Bybit Goes Regulatory—Zhou Reveals Global License Push with Authorities

Bybit’s playing nice with the suits—CEO Ben Zhou just announced the exchange is actively courting regulators worldwide to secure operating licenses.

No more offshore cowboy antics? The crypto giant’s pivot to compliance comes as jurisdictions tighten screws—and exchanges scramble for legitimacy.

One banking lobbyist yawned: ’How original—another CEX buying respectability after years of profit-first ops.’ Meanwhile, traders just want withdrawals to keep working.

Zhou says Bybit is collaborating with regulators to pursue licenses globally

Bybit is now MiCAR regulated. https://t.co/B7FAUDjNq0

— Ben Zhou (@benbybit) May 29, 2025

The co-founder and CEO of Bybit, Ben Zhou, said obtaining the MiCAR license in Austria was a major milestone, as it allowed the exchange to exceed the expectations of European regulators and users. The exchange has faced compliance challenges in several regions, including France and the Netherlands, but still remains committed to global regulatory standards.

According to Bybit, the MiCAR license highlighted its commitment to meeting the European regulatory standards, including safeguards designed to enhance transparency, prevent illicit activities, and protect consumers within the European Union’s digital finance ecosystem.

“Securing the MiCAR license in Austria is a testament to our compliance-first approach at Bybit…We are actively collaborating with regulators and pursuing licenses globally to ensure our users can access our innovative platform with the highest levels of regulatory and compliance assurance.”

–Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Bybit

The Chief Executive Officer of Bybit Europe, Mazurka Zeng, also said obtaining the MiCAR license demonstrated the exchange’s commitment to compliance and transparency, which aligns with Europe’s regulatory standards.

Zeng added that the exchange was dedicated to supporting a local crypto community through the Blockchain for Good Alliance (BGA), working closely with universities across the region to cultivate the next generation of blockchain innovators and exploring real-world applications of the technology.

Bybit tweaks services to align with different regional regulatory frameworks

In December 2024, the exchange temporarily adjusted its operations within the European Economic Area (EEA) to comply with MiCA regulations. It ceased general communications with EEA users to pursue a MiCA license in Austria. However, existing customers still had uninterrupted access to their crypto assets, although this adjustment limited certain activities.

The company also assured its users that this measure was temporary to avoid regulatory breaches. The exchange’s team stated that the platform would re-engage with the EEA market once it secured the MiCA license. Bybit is currently one of the first fully compliant platforms serving the EEA crypto community.

Bybit launched an Islamic account, which was a major step towards providing crypto trading compliant with Islamic law. The exchange became the first global crypto trading platform to offer the service to Muslim traders as the Islamic economy grew, serving nearly 1.9 billion people worldwide.

The company ensured double Shariah certification by tapping both Crypto Halal Certification and the official Shariah certification from ZICO Holdings to guarantee that all products met the highest standards of Islamic law.

Bybit was also granted a full license by the Astana Financial Service Authority (AFSA) to operate as a fully authorized market institution in Kazakhstan. The exchange’s Kazakhstani AFSA-regulated operation offers a range of services, including operating a digital asset trading facility, providing custody, dealing with investments as both an agent and principal and managing investments. 

Bybit Türkiye was officially recognized as a Crypto Asset Service Provider by the Capital Markets Board (CMB) of Turkey. The exchange operates through Narkasa Yazılım Ticaret Anonim Şirketi, ensuring compliance while supporting the country’s growing crypto sector.

The exchange’s Turkish operation also launched TRY (Turkish Lira) trading pairs on its Spot market, allowing Turkish users to buy and sell Bitcoin (BTC), ethereum (ETH), and Tether (USDT) directly with TRY.

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