Bybit Expands Beyond Crypto: Ben Zhou Outlines Next Phase Of Financial Platform Focused On Trading, Payments And AI
In Brief
Bybit CEO Ben Zhou outlines the exchange’s next phase as a unified financial platform, expanding into stocks, tokenized assets, payments, AI and new markets.
Cryptocurrency exchange Bybit has detailed its latest phase of development from a crypto exchange into what it describes as The New Financial Platform, with new products and partnerships spanning traditional and digital markets. The announcements were delivered during the company’s most recent biannual “Keynote with Ben” session, titled “Make Your Move,” which addressed the convergence of financial markets and the strategy behind the company’s evolving offering. Held before a live audience rather than in the usual studio format, the event brought Co-founder and CEO Ben Zhou together with selected guests to examine shifts in the financial landscape, emerging technologies and the products defining Bybit’s direction.
Four years after entering traditional finance with contracts for difference in 2022, Bybit has grown into the largest crypto CFD platform, with trading volume reaching as much as $100 billion at its peak. On Oct. 12, the company extended its presence in traditional markets with the launch of stock trading for eligible users, granting access to more than 1,000 U.S. stocks and ETFs. The service allows trading with USDC, supports fractional shares and operates with 24/5 coverage across U.S. pre-market, regular and after-hours sessions.
In parallel, Bybit is developing mStocks in collaboration with Mantle, with a targeted launch in November. The tokenized stock product is designed to be backed one-to-one by real stocks and is expected to support round-the-clock conversion between eligible stocks and mStocks on the platform, alongside decentralized exchange trading through automated market maker liquidity pools on Mantle. Converted mStocks are also anticipated to be transferable into Bybit’s Unified Trading Account for use as trading collateral, subject to applicable terms and conditions.
These moves build on Bybit’s earlier launch of IPO Express in June, which provides eligible users access to selected IPO opportunities at the offering price via tokenized representations of the underlying securities. The service debuted with SpaceX and is intended to extend the platform’s reach from secondary-market trading into selected primary-market opportunities. Bybit’s TradFi portfolio now spans more than 600 products across equities, ETFs, indices, commodities and foreign exchange, supported by earlier expansions into perpetuals, pre-market products, FX and options. TradFi perpetuals have recorded more than $180 billion in trading volume, while recent additions include Forex Perps and Perp Options, described by the company as an industry-first options product built on TradFi perpetuals. Further perpetual products linked to AI computing and commodities remain in development.
Strengthening Payments, Security and Regulatory Foundations
Beyond trading and investing, Bybit has broadened its payments infrastructure to give customers greater flexibility in moving funds. Bybit Pay and Bybit Card support crypto and fiat transfers, merchant payments and everyday spending, and now connect users with more than 5,000 merchants across more than 15 countries. The service supports transfers to bank accounts and e-wallets, alongside QR payments and other payment options. Bybit has issued more than 4 million Bybit Cards, extending the platform’s use beyond financial markets into payments and spending.
The expansion has been accompanied by continued investment in security, compliance and technology. In the first half of 2026, Bybit reported intercepting more than 30,000 suspicious withdrawal requests, protecting users from more than $700 million in potential losses. The company also secured five new licenses and regulatory approvals across the European Union, the Cayman Islands, Indonesia, South Africa and El Salvador during 2026, supporting its efforts to expand into additional markets subject to local requirements. In September, Bybit launched Bybit AI, a conversational assistant covering trading, account management and customer support, with further development planned across the platform’s broader financial services.
“Bybit is all about giving you the speed and scale you need when you Make Your Move,” said said Ben Zhou, Co-founder and CEO of Bybit. “We have brought trading, investing, payments and AI together, and we are continuing to add more markets and more ways to use them. We built the platform. Now it is about giving people the financial freedom to make their own move,” he added.
Four years on from its entry into traditional finance, Bybit now combines crypto markets with stocks and ETFs, derivatives, commodities, FX, selected pre-IPO access, payments and AI-powered services within a single platform. The company’s stated focus is on integrating these capabilities while continuing to expand market access, product depth and the underlying infrastructure, as the development of The New Financial Platform represents the next stage of its growth beyond crypto and into a broader role across global financial markets.
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About The Author
Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in crypto, AI, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
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Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in crypto, AI, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
