As crypto continues its race toward mainstream adoption, Bitget is steering into a new arena: motorsports. We caught up with Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget, during the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, to talk about their newly announced partnership with MotoGP and what it means for the exchange, the fans, and the future of crypto in Europe.
What does this partnership with MotoGP represent for Bitget, and why now?
The focus of this partnership lies in trackside activations, exclusive events like this one, and digital content creation. We’ve noticed that MotoGP fans are curious about crypto, while our community enjoys exciting sports like this. That’s the overlap we see — a mutual curiosity that’s ideal for building bridges between the two worlds.
What does it mean to be a Regional Partner, specifically?
It refers to specific geographic areas: Italy, Spain, Germany, and Indonesia. We want to respect the way MotoGP designates its sponsorships and be precise about where our activations will occur.
Is there potential to expand into other regions?
Potentially, yes. This agreement is focused solely on 2025 and those four regions. If it goes well, if our Web3 clients and partners respond positively, we’d love to expand and bring Bitget to even more audiences globally.
Great, good luck then! Do you currently have other active sports partnerships? Are you planning more to strengthen your presence in the European market?
Absolutely. One we’re very proud of is our ongoing two-year partnership with LaLiga. It’s been a great collaboration. We also recently announced a partnership with UNICEF, which is not a commercial deal but a philanthropic initiative. It supports Blockchain4Her, a project I launched at Bitget to educate young women in developing countries on financial literacy and crypto accessibility.
And stay tuned, we’ll soon announce a major partnership in the music world, also based in Europe. But, at the moment, we can’t say more.
Sport and music, what else? Let’s get back to MotoGP again. Are you planning to launch new fan tokens tied to MotoGP teams, perhaps listed exclusively on Bitget?
It’s a topic we’re exploring. While it’s not part of the initial launch, I’d love to discuss it with MotoGP. We’re close to the team at Chiliz, which is known for its fan token ecosystem. Alexandre Dreyfus and I are good friends — I’ll likely see him soon in Malta. There’s definitely room for collaboration, not just for fan tokens and NFTs, but even potential use of Bitget’s crypto credit card within the MotoGP ecosystem.
Will there also be fan engagement experiences tied to fan tokens or NFTs?
That could happen, but not official yet…
MotoGP fans will definitely love it! What are your main goals for this collaboration in terms of visibility and user adoption?
We’re looking at two-way value. On one hand, it’s about how many MotoGP fans we introduce to Bitget. On the other, it’s about giving our partners and users access to exclusive experiences like today. It’s a branding play as much as an engagement strategy!
Is Bitget aiming to reinforce its presence in Europe through motorsports?
Definitely. That said, the focus is more on brand value than on immediate acquisition metrics. You’ll see our logo, but we’re not pushing QR codes for downloads here. We’re investing in long-term positioning while also working with regulators toward MiCA compliance, which is very important for us in the EU.
Gracy, before we leave you, we have a last question for you. If you could send a message to the European public that still views crypto with skepticism, what would you say?
Just buy and hold. The world is changing — crypto is becoming mainstream. With Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs now open to institutional investors, and global regions like Hong Kong, Dubai, and the U.S. embracing regulation and adoption, crypto is integrating into global finance. Meanwhile, stablecoins are increasingly becoming part of the global transaction settlement.
Europe, thanks to MiCA, is well positioned. I see MiCA as one of the most comprehensive and also well developed frameworks for regulating exchanges. Thus, people in the EU shouldn’t be left behind.
Start small — buy your first Bitcoin, even just 0.001 BTC.
Remember: the best time to buy Bitcoin was 10 years ago. The second-best time is now.
It’s been a real pleasure having this conversation with you. We hope to speak again soon!
Thank you so much — until next time!