The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) added Bybit Fintech Limited and the Bybit platform to its Investor Alert List on June 17, 2026. The reason is that the world’s second-largest crypto exchange by trading volume is not licensed and is not regulated by MAS in Singapore.

The regulator is promptly warning market participants amid the growing popularity of crypto assets in Asia’s financial hub. Such a step protects retail investors from possible abuses while keeping MAS’s oversight relatively restrained.

What it means to be placed on the MAS Investor Alert List

This list includes companies that "may be wrongly perceived as being licensed or authorized" by MAS.

It is a matter of a public warning, not a ban, court action or recognition of a fraudulent scheme.

Earlier, Binance, among others, was added to a similar list — it was placed on the list in 2021.

MAS emphasizes that the Investor Alert List is not exhaustive and is compiled based on the actions in effect at the time the data is published. In Bybit’s case, the platform’s main site appears on the list.

Bybit’s position in the world and its difficulties in Singapore

According to estimates by Bybit founder and CEO Ben Zhou, Bybit ranks among the world’s leading exchanges by daily turnover, measured in billions of dollars.

The company operates in Dubai and other jurisdictions and explicitly prohibits access for users from Singapore in its user agreement.

Singapore requires strict licensing of such services under the Payment Services Act, which regulates the activities of companies dealing with digital payments and tokens.

Without a license, platforms are not allowed to advertise services or serve local residents — otherwise they face intervention by the regulator.

Bybit already blocks access from Singaporean IP addresses — this is part of its efforts to comply with the law. However, the MAS warning points to the potential risks that the platform, as before, remains accessible or is perceived as permitted.

Source: BeInCrypto