Bitget connects external custodial assets to spot, margin, and futures trading

Bitget on Feb. 5 introduced an Open Custody Network (OCN) that lets eligible clients trade spot, margin and futures while keeping assets with external custodians, including banks and institutional-grade providers, rather than transferring them to the exchange. The design separates asset custody from order execution, targeting market makers, asset managers and other institutions that want to retain existing custody relationships. It matters because it removes a key friction for institutions wary of commingling funds on a centralized venue. What to watch next is which custodians and institutional clients actually onboard, and whether the model spreads to rival exchanges.