Bitget Lists Stock Perpetual Contracts for Merck, Moderna, and Tempus AI
Bitget Lists Stock Perpetual Contracts for Merck, Moderna, and Tempus AI
Bitget has expanded its stock-linked derivatives lineup with three new USDT-settled perpetual contracts: MRK, MRNA, and TEM, tracking market exposure to Merck & Co., Moderna, and Tempus AI. The contracts support up to 20x leverage and are available for 24/7 trading, bringing Bitget’s total supported stock contract markets to 280.
The launch reflects a broader trend in crypto markets: centralized exchanges are increasingly offering products that bridge traditional equities and digital-asset trading infrastructure. For users, this creates more ways to express views on public companies without leaving a crypto-native trading environment. For the industry, it highlights how perpetual futures, stablecoin settlement, and round-the-clock market access continue to reshape expectations around financial markets.
What Bitget’s New Stock Contracts Offer
The three newly added markets are tied to companies in healthcare, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence:
- MRK: linked to Merck & Co., a major global pharmaceutical company.
- MRNA: linked to Moderna, widely known for its mRNA-based vaccine and therapeutics platform.
- TEM: linked to Tempus AI, a health-tech and AI company focused on data-driven precision medicine.
Unlike traditional equities, these are perpetual contracts, not spot shares. Users are not buying the underlying stock or receiving shareholder rights such as dividends or voting power. Instead, they are trading derivative instruments that track price exposure and settle in USDT, a widely used stablecoin in crypto derivatives markets.
This structure may appeal to crypto traders who want exposure to equity themes such as pharmaceuticals, biotech innovation, and AI-driven healthcare while managing collateral and settlement inside a digital-asset account.
Why Stock Perpetuals Matter in Crypto Markets
Perpetual futures became one of crypto’s most important product categories because they offer continuous trading, leverage, and flexible long-or-short positioning. Extending this model to stock-linked markets is part of a larger movement toward tokenized real-world asset exposure and hybrid market access.
Traditional stock exchanges operate within fixed trading sessions and are closed on weekends and holidays. Crypto markets, by contrast, never close. Stock perpetual contracts combine these two worlds by giving traders access to equity-related price exposure through a crypto exchange interface, with 7×24-hour availability.
This does not mean the risk profile is the same as holding shares. During periods when the underlying stock market is closed, derivative pricing can be influenced by crypto liquidity, news flow, funding rates, and market expectations. Traders should understand that around-the-clock trading can create both opportunity and additional volatility.
For context, global interest in market infrastructure modernization has continued to grow as institutions explore blockchain-based settlement, digital collateral, and tokenized assets. Organizations such as the Bank for International Settlements and IOSCO have published ongoing research and policy discussions around digital finance, market resilience, and emerging asset structures.
Healthcare, AI, and Biotech as Trading Themes
The choice of Merck, Moderna, and Tempus AI also reflects user demand for exposure beyond the most obvious mega-cap technology names.
Healthcare and biotech remain active sectors for traders because company valuations can be influenced by clinical trial results, regulatory approvals, patent cycles, public health demand, and M&A expectations. AI-related healthcare companies add another layer of interest, especially as investors watch how artificial intelligence may improve diagnostics, drug discovery, and patient data analysis.
Tempus AI, for example, sits at the intersection of machine learning and medical data, an area closely watched by both public-market investors and technology-focused traders. Moderna continues to be associated with mRNA platform development, while Merck remains a major pharmaceutical name with global reach. Readers can review company-level disclosures through the SEC EDGAR database for more detailed financial filings.
For crypto users, these themes are increasingly relevant because digital-asset platforms are no longer limited to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and altcoins. Many exchanges are competing to become multi-asset trading venues where users can access crypto, commodities, forex-like products, and equity-linked contracts from a single account.
Benefits and Risks of USDT-Settled Stock Perpetuals
USDT settlement is familiar to many crypto traders. It allows users to calculate margin, profit, and loss in stablecoin terms without directly handling fiat currency. This can simplify account management for traders already active in crypto derivatives.
However, several risks deserve attention:
-
Leverage risk
Up to 20x leverage can magnify gains, but it can also lead to rapid liquidation during adverse price moves. -
Derivative basis risk
A perpetual contract may not perfectly match the underlying equity price at all times, especially outside regular stock-market hours. -
Funding rate costs
Perpetual contracts typically use funding mechanisms to keep prices aligned with the reference market. Funding can become costly in crowded trades. -
Regulatory and access differences
Availability may vary by jurisdiction. Users should confirm whether such products are permitted in their region. -
Stablecoin and platform risk
USDT settlement reduces fiat friction, but traders still depend on stablecoin liquidity, exchange operations, and account security.
In short, stock perpetuals are flexible tools, but they require strong risk management. Position sizing, stop-loss planning, and collateral control matter more when leverage is involved.
The Bigger 2025 Trend: Crypto Exchanges Becoming Multi-Asset Gateways
In 2025, one of the clearest trends in the blockchain industry is the convergence of crypto-native infrastructure with traditional financial exposure. This can be seen across tokenized treasuries, on-chain credit markets, real-world asset protocols, and exchange-listed derivatives that reference non-crypto assets.
Stock perpetuals are part of this shift. They do not place actual equities on-chain, but they show how crypto exchanges are using stablecoin settlement and perpetual futures design to recreate exposure to global markets. For users, the result is a more integrated trading experience. For regulators and institutions, it raises important questions about disclosure, investor protection, market data, and cross-border access.
As the market matures, traders should distinguish between three different categories:
- Tokenized securities, which may represent regulated claims on real-world assets.
- Synthetic derivatives, which provide price exposure without ownership.
- Spot crypto assets, which are native to blockchain networks.
Bitget’s MRK, MRNA, and TEM markets fall into the derivative exposure category. Understanding that distinction is essential.
Security Considerations for Active Traders
Stock perpetuals may be traded on an exchange, but broader crypto security still matters. Many users keep long-term digital assets separate from trading capital. This helps reduce exposure if an exchange account is compromised or if a platform experiences operational issues.
For users who hold Bitcoin, Ethereum, stablecoins, or other digital assets outside active trading positions, a hardware wallet such as OneKey can help keep private keys offline. OneKey is designed for self-custody, multi-chain asset management, and secure transaction confirmation, making it a practical option for users who want to separate long-term holdings from exchange-based strategies.
This separation is especially relevant as crypto platforms add more complex products. The more active a user becomes across derivatives, stablecoins, and multi-asset markets, the more important it becomes to define which funds are for trading and which funds should remain in cold storage.
Final Thoughts
Bitget’s addition of MRK, MRNA, and TEM stock perpetual contracts shows how fast crypto trading venues are evolving. By combining USDT settlement, leverage, and continuous market access, exchanges are creating new ways for users to engage with equity-related themes from within the crypto ecosystem.
Still, convenience should not be confused with simplicity. These products are derivatives, not shares, and they carry leverage, funding, liquidity, and platform risks. Traders interested in Merck, Moderna, Tempus AI, or other stock-linked perpetuals should evaluate the mechanics carefully, manage collateral conservatively, and maintain strong custody practices for assets not actively used in trading.
