June 1, 2026, marks the official launch of Gate’s real stock trading service, allowing users to trade stocks and ETFs from major US securities markets directly with USDT on the platform. This move signifies a pivotal milestone in Gate’s expansion into traditional finance (TradFi). From introducing CFD functionality at the start of the year, to launching tokenized stocks in March, and now enabling real stock spot trading, Gate has built a comprehensive framework that seamlessly connects digital assets with traditional financial markets—all within a unified account system.
As of June 2026, Gate supports over 10,000 stocks and ETF assets, covering major US securities exchanges and liquidity networks, including NYSE, Nasdaq, NYSE Arca, NYSE American, and BATS. Once users complete KYC and regional access requirements, they can buy, hold, and sell stock assets on a single platform—without the need to open a separate US brokerage account or convert funds to fiat currency.
Gate Real US Stocks: A Genuine Asset Allocation Channel
Unlike the prevalent "stock token" or RWA mapping models on the market, Gate’s stock trading service is directly integrated with Alpaca, a fully compliant broker-dealer licensed and qualified for clearing in the US. This provides users with direct access to real markets, not just on-chain mapped assets or tokenized derivatives. Specifically, this model establishes clear competitive advantages in several key areas:
Broad and Deep Asset Coverage
Gate’s real stock trading covers over 10,000 US stocks and ETFs—far surpassing the industry’s typical offering of a few hundred tokenized stocks. The asset range includes major tech giants like Apple (AAPL), Nvidia (NVDA), and Tesla (TSLA), as well as a wide variety of sector-themed ETFs. Users can trade these assets within the same familiar crypto trading interface.
Zero Holding Cost Structure
This is one of the core differentiators of Gate’s real US stock product. Unlike perpetual contracts with funding rates or CFDs with swap and overnight fees, Gate’s stock spot trading delivers zero holding costs, making it highly suitable for users looking to allocate US stocks for the long term. There are no funding rates, no swap fees, and no overnight charges—making Gate the only platform in the market to offer "zero holding cost" US stock trading.
Independent Account Security Architecture
Gate stocks utilize an omnibus account structure, connecting directly to the compliant broker Alpaca and major US securities markets. Every share purchased on Gate is backed by a corresponding, fully registered real stock asset, custodied by an SIPC (Securities Investor Protection Corporation) member broker. Under applicable conditions, securities assets enjoy up to $500,000 in protection.
Additionally, Gate stocks operate within an independent account system, entirely separate from contract and spot accounts, with funds managed independently. This means that even if a contract account is liquidated or a spot account incurs losses, stock account assets remain unaffected and cannot be used to cover positions elsewhere.
Simplified Funding Channels
Users don’t need to convert crypto to fiat or transfer funds to another brokerage account. You can invest in US stocks directly using your existing USDT balance. Crypto holdings and stock investments coexist within the same ecosystem.
Ultra-Low Fractional Share Trading Threshold
Gate supports fractional share trading with a minimum of just 0.01 shares. Investors can participate in leading US stocks like Apple, Nvidia, and Tesla with less than the cost of a full share. For crypto users holding USDT but with smaller capital, this means you can start allocating to US stocks with an extremely low entry barrier.
Competitive Fee Structure
Gate stocks are now fully integrated into the platform’s VIP tier system. Users can reach VIP status with just $2,000 in holdings, unlocking exclusive stock trading fees as low as 0.023% and dedicated 1-on-1 account manager services—further reducing the cost of global asset allocation.
Key Differences Among Gate’s Four US Stock Trading Products
Gate currently offers four types of US stock trading products: real US stocks (spot trading), US stock perpetual contracts, US stock CFDs, and tokenized US stocks (xStocks, previously referred to as "Direct Access US Stocks"). These products differ fundamentally in terms of asset characteristics, trading hours, leverage mechanisms, and holding costs, and should not be confused with one another.
Real US Stocks (Spot Trading)
- Core Attributes: Users purchase real underlying assets traded on NYSE and Nasdaq via Gate, holding genuine ownership certificates. In the future, stock assets will also support one-click transfers between brokers.
- Holding Costs: Zero holding costs—no funding rates, swap fees, or overnight fees.
- Trading Hours: Follows traditional securities market trading hours.
