Gate Exchange Aims to Be a One-Stop Shop for Crypto and Stocks

Gate, a crypto exchange, wants Bitcoin holders to buy stocks without moving funds off its platform. The goal is to capture more of an investor's financial activity within a single exchange.

At TOKEN2049, Jason Fung, Gate’s head of global partnerships, explained to BeInCrypto how this could reshape investment habits.

The commercial rationale is strengthening. According to CoinGecko’s Q3 2026 report, spot trading volume across the top ten centralized exchanges dropped 14.2% during that quarter, even as crypto prices recovered. Broader financial markets give exchanges more chances to keep users trading.

For investors, the key issue is whether added options simplify money management.

Why Move Your Money to Buy a Stock?

Fung’s reasoning begins with where clients already keep their money. Someone holding digital assets on an exchange can use that same platform to access foreign stock markets.

“It’s becoming a one-stop shop for anyone who wants to invest,” he said.

Gate launched Japanese stock trading in August, initially offering about 300 stocks listed in Tokyo. Users can fund those trades with USDT, the dollar-pegged stablecoin, the company said.

Gate now claims access to over 12,800 stocks across the US, Hong Kong, Korea and Japan combined. That gives a practical reason to stay: an existing crypto balance can pay for a stock purchase without being withdrawn to a bank and sent to a different broker. Availability still depends on the user’s location.

A More Diverse Portfolio or Just More Trades?

“It’s no longer a decision between holding crypto or holding cash,” Fung said.

He gave the example of an investor who tracks semiconductors and wants to buy a specific company while holding Bitcoin long term. Access to equities gives that person another place to put money when their strongest conviction is outside crypto.

“Diversifying is one part, rotating in and out of narratives you have conviction in is another.”

Those actions carry different consequences. Building a wider portfolio can spread risk. Switching between market themes can increase trading frequency without necessarily lowering risk.

Fung said future data should show whether customers diversify more or simply trade more. He presented both as possibilities, leaving the impact of easier access on money management an open question.

How Much Is a Faster Trade Worth?

The same effort to reduce the gap between an idea and a trade applies to new blockchains. Gate integrated Robinhood Chain in July and added Arc support in September.

Fung said these integrations across its exchange and Web3 services cut the steps needed to enter those ecosystems.

“You already have funds there, you’re already KYC’d,” he said, referring to identity checks.

For a trader following a new token, fewer setup steps can matter. Fung argued that quick reaction to information provides an edge. Speed also returns responsibility to the trader. Easier access reduces administrative work but offers no guarantee that the asset is worth investing in.

Who Stays When the Rewards Stop?

Fung applies a different test when judging whether an ecosystem will endure.

“The ultimate test is: once all the incentives are gone, who actually stays?”

He looks for users who keep coming back and projects that continue to attract builders. He expects networks linking traditional finance with crypto to have lasting demand. Recent activity complicates that view.

CoinGecko reported that Robinhood Chain generated over $88.9 billion in trading volume from its July launch through Q3, with memecoin trading surpassing its original tokenized-asset ambitions.

That does not prove how long the activity will last. It shows how quickly users can steer a network away from its intended purpose.

“It comes down to real usage and how sustainable an ecosystem is in the long run,” Fung said.

Your Next Trade Could Be an Election

Prediction markets broaden the exchange’s range even further, offering something to trade when conviction about crypto prices is low.

“You might not have an opinion on what happens to the Bitcoin price in the next 30 days, but you might have a very strong opinion on who wins a certain election, or who wins Formula One,” Fung said.

The demand is large. Barron’s, citing Aldrin Research, reported at least $5.83 billion in prediction-market trading over the opening Saturday and Sunday of this year’s NFL season.

Fung calls prediction markets “a tool for pricing uncertainty.” He also acknowledges that conviction can come from emotion, such as supporting a team.

That makes their informational value worth testing. A traded probability reflects the people willing to bet, whose enthusiasm may exceed their knowledge.

“The bigger question is how accurate prediction markets are over thousands, tens of thousands, one day millions of events.”

The Partnership That Gets Your Money Home

When asked which partnership would most help ordinary traders, Fung returned to banking access.

“The ability to more seamlessly on-ramp and off-ramp in different currencies across the world – that’s more important than an additional trading feature.”

He wants stronger ties with banking partners and compliant stablecoin providers, especially in emerging markets where local rules differ. The audience matters.

Binance Research reported in June that nearly 93% of its stock-trading users came from emerging markets. That company-specific finding points to demand for new routes into overseas equities.

“Parts of this structure already exist, but it’s far from perfect.”

Gate’s own attempt to bridge that gap is Gate Money, a single account that combines fiat currencies, crypto and stocks with on-ramp/off-ramp transfers, card spending and yield on idle balances, the company said.

That leaves exchanges with a practical test as they seek more of their customers’ portfolios. Every added market gives another reason to keep money on the platform. Users also need confidence about getting it back. An exchange’s usefulness extends to the moment a customer needs to spend their investment proceeds in their own currency.