How did Flipster achieve its rapid growth in a competitive market? What product strategies set it apart, and how is it adapting for crypto’s future? Coin Edition put these questions directly to Youngsun Shin, Head of Product at Flipster.
In this exclusive Q&A, he reveals their approach, from Big Tech influences to blending technology with community-driven trading.
1. Flipster’s huge 2024 Growth
Q: Flipster saw trading volumes jump 856% last year, with user assets growing by a massive 6,000%. What exactly drove this huge spike? Could you point to a few specific things that made traders choose Flipster over other exchanges?
Our growth was propelled by three key factors:
- High-Yield Earn Campaign – Our high-yield Earn campaign, offering up to 22% APR with no lock-in, really drew users in.
We started it manually, refined it into an automated program, and saw nearly 50 times growth in that area. By letting users earn high yield without locking up their funds, we unlocked new capital inflows.
- Fast Token Listings & Deep Liquidity Provision – Flipster became the go-to exchange for traders seeking early access to trending tokens.
We listed new assets rapidly and provided deep liquidity, enabling users to get into potentially profitable trades ahead of bigger exchanges.
- Iterative Product Upgrades & Seamless Trading Experience – We’re always improving the platform – from zero-fee perpetuals trading to mobile features like Instant Flip. The goal is an intuitive, low-cost, fast trading experience.
Ultimately, Flipster grew by catering to both active traders (who benefit from zero fees, deep liquidity, wide selection) and yield-seekers (who can get access to high-yield products). This makes us a compelling alternative for the crypto market.
2. To analyze past experience within Big Tech that has helped shape Flipster’s product strategy for the future:
Q: You previously worked at major tech companies. How did that experience directly influence how you approach product development at Flipster? Could you share a practical example of how lessons from big tech have made Flipster’s products better?
It’s a myth that Big Tech has some secret sauce. Their real advantage is a relentless focus on staying lean and truly understanding users. We bring that obsession to Flipster, focusing on the entire trading process to make every step smooth and intuitive.
Our mobile-first trading experience is a good example. Many exchanges simply adapt their web interfaces for mobile, leading to clunky, inefficient workflows. At Flipster, we built from the ground up, ensuring that mobile trading not only functions seamlessly but also enhances execution speed and usability.
Instant Flip, for instance, came directly from user feedback – it lets traders reverse positions instantly with one tap. But it’s not just about easy use; we back it up with competitive pricing and tight spreads, giving traders real advantages in fast markets.
Our approach extends beyond interface design to understanding critical moments in a trader’s journey. By applying lessons from consumer tech about optimizing key interaction points we are able to create a genuinely intuitive feel, ensuring that Flipster’s tech serves the trader, not the other way around.
3. Younger Asian traders gravitating more toward decentralized services and why Flipster is the right fit:
Q: Younger traders in Asia are increasingly skipping big exchanges and heading straight to decentralized platforms or alternative trading channels. What’s pulling them in that direction? Based on your experience at Flipster, what’s one surprising thing you’ve learned about these traders?
The shift towards decentralized platforms reflects a broader change in how younger traders perceive control, opportunity, and risk in financial markets. Many have grown up in a digital-native environment, where self-custody and permissionless access feel natural. They’re drawn to DeFi’s early-entry opportunities, transparency, and open access, even if it means dealing with the extra complexities.
However, the CEX vs. DEX distinction isn’t absolute; both have trade-offs. While DEXs prioritize decentralization and non-intervention, situations like the Hyperliquid-Jelly incident show even DEXs might need centralized actions, like freezing assets, in extreme risk scenarios. This suggests some central control is sometimes necessary. Centralized exchanges structured for accountability, like Bybit, can absorb losses and protect users decisively in such cases. The future likely involves a blend, with each model borrowing strengths from the other in governance, risk management, or operational efficiency.
Flipster operates at this intersection. We offer CEX-level liquidity, security, and user protection while closely watching DeFi’s evolution. If our users strongly demand specific decentralized features where we can add value, we’ll seriously consider incorporating them. For now, we remain observant and adaptive, evolving with the market while keeping traders secure and engaged.
