DUBAI, UAE, Oct. 22, 2026 — Bybit, the New Financial Platform trusted by more than 80 million users worldwide, announced that Bybit Fintech FZE has secured a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) licence from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) for Exchange Services, covering spot trading.

The approval authorizes the company to offer spot trading services in Dubai under the oversight of VARA, which was established in 2022 as the emirate's dedicated regulator for virtual asset activities. Under VARA's regime, firms must hold the appropriate licence before conducting regulated virtual asset activities in or from the emirate, and the Exchange Services category here covers spot trading only — derivatives and other activity classes fall outside this authorization. It marks an important milestone in Bybit's presence in a city where the company set up its international headquarters in 2022, and supports its continued efforts to build its business within established regulatory frameworks while contributing to the development of Dubai's digital asset industry.

"Dubai has made significant progress in building a regulatory environment for virtual assets, and we are pleased to take this next step in our journey here," said Ben Zhou, Co-founder and CEO at Bybit. "We look forward to continuing our work in Dubai, supporting the local digital asset community and building our business in line with the standards set by VARA."

Building for the Long Term

"Securing this licence is a significant step forward for Bybit. We have great respect for VARA's work in establishing a clear and robust framework for virtual assets," said Peter Loo, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer at Bybit. "A healthy digital asset market needs strong oversight, sound risk management and a commitment to protecting users. We look forward to continuing our work with VARA as we grow our business in Dubai. In time, we also hope to expand our licensed activities to include derivatives, subject to the necessary regulatory approvals. Derivatives are a major part of Bybit's global trading business, and we want to bring more of our offering to Dubai through the appropriate regulatory process."

For Bybit, the licence is part of a broader effort to build its business in each market in line with local requirements, the company said. It continues to invest in compliance, security and risk management as it develops products and services for users across different jurisdictions. The shape of the company's Dubai offering now depends in part on what comes next: as Loo indicated, bringing derivatives into the licensed scope would run through VARA's regulatory process, making the pace and breadth of additional authorizations a point to follow as the company's build-out in the emirate continues.

Broader Regulatory Progress in 2026

The Dubai milestone comes amid Bybit's wider regulatory momentum this year. In his October keynote, Zhou highlighted five new licences and regulatory approvals obtained in 2026 across the European Union, the Cayman Islands, Indonesia, South Africa and El Salvador.

These developments reflect Bybit's continued focus on working with regulators and securing the appropriate permissions as it expands internationally, according to the company. Bybit believes that strong regulatory relationships and locally compliant services are important to building lasting trust with users and market participants. The accumulation of authorizations across multiple jurisdictions in a single year also illustrates how, industry-wide, the ability to operate under local rules has become a central consideration for exchanges choosing where and how they can serve users.

Supporting Dubai's Digital Asset Ecosystem

Since establishing its international headquarters in Dubai in 2022, Bybit has participated in the emirate's growing blockchain and Web3 ecosystem through industry engagement, partnerships and initiatives that support knowledge-sharing and collaboration.

The company notes that Dubai's regulatory framework and international reach make it a key market for the continued development of digital assets. Bybit intends to build on its presence in the emirate, working with relevant stakeholders and developing its services in line with applicable regulatory requirements.

About Bybit

Bybit is The New Financial Platform, built on the belief that every person should have access to every financial opportunity on earth. Trusted by more than 80 million users worldwide, Bybit brings together investing, trading, payments and wealth-building in a single secure and intelligent ecosystem. Through a combination of AI-powered technology, deep global liquidity, robust security and transparent operations, the company aims to make global finance more accessible, efficient and empowering for everyone. Built for everyone. Powered by intelligence. Open to the world.