Singapore MAS adds Bybit to investor alert list over licensing status

Singapore’s Monetary Authority has added Bybit to its Investor Alert List, placing one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges alongside other platforms that are not licensed to offer regulated services to users in the city-state.

According to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Bybit Fintech Limited and its trading platform were added to the Investor Alert List on June 17. The regulator said the list identifies entities that may be wrongly perceived as being licensed, authorized, or otherwise regulated by MAS.

Unlike an enforcement action or operating ban, the Investor Alert List serves as a public warning tool. MAS noted that the list is not exhaustive and is compiled based on information available at the time of publication. Bybit’s entry includes the exchange’s main website.

Founded by Singaporean entrepreneur Ben Zhou, Bybit has grown into the second-largest crypto exchange by trading volume globally. Despite those roots, the company already restricts Singapore users under its terms of service and has implemented measures such as geo-blocking local IP addresses.

Singapore requires firms offering digital payment token services to obtain authorization under the Payment Services Act. Exchanges that operate without the necessary approvals risk regulatory action if they solicit or serve local residents.

Singapore maintains pressure on licensed and unlicensed firms

For local investors, MAS continues to direct users to its Financial Institutions Directory to verify whether a platform holds the appropriate licenses before using its services.

The latest warning comes as Singapore maintains a strict compliance stance across the crypto sector. In May, MAS revoked the Major Payment Institution licence of Bsquared Technology after finding false or misleading statements and identifying significant weaknesses in risk management, conflict-of-interest controls, and outsourcing arrangements. The regulator also said it was reviewing whether senior officers at the firm could bear personal responsibility for the breaches.

That case stood out because Bsquared had already obtained regulatory approval before losing its licence. Together with warnings directed at unlicensed platforms, the move underscored MAS’s focus on investor protection and compliance oversight.

Elsewhere, the regulator has continued to approve firms that meet its standards. Recent approvals for crypto infrastructure providers such as BitGo have highlighted the high compliance threshold required to operate in Singapore’s regulated market.

No disruption to Bybit’s global operations has been reported following the Singapore listing. The exchange continues to offer trading services, token listings, proof-of-reserves disclosures, and other products in jurisdictions where it is permitted to operate.

Bybit had not issued a public statement on the MAS listing at the time of publication and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

MAS’s action also follows a different regulatory outcome for Bybit in Malaysia. In April 2026, the exchange was removed from the country’s investor alert list after engaging with local regulators and addressing compliance concerns.

Bybit expands products while facing regulatory scrutiny

Outside Singapore, Bybit has continued to broaden its product lineup and compliance efforts.

Just days before the MAS alert, Bybit partnered with Plume to launch institutional fixed-income vaults through the exchange’s real-world asset section. The offering allows users to deploy stablecoins into products linked to traditional fixed-income instruments associated with PIMCO and China Merchants Bank International.