BitGo adds Gate US to off-exchange settlement network

BitGo has added Gate US to its Go Network Off-Exchange Settlement service, giving institutional clients another way to trade digital assets in the US market.

The move expands the list of exchanges available through BitGo's settlement network, which lets institutions trade without first transferring assets to an exchange account. Under the model, clients allocate balances held at BitGo Bank & Trust for trading on Gate US, while the underlying assets remain in custody until settlement.

That structure addresses a longstanding issue for larger investors in digital asset markets, where access to liquidity often requires firms to pre-fund accounts across several venues. By separating custody from execution, the network aims to reduce the number of transfers and relationships institutions must manage when trading across exchanges.

Balances held in custody are projected to Gate US for execution, with settlement completed through the Go Network infrastructure. BitGo presents the model as an alternative to placing assets directly with trading venues throughout a transaction.

Adam Sporn, Head of Prime Brokerage and Institutional Sales at BitGo, said the company's aim was to give institutions broader market access without changing how they hold assets.

"We believe the future of institutional trading isn't about forcing clients into a single venue or workflow. It's about connecting them to every opportunity through a common infrastructure layer," Sporn said. "Whether clients trade through BitGo Prime or directly with exchanges like Gate US, they should be able to access liquidity without sacrificing the protections that come from keeping assets in regulated qualified custody. Go Network is how we're making that possible."

Custody model

The addition of Gate US reflects a broader push in digital asset markets to mirror parts of traditional financial market structure, particularly the separation of trading from asset custody. In conventional markets, institutional investors often expect an independent custodian rather than leaving assets with the venue where orders are executed.

BitGo argues that the same principle is becoming more important as institutional participation in crypto markets expands. The framework is designed to lower operational complexity and counterparty exposure by allowing institutions to keep assets with a regulated fiduciary while accessing connected exchanges.

Gate US said the arrangement would let it offer its market liquidity to institutions that want a custody model built around segregated holdings rather than exchange deposits.

"Institutional clients want the ability to trade with confidence, without compromising on custody or counterparty risk. Partnering with BitGo on Go Network OES lets Gate US offer our liquidity to institutions in a framework built around regulated, segregated custody-reinforcing the kind of trusted infrastructure this market needs to keep scaling. We're excited to deepen our relationship with BitGo and provide mutual clients with a secure and efficient path to our markets,"  Laura Liu, COO of Gate US, said.

Liquidity access

BitGo is positioning the exchange link as part of a broader effort to support different ways institutions source liquidity. Some clients use BitGo Prime, its prime brokerage offering, to access pooled liquidity from exchanges, market makers, and over-the-counter providers through a single point of entry. Others maintain direct ties with individual venues for region-specific markets, products, or pricing.

Go Network Off-Exchange Settlement sits alongside that prime brokerage model rather than replacing it. The system is intended to provide a common settlement and custody framework whether a client trades through BitGo Prime or directly on an affiliated exchange such as Gate US.

BitGo says the addition of Gate US is part of what it calls a global liquidity layer, an effort to connect institutions to a broader network of venues and counterparties through a single custody and settlement framework. Existing supported venues listed by BitGo include Crossover Markets CROSSx, Finery Markets, Gate Global, HTX, INX, KuCoin, OKX US, and STS Digital, alongside Deribit via Copper ClearLoop.

The expansion comes as digital asset firms compete for more institutional order flow by addressing concerns over operational risk, venue exposure, and post-trade controls. For many larger market participants, the collapse of earlier crypto market structures has made the location and control of collateral a central issue in deciding where and how to trade.

In that context, arrangements that let firms keep assets with an external custodian while still accessing exchange liquidity have become an increasingly important part of market infrastructure. Gate US gives clients another connected venue through which they can trade while keeping assets in segregated custody at BitGo Bank & Trust.