- Leverage: Not supported; all trades are fully funded spot transactions.
- Best For: Long-term US stock allocation, investors seeking shareholder rights (such as dividends), and those prioritizing asset security.
US Stock Perpetual Contracts
- Core Attributes: Perpetual contract products settled in USDT, where users trade derivatives based on stock prices rather than the stocks themselves.
- Holding Costs: Perpetual contracts have funding rates, requiring periodic payments or receipts while holding positions.
- Trading Hours: 24/7 trading, not limited by pre-market or after-hours sessions.
- Leverage: Supports both long and short positions; leverage can be selected at order placement.
- Best For: Short-term trading, capturing price swings with leverage, short selling strategies, and those needing flexible 24/7 trading.
US Stock CFDs (Contracts for Difference)
- Core Attributes: CFD products settled in USDT or equivalent units, where users trade the price difference of stocks rather than actual shares.
- Holding Costs: CFDs incur swap and overnight fees; holding positions overnight results in additional costs.
- Trading Hours: 24/7 trading.
- Leverage: Supported.
- Best For: Short-term speculative trading with leverage, though leverage limits are lower than perpetual contracts—suited for traders with moderate to low risk tolerance.
Tokenized US Stocks (xStocks / Direct Access US Stocks)
- Core Attributes: Maps traditional stock prices to digital tokens on the blockchain, with trading occurring on-chain or within crypto exchanges. Holding tokenized stocks does not grant actual company shares or shareholder voting/dividend rights.
- Holding Costs: Similar to perpetual contracts, with funding rates and related costs, though fee structures differ from perpetuals.
- Trading Hours: 24/7 trading, unaffected by traditional market hours.
- Leverage: Varies by product; some tokenized stocks support leverage, but requirements differ from contract products.
- Best For: Flexible 24/7 trading, short-term exposure, or arbitrage without the need for actual equity ownership.
Quick Comparison Table: Four Product Types
| Comparison Dimension | Real US Stocks (Spot) | US Stock Perpetual Contracts | US Stock CFDs | Tokenized US Stocks (xStocks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real Equity Ownership | Yes | No | No | No |
| Holding Costs | 0 (No funding/swap/overnight fees) | Funding rate applies | Swap/overnight fees apply | Funding rate applies |
| Trading Hours | Market hours (pre/post-market coming soon) | 24/7 | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Leverage Limit | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Varies by product |
| Long/Short Trading | Long only | Long/Short | Long/Short | Long/Short |
| Asset Custody | SIPC-member broker | Platform derivative | Platform derivative | On-chain token |
| Target Users | Long-term allocators | Short-term leverage traders | Medium/short-term speculators | Flexible 24/7 traders |
Market Context and Industry Background
From an industry perspective, Gate’s launch of real stock trading is not an isolated event, but a crucial part of the "everything exchange" trend among crypto trading platforms. In 2026, the main growth in user traffic for leading crypto exchanges comes from US stock tokenization and the on-chain integration of real-world assets (RWA). The market size for tokenized stocks grew from about $32 million at the start of 2025 to nearly $1.68 billion—a nearly 50-fold year-over-year increase. Globally, the RWA market (excluding stablecoins) reached $3.1 to $3.4 billion, up over 400% from early 2025.
Meanwhile, the convergence of traditional finance and crypto assets is accelerating. In January 2026, the NYSE announced the development of a blockchain-based tokenized securities trading platform, aiming to support 24/7 trading and stablecoin settlement. Nasdaq has also submitted proposals for regulatory changes to enable tokenized securities.
Against this backdrop, Gate’s real stock trading service is not just a product upgrade, but a significant milestone in the transformation of crypto exchanges from "cryptocurrency trading platforms" to "global multi-asset allocation gateways."
Conclusion
The launch of Gate stocks opens a compliant channel for USDT holders to access the traditional securities market from the digital asset world. Whether you’re an investor looking for long-term US stock allocation with zero holding costs, or a trader seeking short-term opportunities with leverage and 24/7 trading, Gate’s four US stock products—real stocks, perpetual contracts, CFDs, and tokenized stocks—offer trading options with distinct risk and return profiles. In practice, users can choose the most suitable product mix based on their capital size, holding period, and risk appetite.
