Vugar Usi Takes the Helm at Bitget: Growth, Tokens, and the Compliance Challenge

Vugar Usi, the former Chief Operating Officer of Bitget, has transitioned to a leadership role at MEXC, where he is tasked with shifting the exchange’s operational strategy from rapid expansion to a model focused on regulatory compliance and structured growth.

MEXC appointed Usi as its Chief Operating Officer on December 5, 2025. In this capacity, Usi is responsible for driving operational excellence and overseeing regulatory alignment and risk management for the platform.

Strategic Pivot Toward Compliance

The appointment of Usi signals a strategic transition for MEXC as it prepares for the 2026 market cycle. The exchange, which is known for its zero-fee trading model, currently serves over 40 million users and supports more than 3,000 digital assets.

According to reports, Usi identifies the exchange’s compliance record as a missing point in its growth. His primary objective is to tame the platform’s role as a memecoin machine without compromising the elements that contributed to its initial success.

Usi’s mandate includes expanding MEXC’s presence in specific high-growth regions, including Latin America, Turkey, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and Eastern Europe.

Professional Background and Experience

Vugar Usi brings over 15 years of global experience in strategy, marketing, and Web3 growth. His professional history includes roles at Fortune 500 companies, internet giants, and financial services firms, including Facebook, Sony, Carlsberg, Danone, and BeInCrypto.

Before joining MEXC, Usi served as the COO of Bitget, where he was officially named to the role on January 11, 2024. At Bitget, he was responsible for spearheading global business growth, leading go-to-market teams, and overseeing strategic expansion efforts.

During his tenure at Bitget, Usi highlighted the potential for growth in emerging markets, specifically pointing to Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America as promising regions for cryptocurrency adoption.

In October 2025, while still associated with Bitget, Usi outlined a vision where everyday payments, AI, and tokenized assets would be the primary drivers in bringing the crypto user base to one billion people.

Operational Focus at MEXC

The shift toward compliance-first growth at MEXC is intended to create a more durable operational framework. By integrating rigorous risk management and regulatory alignment, the company aims to move away from the volatility associated with rapid, unstructured scaling.

This transition occurs as the exchange continues to maintain its competitive position as a top-three exchange, leveraging its extensive asset support and fee structure to attract a global user base while attempting to resolve the regulatory gaps identified by Usi.