical comparison is made between the trading volume and the FDV, where a significant disparity, such as an FDV above $10 million with a 24-hour trading volume below $1 million, signals potential overvaluation.  

And Bitget ensures that potential listings pass rigorous checks to exclude high-risk assets. In evaluating debut projects, considerations include financial, security, compliance, political, and ethical risks. This comprehensive review is vital for detecting schemes such as Ponzi structures or projects with histories of unethical behavior, such as rug pulls. Smart contract security, liquidity pool safety, and the concentration of holdings are thoroughly scrutinized. Despite significant hype, projects can be rejected after an evaluation reveals litigation and compliance risks involving founders.

Futhermore, Bitget requires projects to present a detailed business plan and roadmap to reduce the risk of the listing of short-lived projects and scams. Bitget also carefully examines the token unlock schedule, as a rushed or short-term unlock period, typically under two years, can indicate a lack of long-term commitment from the project team and may lead to early sell pressure, jeopardizing the token’s stability.

Achieving 45 million users is a major milestone, but sustaining engagement is equally important. How does Bitget plan to enhance user retention and ensure that it remains the platform of choice for its existing users?

Bitget launches various types of campaigns and promotions to enhance users experience and community engagement, such as Christmas bonanza, exclusive rewards campaign in PoolX, CandyBomb. In December, Bitget has announced an engaging Bitcoin (BTC) Price Prediction Event, offering participants the opportunity to win BTC in rewards.

The campaign invites users to predict BTC prices, with a daily prize pool of 60,000 USDT and a grand bonus of 1 BTC. Through these reward-based activities, Bitget shares the value, growth and development of innovative digital assets with users participating in, and continously supports projects that represent the next generation of blockchain development.