With Bitcoin trading below $69,000 after peaking at $126,000 in October 2025, MEXC Chief Operating Officer Vugar Usi said retail-first exchanges are gaining an advantage as the crypto market becomes increasingly shaped by institutions. Speaking at CoinGecko Meetup #33, Usi argued that exchange competition is no longer centered only on matching trades. Product breadth, user trust, and retention now matter more.
Two shifts Usi says are reshaping the market
Usi pointed to a volatile 2025 that included the Bybit hack and October’s record-setting “10.10 liquidation event.” In his view, two structural changes stood out. Regulators and financial institutions are accepting crypto more openly, and exchanges are turning into “super apps” that combine trading with services such as payments. He said those trends create room for platforms that are built around retail participation rather than institutional flow.
He also framed market swings as part of the opportunity set. Usi told the audience that the smartest investors are not the ones simply getting richer or poorer on paper as prices move, but those who know when to lock in gains and take money off the table. He added that there is always a good opportunity to buy and a great opportunity to sell.
User mix and zero-fee trading sit at the center of MEXC’s pitch
According to Usi, some major exchanges get 80% of their volume from institutions, while more than 90% of MEXC’s 40 million users are retail traders. He presented that user composition as a meaningful advantage. In the same remarks, he said success should not be measured by headline user counts alone. What matters is whether users trust the platform enough to trade, and trading volume is the clearer signal.
MEXC says it offers 3,000+ listings and applies its zero-fee model across spot markets, derivatives, and tokenized assets. Usi described that combination as placing the exchange in a favorable position between entry-level platforms and decentralized exchanges. The company also highlighted access to tokenized equities and precious metals as part of a broader asset mix designed to appeal to different kinds of traders.
Protection measures remain part of the 2026 plan
For 2026, Usi said MEXC will keep strengthening user protection after launching its Guardian Fund last year, while maintaining zero-fee trading across spot, derivatives, and tokenized products. He tied that strategy to what he sees as an approaching period of industry consolidation, where fee structure and user safeguards could carry more weight.
Even with Bitcoin well below its 2025 high, Usi said he remains confident in Bitcoin over the long term and sees strategic opportunities for traders entering at current levels. MEXC, founded in 2018, says it serves more than 40 million users across 170+ countries and regions.
Disclaimer: The source material states that this was a sponsored post published for informational purposes and not financial advice.