Bitget Expands Stock Perpetuals With GDX, NET, and LYTE

Crypto exchanges are increasingly competing on breadth, not just on coin listings. In another sign that the line between digital assets and traditional market exposure keeps fading, Bitget has added three new stock and ETF perpetual contracts: GDX, NET, and LYTE.

The new lineup gives traders synthetic exposure to a gold mining ETF, Cloudflare shares, and a photonics-and-optics themed ETF, all settled in USDT. Bitget says these contracts support up to 20x leverage and can be traded around the clock, bringing the platform’s total stock contract universe to 276 underlyings.

Why this matters for crypto-native traders

For many users in the crypto market, the appeal of stock perpetuals is not simply that they reference equities. It is that they package familiar market themes into a structure that feels native to crypto: USDT settlement, leveraged trading, and 24/7 access.

That combination matters for several reasons:

• No need to open a separate brokerage account to express a view on a traditional asset theme.
• Around-the-clock access fits the way crypto traders already manage risk and execute strategy.
• USDT-margined contracts reduce the operational friction of switching between fiat and multiple market venues.
• Leverage allows smaller capital outlays, though it also increases liquidation risk.

In practice, these products are closer to derivatives than to direct ownership. Traders are not buying shares of an ETF or company outright. They are taking a leveraged position on the price direction of the underlying asset.

What the new listings signal

The three additions are interesting because they point to three very different market narratives.

GDX: gold miners as a macro hedge

Gold-related assets often attract attention when traders are looking for defensive exposure, inflation sensitivity, or a hedge against broader market volatility. By listing a perpetual tied to a gold miners ETF, Bitget is giving users a way to trade that macro thesis without leaving the exchange environment.

For crypto traders, gold has long served as a reference point in debates about hard assets, monetary debasement, and risk-off positioning. A contract linked to GDX lets users express that view more directly.

NET: infrastructure and internet resilience

Cloudflare sits at the intersection of cloud infrastructure, security, and internet performance. That makes NET a familiar name to many crypto participants, especially those who follow the infrastructure stack behind exchanges, wallets, and Web3 applications.

A stock perpetual on NET is not a crypto asset, but it does align with themes crypto users care about: uptime, cyber defense, developer infrastructure, and the broader digital economy.

LYTE: exposure to advanced hardware themes

The LYTE ETF adds another angle: a thematic basket focused on photonics and optics. For market participants, that can act as a proxy for next-generation hardware, advanced manufacturing, and parts of the semiconductor supply chain.

In a market where AI infrastructure, chips, and high-performance computing are major narratives, thematic ETFs like this one can appeal to traders looking for sector rotation opportunities outside of pure crypto price action.

A sign of how exchange products are evolving

The growth of stock perpetuals fits a broader trend in 2025: crypto platforms are increasingly becoming multi-asset trading venues.

This is happening alongside the rise of:

• tokenized real-world assets,
• on-chain treasury products,
• perpetual markets tied to non-crypto instruments,
• and broader demand for 24/7 market access across asset classes.

For traders, the message is clear. The modern exchange is no longer just a place to trade Bitcoin or Ethereum. It is becoming a venue for macro expression, sector rotation, and cross-asset speculation.

That said, the convenience comes with trade-offs.

What users should watch before trading

Stock perpetual contracts can be useful, but they are not suitable for every account or strategy. Before opening a position, traders should pay attention to:

• Funding costs and how they affect longer holds
• Liquidation thresholds under high leverage
• Contract specifications, including settlement currency and margin rules
• Market volatility, especially around earnings, macro data, and ETF flow shocks
• Jurisdictional restrictions, since access may vary by region

If your goal is long-term exposure, direct ownership may be more appropriate than leveraged derivatives. If your goal is to trade short-term themes, perpetual contracts can offer flexibility, but only with disciplined risk management.

Where self-custody still fits

Even as exchange products become more sophisticated, self-custody remains an important part of a balanced crypto setup. Traders who use leveraged instruments on centralized venues often still prefer to keep their core digital assets offline, away from day-to-day trading risk.

That is where a hardware wallet can still play a useful role. For users who actively trade on exchanges but want to protect long-term holdings, a device like OneKey can help separate speculative capital from assets meant for storage. In a market that now spans both crypto and traditional instruments, that split can be a practical way to stay organized and reduce unnecessary exposure.

Bottom line

Bitget’s addition of GDX, NET, and LYTE reinforces a broader shift in crypto market structure: users want more than spot trading and token speculation. They want access to macro themes, sector bets, and round-the-clock derivatives in one place.

With USDT settlement, 20x leverage, and 24/7 trading, these stock perpetuals are designed for active participants who understand the risks. For crypto-native traders, they are another sign that the boundary between digital asset markets and traditional finance is becoming increasingly porous.