BitGo MENA Launches Regulated Electronic Trading, Delivering Full Suite Trading Services to the Region

Key Terms

over-the-counter (otc) trading financial

Trading of stocks, bonds, or other securities directly between buyers and sellers outside a formal stock exchange, usually handled by broker-dealers or electronic networks. It matters to investors because OTC markets can offer access to smaller or less-established companies and more flexible trading, but they often have lower liquidity, wider price swings and less public information—think of buying at a neighborhood garage sale versus a well-organized supermarket.

broker-dealer license regulatory

A broker-dealer license is an official authorization that lets a firm or individual legally buy and sell stocks, bonds and other investment products for clients and for their own account; think of it like a driver’s license for trading that proves you are allowed to operate on public markets. It matters to investors because it signals that the firm is subject to oversight, must follow rules to protect clients, and can offer custody, execution and advisory services—so lack of a license or regulatory actions against it can affect safety, access and the firm’s ability to do business.

virtual assets regulatory authority (vara) regulatory

A virtual assets regulatory authority is a government-created agency that sets rules, issues licenses, and enforces laws for cryptocurrencies and other digital tokens. It matters to investors because it provides legal clarity, consumer protections, and oversight that can reduce fraud and market chaos—similar to a traffic cop or referee who helps keep a busy marketplace orderly and predictable, which can affect asset risk and value.

custody financial

Custody is the safekeeping and management of financial assets, such as stocks or bonds, by a specialized institution on behalf of an investor. It ensures that the assets are securely stored, properly maintained, and accurately accounted for, similar to how a bank safely holds valuables for a customer. This arrangement gives investors confidence that their assets are protected and properly managed, allowing them to focus on their investment goals.

liquidity providers financial

Liquidity providers are firms, trading desks, or automated systems that constantly offer to buy and sell a security so other market participants can trade quickly. They matter to investors because they reduce the gap between buy and sell prices, lower transaction costs, and make it less likely you’ll be unable to trade at a fair price. Think of them as extra hands at a busy market counter that keep trades flowing smoothly and prices more predictable.

counterparty risk financial

The chance that the other side in a financial deal — such as a buyer, seller, lender, or derivative counterparty — fails to meet their obligations, for example by not paying, delivering assets, or going bankrupt. Investors care because that failure can cause direct losses, reduce the value or liquidity of holdings, and force extra costs like collateral or hedging; think of it like relying on a contractor who might not finish the job and leaves you stuck paying for replacements.

vasp licensing framework regulatory

A VASP licensing framework is the set of government rules and permit requirements that businesses handling cryptocurrencies or other digital assets must meet to operate legally. Like a driver’s license and traffic laws for a new kind of vehicle, it lays out identity checks, reporting, security and consumer-protection steps. For investors, a clear licensing regime reduces fraud and regulatory risk, affects which platforms can operate, and can influence costs, access and long-term viability of crypto-related services.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BitGo MENA FZE (“BitGo MENA”), a subsidiary of BitGo Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: BTGO) (“BitGo”), the digital asset infrastructure company, today announced the launch of electronic trading in the Middle East and North African (MENA). With this launch, clients can now access a comprehensive trading solution combining BitGo MENA’s established over-the-counter (OTC) trading offering with institutional-grade electronic execution, all operating under BitGo MENA’s Broker-Dealer license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA).

The launch further expands BitGo MENA’s regulated product suite under VARA’s oversight, marking another step in the region’s continued buildout of institutional digital asset infrastructure amid growing demand for integrated execution and custody solutions.

“The Middle East and North Africa has quickly become one of the most exciting regions in the world for digital assets, with regulators, institutions, and innovators moving with real purpose,” said Mike Belshe, CEO and Co-founder of BitGo. “BitGo’s expansion in the region reflects our belief that the next phase of digital asset adoption will be built in markets with strong regulatory foundations and institutional ambition. We’re excited to deepen our presence and support the growth of this ecosystem for years to come.”

BitGo MENA’s electronic trade offering sources liquidity from leading exchanges and liquidity providers, designed to improve price efficiency and best execution quality for clients, a meaningful advantage in a region where regulated, institutional-grade market access has historically been limited.

“We’ve seen strong engagement across our OTC business in the region, and the launch of electronic trading creates a complete institutional offering for our clients,” said Nick Coombs, Managing Director of MENA Sales at BitGo. “We believe the MENA region continues to stand out as one of the most dynamic and fast-growing digital asset markets, and our focus remains on delivering infrastructure that enables institutions to realise their ambition.”

A key component of the launch of electronic trading is the ability for clients to execute trades through BitGo MENA, with assets held with BitGo MENA Custody FZE, providing a regulated structure that separates execution and custody under the respective VARA-licensed entities. This integrated model allows clients to execute trades while assets remain securely held in BitGo’s custody infrastructure, mitigating counterparty risk and insured up to $250M.

The UAE’s progressive regulatory environment and VARA’s clear VASP licensing framework have supported the development of one of the fastest-growing institutional digital asset markets globally. BitGo MENA’s local-first structure positions it as one of the region’s most trusted institutional partners.

Today, BitGo MENA services the region’s top exchanges, platforms, hedge funds, and asset managers. The launch of electronic trading completes BitGo MENA’s institutional trading stack, reinforcing BitGo’s commitment to delivering secure, regulated, and scalable infrastructure to the region.

About BitGo
BitGo (NYSE: BTGO) is the digital asset infrastructure company delivering custody, wallets, staking, trading, financing, stablecoins, and settlement services from regulated cold storage. Since 2013, BitGo has focused on accelerating the transition of the financial system to a digital asset economy. BitGo maintains a global presence and multiple regulated entities, including BitGo Bank & Trust, National Association, the first federally chartered digital asset trust bank owned by a publicly traded company. Today, BitGo serves thousands of institutions, including many of the industry's top brands, financial institutions, exchanges, and platforms, and millions of investors worldwide. For more information, visit www.bitgo.com.

Forward-Looking Statement
Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict, that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations and assumptions from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, the highly volatile nature of digital assets, technical issues in connection with the integration of supported digital assets and changes and upgrades to their underlying network, heightened scrutiny of our industry and operations, the theft, loss, or destruction of private keys required to access any digital assets held in custody for our own account or for our clients, errors in executing client transactions or managing our own trading activities, and the other factors discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on March 27, 2026, and its subsequent filings with the SEC, including subsequent periodic reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Such forward-looking statements are based on facts and conditions as they exist at the time such statements are made and predictions as to future facts and conditions. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, readers of this press release are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement relating to matters discussed in this press release, except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260607345856/en/

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Source: BitGo Holdings, Inc.