FTX released the 2021 summary: user base exceeded 5 million, total financing surpassed 1.4 billion USD
The blog also revealed that FTX agreed to raise an additional $800 million at a valuation of $32 billion earlier this year.Source: FTX Blog
Organizer: Gu Yu
As the fastest-growing cryptocurrency exchange in 2021, FTX is becoming one of the giants in the crypto industry that cannot be ignored.
Today, FTX released its 2021 summary on its official blog, outlining its development data and achievements, including key figures such as over 5 million users, an increase of approximately 1300%; a total spot trading volume of $71.9 billion, an increase of approximately 2400%; and donations amounting to $16.77 million.
The blog also revealed that after raising a total of $1.4 billion in 2021, FTX agreed to raise an additional $800 million at the beginning of this year, with FTX.com valued at $32 billion and FTX US valued at $8 billion. Meanwhile, FTX founder SBF repurchased shares from some early passive investors, currently over 90% of FTX's equity is held by the founding team and employees.
Specifically, in terms of trading volume, FTX's trading volume from January to February 2021 exceeded that of 2020, with a total spot trading volume of $71.9 billion for the year, an increase of approximately 240%. The outstanding amount in the P2P lending market reached a peak of $8 billion.
In terms of user numbers, FTX currently has over 5 million registered users, an increase of 1500% compared to 2020, while daily active users have nearly reached the total registered user count of 2020. FTX.us saw a user growth of over 12,100% in 2021.
Regarding employees, FTX had 72 employees at the beginning of 2021, and by 2022, the number of employees nearly doubled, with key figures such as former Citadel executive Brett Harrison, former CFTC commissioner Mark Wetjen, and former HSBC executive Jonathan Cheesman joining FTX last year.
In terms of regulation and compliance, FTX obtained a license in the Bahamas under the 2020 DARE Act, making it the first major cryptocurrency exchange to obtain a license to offer derivatives. By the end of 2021, FTX had donated over $10 million to various organizations across the Bahamas.
FTX's new headquarters in the country will begin construction in the first quarter of 2022. This multifunctional space will include office and commercial space, as well as a boutique hotel and conference center, gym, childcare facilities, and other innovative public spaces.
Additionally, FTX has obtained various licenses through acquisitions and applications to enhance its compliance. For example, FTX US acquired LedgerX (now FTX US Derivatives) and obtained licenses as a designated contract market (DCM), derivatives clearing organization (DCO), and swap execution facility (SEF) registered with the CFTC, allowing FTX US to operate in the U.S. and other jurisdictions that recognize CFTC licenses.
FTX Digital Markets became the first digital asset company registered under the Bahamas Digital Assets and Registered Exchanges Act, enabling it to offer various products and services to customers in a regulated manner.
Currently, FTX continues to collaborate with regulators in over a dozen other jurisdictions worldwide to obtain licenses and regulation in these jurisdictions.
In 2021, FTX also established numerous partnerships in the sports sector, collaborating with events or organizations including the NBA, Major League Baseball, and the International Cricket Council, while becoming the first cryptocurrency company to secure naming rights for a sports arena. In December last year, Ad Age named FTX one of the Top Ten Marketers of the Year, making FTX the youngest company to win this honor to date.
Earlier in January 2021, the exchange established the FTX Foundation and announced that 1% of all fees generated by FTX would be donated to charity. FTX stated that the current donation amount has reached $16.77 million, while user donations have reached $8.65 million.