4. On the crypto’s market swing cycles & Flipster’s bespoke service offerings:
Q: Crypto markets often swing rapidly—up and down. Could you share a real-time decision Flipster made to quickly adjust during recent market changes? For instance, how did you keep your product strategy nimble during last year’s volatile periods?
Adaptability is crucial. Our Earn Campaign is a prime example. Mid-last year, with the market in a bearish phase and competitors slashing yields, we considered adjusting our rates. However, instead of reducing returns, we built a flexible tech framework that allowed us to pivot instantly when market sentiment shifted. As the bull market returned, we increased incentives—offering a trading bonus instead of yield cuts, which boosted engagement and capital inflow.
We also noticed traders shifting towards short-term, signal-based strategies that were largely driven by social media trends. So, we accelerated launching social trading features to match how traders were actually operating in real-time.
Another major initiative was the Time Trigger Orders feature, which we developed specifically to help traders navigate high-volatility events like economic announcements and token unlocks. This capability allows users to automate execution around critical market moments without staying glued to their screens.
We also accelerated the deployment of capital efficiency programs in response to market conditions, such as the recently held Million Dollar Fest––providing a structured staking initiative with a 1.1 million USDT reward pool that maintains full liquidity, enabling traders to optimize idle capital.
Flipster’s core approach involves building infrastructure that adapts to market unpredictability while ensuring performance and security. Our real-time monitoring tools for liquidity depth and price stability gives our traders agility in changing conditions.
5. The user-driven product innovations being done within Flipster:
Q: Products often improve when teams listen closely to their users. Can you describe a situation where feedback from your users directly led to creating or improving a specific feature on Flipster?
Our community directly shapes Flipster’s roadmap. Users loved our leaderboard and FOMO rolling banner features, which show closed positions and active trades. These turn trading from a solo activity into a shared, almost social experience.
Adding social trading features reflects our view that the best trading environments mix sophisticated tools with community knowledge. By creating ways for users to share insights and strategies, we enhance collective intelligence, driving both user retention and product innovation based on real needs.
6. Flipster’s readiness to crypto’s institutional shift:
Q: Crypto is no longer just a retail-driven market—big institutions now play a major role. As Flipster grows from a smaller player into a bigger name, how are you adjusting your strategy to handle this shift? Are you changing how you build or market your products to capture this new wave of users?
As we’ve grown, we’ve balanced serving our core retail users while building institutional-grade infrastructure. Our foundation is built by veterans from Nomura, JPMorgan, and Jump Trading—professionals who understand both traditional derivatives complexities and digital asset dynamics.
Our credibility relies on top-tier security and strategic partnerships. We’ve implemented Fireblocks’ MPC technology and cold storage custody solutions, eliminating single points of failure while maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 certification standards. This security framework creates the trust layer essential for institutional participation.
Simultaneously, partnerships with major players like BNB Chain and Tether enhance liquidity and trading opportunities across the platform. Combined with a 1:1 asset protection model, these elements create a secure, robust environment attractive to larger players without sacrificing accessibility for our retail base.
7. Flipster’s future trajectory:
Q: The crypto industry changes fast, and every exchange needs a solid plan for the future. What are you most excited about going forward in the crypto industry, especially at Flipster? How are you positioning your products to take advantage of these upcoming trends especially as changes happen within the US crypto industry & with the pro-crypto Trump as the US President?
I’m most energized by the merging of traditional finance and crypto infrastructure, especially with clearer regulations emerging in key markets. The crypto-friendlier US administration can fast-track innovation, although our primary focus remains building compliant solutions regardless of politics.
Two key trends shape our roadmap: AI-powered trading for automated strategies, and social trading features that make investing more community-driven. We’ll share more on these soon.
Combining social and AI capabilities creates a community intelligence layer – blending human expertise with computing power. We believe this hybrid approach is the future, where tech amplifies human judgment, and community wisdom informs decisions.
By focusing on blending technology with community, Flipster aims to create a trading ecosystem that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is for informational and educational purposes only. The article does not constitute financial advice or advice of any kind. Coin Edition is not responsible for any losses incurred as a result of the utilization of content, products, or services mentioned. Readers are advised to exercise caution before taking any action related to the company.
