The world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, is summing up nine years of operation by publishing impressive statistics and launching a large-scale "Built by You" campaign with a prize pool exceeding $4.5 million. These figures confirm the platform's leading position in the digital asset market.
According to my data, Binance's client base has surpassed 300 million registered users from over 100 countries. Over the past six months, the retail segment has grown by approximately 7%, and the institutional segment by 9%. The exchange's listings have expanded by 11% in coins and 3% in trading pairs, indicating a constant refresh of the assortment.
Notably, about 43% of all cryptocurrency holders worldwide actively use Binance's services. The global number of digital asset owners has soared from less than 6 million in 2017 to 741 million by 2025, and the exchange clearly plays a key role in this growth.
Financial Performance and Cooperation with Authorities
Throughout its operation, the platform has processed 313,653 requests from law enforcement agencies, of which 36,235 were in the first half of 2026. In 2026 alone, with Binance's assistance, authorities recovered or froze over $40 million, demonstrating a responsible approach to regulation.
Since March 2026, the monthly trading volume of traditional financial instruments (TradFi) on the exchange has exceeded $80 billion. In June, access to over 7,000 US stocks and ETFs was opened. The Direct Stocks service attracted $1 billion in assets under management and about $3 billion in total turnover within 30 days, with 73% of this volume coming from users in emerging markets.
Tokenized securities bStocks reached $100 million in assets just 15 days after launch. Nearly half of the transactions (47%) occur when US exchanges are closed, highlighting the global nature of the platform.
Payments and Rewards
Binance Pay already supports national payment systems with QR codes in six countries, and the number is planned to increase to ten by the end of Q3. Binance Card is available in 36 countries. In the first half of the year, the volume of transactions through fiat payment channels reached $83.3 billion — 29% more than a year earlier.
Since 2019, Binance Earn has distributed $4.1 billion in income. The Launchpool, Megadrop, and HODLer Airdrops programs have issued $5.1 billion in rewards, and the Binance Alpha platform about $800 million. Over the half-year, the exchange collected 2,354 user reviews and made 198 improvements across 47 product categories.
By mid-June, the number of authors on Binance Square reached 4.74 million — 58% more than for the entire year of 2025. The exchange's online events were attended by 2.2 million people.
How to Participate in the Campaign
The "Built by You" campaign is built around a virtual city with nine landmarks, each corresponding to one of the exchange's products. A participant needs to claim the 9YA bonus on the campaign page, then complete one task at each landmark. A reward is credited for each completed stage, and after the ninth, a final drop from the total pool of $4.5 million is unlocked. The campaign will run throughout July.
My analysis: Given that in June Binance captured 80% ($53.8 billion) of the total trading volume in perpetual futures on TradFi stocks, this campaign is not just a celebration but a strategic move to maintain dominance. Binance Research's forecast that by 2031 crypto exchanges will bring nearly 300 million new users and about $2 trillion in capital to global stock markets looks quite realistic, especially against the backdrop of current growth rates.