Bybit gains full Dubai license while scouting US entry

Bybit’s Dubai unit secured a VARA license covering spot crypto trading, moving beyond the temporary permit granted in 2024. The company opened its regional headquarters in the emirate back in 2022.

CEO Ben Zhou said the firm is now looking for a US partner with an existing client base, naming Interactive Brokers as one example. Full state-by-state licensing could take two to three years, so Bybit may wait for the CLARITY Act.

The exchange already added five new licenses in 2026 across the EU, Cayman Islands, Indonesia, South Africa and El Salvador. It is also evaluating the UK market, where no single platform dominates.

With Bitget and MEXC exiting Russia, analysts are watching whether Bybit will follow. Russians still generate roughly a third of its traffic.

Based on information from cryptonews.net