From trading to management: institutions are rewriting the way digital assets are played

Gate recently hosted the Institutional Circle closed-door event, bringing together representatives from asset management firms, quantitative funds, family offices, and other professional institutions in the Asia-Pacific region to engage in in-depth discussions on the next phase of digital asset management. The convening of this event reflects an important industry shift: institutions are no longer just trading cryptocurrencies but are exploring how to systematically manage digital native asset systems.

Three Core Topics from an Institutional Perspective

The discussions at this event focused on three key areas:

• The evolution of the Web3 market from “cryptocurrency assets” to “digital native asset systems.” This is not just a conceptual shift but also signifies a deepening understanding among institutions of the essence of digital assets, transitioning from mere investment products to asset system management objects.

• Continuous innovation in quantitative methods within a digital native environment. As the market matures, traditional quantitative strategies need to adapt to on-chain data characteristics. Institutions are exploring risk management and return optimization methods better suited to the digital environment.

• The demand for institutional specialization and capacity building in digital asset allocation. This involves infrastructure development such as talent cultivation, risk control systems, and compliance frameworks.

Signs of Industry Maturity

The very hosting of this closed-door event indicates the industry’s progress. Institutions are no longer participating in the digital asset market sporadically but are beginning to systematically consider how to develop professional capabilities in this field. The shift from “cryptocurrency assets” to “digital native asset systems” reflects an upgrade in market cognition—digital assets are no longer a fringe topic but a domain that institutions must take seriously in their asset allocation strategies.

Gate’s Role in Institutional Services

Gate’s ability to host such high-level exchange events stems from its extensive experience serving global institutions and professional traders. According to the latest data, Gate’s spot market share reached 6.04% in Q4 2025, a new all-time high, ranking second worldwide. In derivatives, Gate’s market share increased to 11% in December, with the highest annual growth rate among all centralized trading platforms.

In terms of platform scale, by the end of the quarter, Gate had nearly 50 million registered users and over 4,300 listed assets. Regarding institutional incentives, Gate’s contract points airdrop system has operated for 67 periods, with 264,000 participants and a total airdrop reward equivalent to about 3.7 million USDT. These figures demonstrate that Gate not only leads in trading volume but also continues to invest in the depth and breadth of institutional services.

Summary

Behind Gate’s hosting of the Institutional Circle event lies a paradigm shift occurring across the industry. Institutions are moving from passive adaptation to digital asset markets to actively exploring how to establish systematic management capabilities in this field. This reflects both market maturity and the future direction of development. In this process, platforms that can provide professional services and ecosystem support will become key partners for institutions.