BTCC eyes AI and RWA expansion in year 15 after $3.7 trillion volume record

• BTCC reported a record $3.7 trillion in 2025 trading volume and grew its user base to 11 million, up 60% year-over-year.
• Futures trading dominated activity at $3.27 trillion, alongside $431 billion in spot volume, while tokenized RWAs exploded on tokenized gold trading.
• Ahead of its 15th anniversary, BTCC is prioritizing AI-powered trading tools, expanded RWA offerings, and a next-generation trading platform.

BTCC, a claimant to the title of the world’s longest-serving cryptocurrency exchange, reported record performance in 2025 with $3.7 trillion in total trading volume and a global user base that reached 11 million, a 60% increase year-over-year. 

As the exchange approaches its 15th anniversary in 2026, it is now signaling a shift in its focus towards AI-enabled trading tools and more real-world asset (RWA) offerings.

“15 years in this industry has taught us that the real risk isn’t change but standing still,” Marcus Chen, BTCC’s product manager, said. “Our focus for 2026 is translating operational experience into speed: building what traders need for where markets are heading, not where they’ve been.”

RWA took the stage, with tokenized gold leading the way

BTCC recorded $3.27 trillion in futures volume and $431 billion in spot trading volume for the full year. However, it was tokenized RWA trading that showed the most growth, with quarterly volumes rising from $1.2 billion in the first quarter to $22.7 billion in the fourth quarter, a 1,792% increase. The total tokenized futures volume for the year reached $53.1 billion.

BTCC’s tokenized gold trading emerged as a standout performer, reaching $5.72 billion for the year with 809% quarterly growth from the first to fourth quarters. The fourth quarter alone accounted for $2.74 billion, contributing to the overall RWA boom. The growth was responsible for 48% of annual activity and 130% quarter-over-quarter growth.

Tokenized gold had a year for the record books in 2025, with its market capitalization increasing by 177%. It rose from $1.6 billion to $4.4 billion, according to data from CEX.IO. The growth of tokenized gold also accounted for about 25% of the net growth in real-world assets (RWAs).

Like other crypto platforms with tokenized offerings, BTCC’s tokenized gold provides advantages over traditional gold trading, including round-the-clock access without the restrictions found on conventional platforms and relatively faster transaction speeds. 

The $5.72 billion in annual tokenized gold trading represents approximately 10.7% of BTCC’s total tokenized futures volume.

As Cryptopolitan reported, BTCC offers three options for gold traders: GOLDUSDT, which tracks spot gold prices for direct exposure and hedging strategies. PAXGUSDT by PAX Gold, an Ethereum-based token launched by Paxos under New York Department of Financial Services regulation (NYDFS), and XAUTUSDT is issued by Tether.

What are BTCC’s strategic priorities for 2026?

Building on 15 years of operational track record, BTCC has outlined three focus areas for the year ahead, and they are AI-powered trading features, further expansion of real-world asset products and the launch of a next-generation trading platform.

Following the eighteen-fold growth in tokenized asset trading volume in 2025, BTCC plans to significantly expand its real-world asset product suite with additional asset classes and new trading pairs. 

“Gold is just the beginning,” Chen said. “We’re actively working on expanding into other commodities and traditional finance products.”

The exchange will also launch a comprehensive trading system spanning derivatives, spot markets, and multi-asset matching engines, alongside a new wealth management feature offering diversified strategies for different risk profiles.

BTCC maintained its tradition of publishing its monthly proof of reserves, which showed its reserves consistently above 100%. It also disclosed a major update for its futures trading market in the form of its integration with TradingView.