What Countries Does Bybit Restrict?

Bybit restricts users from 15 countries due to legal, regulatory, and sanction-related policies, as stated in Section 12.3 of its Terms of Service. These exclusions include major financial hubs, sanctioned states, and politically sensitive regions where cryptocurrency trading is prohibited.

The restricted countries list currently includes:

• North America & Europe: The United States, Canada, and France face restrictions due to strict financial regulations, licensing requirements, and anti-money laundering (AML) laws.
• United Kingdom: Bybit halted services in the UK in 2023 due to Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulations requiring firms to register for legal marketing and compliance.
• Asia & Oceania: The Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Uzbekistan have substantial restrictions on crypto trading, often due to government-imposed regulatory frameworks.
• Sanctioned Countries: North Korea, Cuba, Iran, Sudan, and Syria fall under international sanctions, preventing Bybit from offering services due to financial and security restrictions.
• Ukraine (Russian-controlled regions): Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Sevastopol are restricted as they are currently under Russian control and are subject to international sanctions.

Bybit also blocks users listed on the U.S. Treasury’s SDN List, the EU Sanctions List, and the UK Sanctions List, along with entities 50% or more owned by sanctioned parties. Accounts violating these restrictions may be terminated immediately.

Bybit Supported Countries

Bybit operates in 160 countries, offering crypto trading, derivatives, staking and lending services to over 60 million users. With a daily trading volume exceeding $36 billion, it ranks among the top global centralized exchanges.

Fiat on-ramps are available in approximately 140-150 countries, with supported payment methods including General Fiat Service, SEPA, SWIFT (PLN), SWIFT (USD), and Zen.com, each with varying availability depending on regional regulations and compliance requirements.

Web traffic data from Similarweb shows Bybit’s largest user bases in Russia (34.27%), Ukraine (8.51%), and South Korea (7.95%), followed by Japan (5.24%) and Brazil (2.91%). This reflects strong engagement in markets with high crypto adoption despite fiat limitations.

Bybit Licenses and Regulations

Bybit holds multiple regulatory licenses across major markets, securing compliance with financial authorities and expanding its legal footprint. Notable legislative approvals include:

• Kazakhstan: Fully licensed by the Astana Financial Service Authority (AFSA) to operate a regulated digital asset exchange, custody services, and investment management.
• Cyprus: Authorized to provide crypto exchange and custody services, aligning with EU regulatory standards and expanding its European presence.
• Georgia: Registered as a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) under the National Bank of Georgia, reinforcing its commitment to local compliance.
• Dubai: Granted a provisional Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) license, moving toward full authorization to serve retail and institutional clients.

Bybit is actively seeking regulatory approvals, including a MiCA license in the EU and a reapplication for a trading license in Hong Kong, as part of its strategy to expand into both European and Asian regulated crypto markets.

Does Bybit Require KYC?

Bybit requires KYC for most services, including crypto and fiat deposits, fiat withdrawals, P2P trading, and financial products. Non-KYC users can only withdraw crypto, with a daily limit of 20,000 USDT and a monthly limit of 100,000 USDT, but cannot deposit funds or access most trading features.

Bybit has three Know Your Customer (KYC) levels: Standard Individual, Advanced Individual, and Business Verification. Standard KYC allows fiat services, P2P trading, and increases the withdrawal limit to 1 million USDT per day.

Advanced KYC raises the limit to 2 million USDT and grants access to services like Bybit Card and high-value transactions. Business Verification is designed for institutional accounts, providing a 4 million USDT daily withdrawal limit and broader trading capabilities.

Is Bybit Available in the USA?

Bybit is unavailable in the USA due to regulatory restrictions and lack of required registrations with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

Bybit blocks U.S. users based on IP addresses and prohibits residents from creating accounts or trading. Attempting to bypass these restrictions, such as using a VPN, violates Bybit’s terms and may result in account suspension or fund liquidation.

Can You Use Bybit in the EU?

Bybit is available in most of the European Union (EU), operating in over 25 of the 30 European Economic Area (EEA) countries, but still faces regulatory challenges in some regions.

In France, Bybit was recently removed from the AMF’s blacklist, where it had been listed since May 2022 for noncompliance with local regulations. However, the exchange halted its services in France in January 2025 due to increased regulatory scrutiny and has yet to resume operations.

Bybit is now pursuing a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) license, which would allow it to legally operate across all EEA nations under a unified regulatory framework. This move aligns with its strategy to establish a fully compliant presence in Europe’s regulated crypto market.

About Bybit

Bybit was founded in 2018 by Ben Zhou, with the vision of bridging traditional finance and crypto through an innovative trading platform. The exchange pioneered USDC-settled options contracts for Bitcoin and Ethereum and introduced a Unified Trading Account, streamlining portfolio management.

Bybit has expanded beyond trading, launching Bybit Web3 and onboarding 10 million users to its crypto wallet. In 2023, it partnered with Mastercard to release the Bybit Card, enabling secure crypto payments worldwide, with 10% cashback and an 8% annual percentage rate (APR).

Final Thoughts

Bybit is available in 160 countries but remains restricted in several regions due to regulatory requirements. The platform continues to secure new licenses and is actively pursuing a MiCA license in the EU to expand its legal reach.

As regulations evolve, Bybit’s compliance status may change, affecting user access in different markets. Traders should review the latest restrictions and licensing updates to stay informed.