Blab Crypto
From Traditional Brokerage to Crypto Exchange: How Bitget Attracts Finance Veterans
When a wave of seasoned traders from Hong Kong’s Futu Holdings slipped into Bitget’s orbit, the move felt like a quiet exodus from the structured corridors of legacy brokerage to the buzzing frontier of crypto.
Industry Express reported on 15 June 2026 that several former Futu employees have joined Bitget, a leading centralized cryptocurrency exchange. The shift mirrors a wider transformation in financial services: tighter regulation, slower growth in traditional markets, and the allure of rapid innovation are pulling veteran finance professionals toward the crypto arena.
For decades, brokers like Futu were prized for clear regulatory frameworks, defined career paths, and well‑structured compliance. Yet cross‑border restrictions, stricter customer‑acquisition rules, and a plateau in user growth have eroded that appeal. Professionals who once thrived on predictable, rule‑based environments now face a landscape that demands agility, swift decision‑making, and a willingness to navigate uncertain regulatory regimes.
Bitget has carved a niche as a “Universal Exchange” (UEX), blending crypto trading with tokenised assets, traditional securities, and other financial instruments on a single platform. The UEX model, first outlined by CEO Gracy Chen in a 2025 open letter, promises a unified trading experience that targets both retail and institutional participants.
Ethan, a former growth lead at Futu, recalled noticing the shift in Hong Kong’s overseas finance scene in 2024, when Web3 exhibitions and the rise of exchanges like HashKey sparked conversations about regulation and compliance. “I felt a bit of FOMO and started learning about crypto in 2024,” he said. After experimenting with the Trump coin on an exchange app, he compared the crypto market to a primary market that could reshape settlement layers. When Bitget’s UEX concept aligned with his career goals, he applied.
Lily, who managed community operations and wealth‑management products at Futu, found the pace of traditional brokers too slow for the fast‑moving crypto market. She noted that “operations in crypto require quicker judgments and data‑driven actions.” Her move to Bitget was motivated by the platform’s rapid growth rate, global perspective, and the opportunity to apply her KOL and conversion experience in a more dynamic environment.
Joyce, a content producer at Futu, was drawn to Bitget by the prospect of seeing her work validated in real time. “At Bitget, every piece of content quickly shows user activity, retention, trading and repurchase feedback,” she said. The shift from a multi‑layer approval process to a more direct feedback loop was a key factor in her decision.
Myooi, a creative specialist who helped launch Futu’s Japan market, found the traditional approval cycle stifling. “By the time the process is completed, the timeliness has already passed,” she said. Bitget’s UEX model and its emphasis on rapid testing and data feedback resonated with her desire for a more agile creative space.
Abby, a product designer with experience at Huobi and Futu, highlighted the compressed product cycles at Bitget. “A feature that might take Futu six months to launch could be required to go live here in at most two months,” she said. The faster delivery pace forces her to learn Web3 concepts such as DeFi while leveraging her existing product‑design skills.
Vera and Cecilia both cited Bitget’s open culture and remote‑work flexibility as important draws. Vera moved from content creation to event‑driven product operations, while Cecilia, who had been working in performance advertising, appreciated the platform’s 24/7 operation model and the need for self‑responsibility in a high‑volatility market.
These individual stories illustrate a broader trend: finance professionals are not abandoning traditional markets but re‑evaluating where their skills can have the greatest impact. Bitget’s UEX framework, combined with its rapid product cycles and global reach, offers a compelling alternative to the slower, heavily regulated environments of legacy brokers.
As the crypto industry continues to mature, the migration of seasoned talent from traditional brokerage firms may accelerate. The shift underscores the need for financial institutions to adapt to a landscape where speed, innovation and regulatory flexibility are increasingly valued.
Industry Express reported on 15 June 2026 that several former Futu employees have joined Bitget, a leading centralized cryptocurrency exchange. The shift mirrors a wider transformation in financial services: tighter regulation, slower growth in traditional markets, and the allure of rapid innovation are pulling veteran finance professionals toward the crypto arena.
For decades, brokers like Futu were prized for clear regulatory frameworks, defined career paths, and well‑structured compliance. Yet cross‑border restrictions, stricter customer‑acquisition rules, and a plateau in user growth have eroded that appeal. Professionals who once thrived on predictable, rule‑based environments now face a landscape that demands agility, swift decision‑making, and a willingness to navigate uncertain regulatory regimes.
Bitget has carved a niche as a “Universal Exchange” (UEX), blending crypto trading with tokenised assets, traditional securities, and other financial instruments on a single platform. The UEX model, first outlined by CEO Gracy Chen in a 2025 open letter, promises a unified trading experience that targets both retail and institutional participants.
Ethan, a former growth lead at Futu, recalled noticing the shift in Hong Kong’s overseas finance scene in 2024, when Web3 exhibitions and the rise of exchanges like HashKey sparked conversations about regulation and compliance. “I felt a bit of FOMO and started learning about crypto in 2024,” he said. After experimenting with the Trump coin on an exchange app, he compared the crypto market to a primary market that could reshape settlement layers. When Bitget’s UEX concept aligned with his career goals, he applied.
Lily, who managed community operations and wealth‑management products at Futu, found the pace of traditional brokers too slow for the fast‑moving crypto market. She noted that “operations in crypto require quicker judgments and data‑driven actions.” Her move to Bitget was motivated by the platform’s rapid growth rate, global perspective, and the opportunity to apply her KOL and conversion experience in a more dynamic environment.
Joyce, a content producer at Futu, was drawn to Bitget by the prospect of seeing her work validated in real time. “At Bitget, every piece of content quickly shows user activity, retention, trading and repurchase feedback,” she said. The shift from a multi‑layer approval process to a more direct feedback loop was a key factor in her decision.
Myooi, a creative specialist who helped launch Futu’s Japan market, found the traditional approval cycle stifling. “By the time the process is completed, the timeliness has already passed,” she said. Bitget’s UEX model and its emphasis on rapid testing and data feedback resonated with her desire for a more agile creative space.
Abby, a product designer with experience at Huobi and Futu, highlighted the compressed product cycles at Bitget. “A feature that might take Futu six months to launch could be required to go live here in at most two months,” she said. The faster delivery pace forces her to learn Web3 concepts such as DeFi while leveraging her existing product‑design skills.
Vera and Cecilia both cited Bitget’s open culture and remote‑work flexibility as important draws. Vera moved from content creation to event‑driven product operations, while Cecilia, who had been working in performance advertising, appreciated the platform’s 24/7 operation model and the need for self‑responsibility in a high‑volatility market.
These individual stories illustrate a broader trend: finance professionals are not abandoning traditional markets but re‑evaluating where their skills can have the greatest impact. Bitget’s UEX framework, combined with its rapid product cycles and global reach, offers a compelling alternative to the slower, heavily regulated environments of legacy brokers.
As the crypto industry continues to mature, the migration of seasoned talent from traditional brokerage firms may accelerate. The shift underscores the need for financial institutions to adapt to a landscape where speed, innovation and regulatory flexibility are increasingly valued.
