Bitget CEO Gracy Chen said on September 3 that the exchange is in close communication with BlackRock about distributing tokenized exchange-traded funds and other digital-asset products in Asian markets. No agreement has been signed, but the talks signal a potential push to bring tokenized securities to a region where Bitget says half its users live. The comments came during a public appearance, though the exchange hasn't released a full transcript.
What Bitget said
Chen described the discussions as "close communication" — a phrase that suggests active dialogue but stops short of a formal partnership. Bitget's Reality platform already supports on-chain tokenized equities and ETFs, represented as rTokens. Those tokens are backed 1:1 by underlying shares held with a U.S. broker-dealer that is FINRA-registered and SIPC-protected. That structure is meant to give users exposure to traditional equities and ETFs without leaving the crypto ecosystem.
BlackRock's response
BlackRock confirmed to CoinDesk that its crypto exchange-traded products are already available in Asia and that it regularly engages with virtual-asset service providers. The asset manager declined to comment on specific expansion plans involving Bitget. That leaves the door open, but also makes clear that BlackRock isn't announcing anything new. The confirmation also shows that BlackRock sees Asia as a live market for its crypto products.
The platform behind the plan
Bitget's Reality platform is the infrastructure that would carry any tokenized products. The rTokens are designed to track the value of the underlying shares, with the broker-dealer holding the actual securities. The company says 52% of its users held both stocks and cryptocurrency during the first half of 2026. That crossover suggests a built-in audience for products that blend the two.
Why Asia matters
The region is a big part of Bitget's user base. The exchange reports 125 million registered users, with roughly half located in East and Southeast Asia. BlackRock's APAC iShares chief, Nicholas Peach, said at Consensus Hong Kong 2026 that a 1% allocation of Asian household wealth to crypto could generate nearly $2 trillion in inflows. That's the kind of number that makes tokenized products attractive to both sides.
For now, the talks are just that. No signed agreement has been announced, and BlackRock isn't commenting on specifics. The next step would be a formal announcement — or silence. Either way, the fact that Bitget is publicly naming BlackRock as a counterparty suggests the conversation is real.
