Bitget Rolls Out US Stock Options, Adding to Crypto’s Synthetic Equity Push

Crypto exchange Bitget has launched US stock options trading this week, positioning itself as the first major crypto platform to offer the product, according to CryptoSlate. The move extends a broader trend of centralized exchanges offering synthetic exposure to traditional equities, a category that already includes tokenized stocks and contracts-for-difference (CFDs).

The rollout raises questions about what users actually own when they trade these instruments on crypto platforms, as opposed to holding shares directly through a traditional brokerage.

How Bitget’s options product works

Bitget’s new offering begins with the most basic form of options trading, according to CryptoSlate. Eligible users can buy single call or put contracts, giving them the right — but not the obligation — to buy or sell an underlying US stock at a set price before expiration.

The exchange has said it plans to introduce more complex options strategies as the product matures, though no specific timeline or additional features were detailed in the initial launch.

The options product sits alongside Bitget’s existing suite of equity-linked offerings, which already includes tokenized stocks and CFDs tied to US shares, in addition to its core cryptocurrency markets.

Ownership questions loom over synthetic equity products

The expansion into stock options adds another layer to a growing category of crypto-native products that mimic exposure to traditional markets without necessarily granting the underlying legal or economic rights that come with direct share ownership.

Tokenized stocks, CFDs, and now options contracts offered through crypto exchanges typically function as derivative or synthetic instruments rather than direct claims on the actual equity. This distinction matters for investors who may assume that a “stock” product purchased on a crypto platform behaves identically to a share held in a conventional brokerage account, including in terms of custody, dividend rights, and shareholder protections.

As more exchanges compete to offer equity-like products alongside their crypto markets, the underlying structure of these instruments — and what recourse or ownership rights they actually confer to users — is likely to draw closer scrutiny from both traders and regulators.

Part of a wider convergence between crypto and traditional finance

Bitget’s move reflects a broader push among crypto exchanges to blur the lines between digital assets and traditional securities, offering users a single platform to trade both. It also underscores how competitive pressure among exchanges is pushing product innovation into areas, such as options, that were previously the domain of regulated brokerages.

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