Étienne Girard
Crypto exchange Bybit has officially relaunched its services in the United Kingdom, restoring access to spot trading and peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions for UK-based users. The rollout operates under a compliance structure designed to meet the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) financial promotion rules.
According to the company, UK users can now trade over 100 spot trading pairs, backed by Bybit’s global liquidity, trading infrastructure, and operational scale.
Bybit said the UK re-entry is aimed at addressing increasing domestic demand for digital asset platforms, as crypto adoption continues to expand across the country.
Recent FCA-commissioned consumer research estimates that around 8% of UK adults — roughly 5.5 million people — now hold crypto assets. The data also shows that centralized exchanges dominate crypto onboarding, with approximately 73% of respondents acquiring digital assets through centralized platforms.
Bybit stated that these trends highlight user expectations for secure, transparent, and reliable exchanges, shaping the design of its initial UK product offerings and providing flexibility in how users interact with digital assets.
AML, KYC, and FCA-Approved Marketing Compliance
The exchange confirmed that its UK operations adhere to strict anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) standards. Compliance with the UK’s financial promotion regime is achieved through an arrangement approved by Archax, an FCA-authorised firm.
Archax acts as a regulated financial promotion approver under UK law and currently supports several overseas crypto firms seeking compliant access to the UK market.
“Our goal is to give UK users reliable access to global digital asset opportunities,” said Bybit Senior Policy Director Mykolas Majauskas. He added that the UK’s regulatory environment and financial infrastructure make it well-positioned for responsible crypto innovation, noting that Bybit plans to introduce additional UK-specific products while maintaining a strong focus on transparency and compliance.
Bybit’s Return Follows a Two-Year UK Exit
The relaunch marks Bybit’s return after suspending UK services in September 2023, ahead of new FCA marketing rules that took effect the following month.
The regulations introduced stricter requirements for crypto promotions, including tighter solicitation controls and a mandatory cooling-off period for first-time investors. While intended to improve transparency and consumer protection, the rules proved challenging for several crypto firms, prompting many to pause operations or seek third-party compliance solutions.
At the time, Bybit CEO Ben Zhou stated that the regulatory changes made it difficult to continue operating in the UK, leading the exchange to suspend services and wind down existing user positions. Other major platforms, including Binance and OKX, also reassessed their UK strategies amid the tighter regulatory landscape.
A New Chapter for Bybit in the UK
When services were suspended, Bybit did not confirm whether or when it would return, though the company emphasized that the pause would allow it to realign operations with UK regulatory expectations.
“Over the past year, we have built products shaped by the needs of UK users,” Zhou said on Friday, adding that the relaunch represents not just a return, but the beginning of a new chapter for the exchange in the UK market.
Important Regulatory Disclosure
Bybit clarified that it is not authorized, regulated, or registered by the FCA, and that crypto asset services are not protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) or the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
