Bybit says it is engaging Singapore's MAS after Investor Alert List addition

Bybit has put out a measured statement saying it is engaging the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) directly to understand the basis for its listing on the financial regulator’s Investor Alert List. 

Being placed on the Investor Alert List means that Bybit is not licensed to serve local users, despite the company already blocking Singapore users.

What does being on the MAS Investor Alert List mean?

Bybit, which is not licensed to serve local users in Singapore, was placed on the Investor Alert List on June 17 by financial regulators. MAS uses the Investor Alert List to warn consumers about entities that might be wrongly seen as licensed or regulated by the government.

Binance was added to the same list in 2021. If a user were to put money in the exchanges on the list, which are regarded as unlicensed, they would not get the protections that MAS-licensed platforms must provide.

Bybit also does not have a license under Singapore’s Payment Services Act, which requires crypto service providers to be licensed before they can serve local residents.

Does Bybit already block Singapore users?

Bybit, one of the world’s top five crypto exchanges by trading volume, says it has always tried to work openly with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and has taken steps to keep Singapore users off its platform.

These steps include blocking Singapore IP addresses and stating in its terms of service that it does not serve Singapore residents.

Earlier this year in April, Bybit was removed from Malaysia’s investor alert list after it worked with regulators there. The company has stated that it is working to “better understand” the reason behind Singapore’s listing.

Cryptopolitan previously reported that Bybit announced that it will phase out services for Japanese residents starting in 2026 after pausing new user registrations in Japan since October 2025.

Despite these setbacks, the exchange has had a strong year so far. It returned to the UK market after a two-year break through a partnership with Archax, a company approved by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to approve financial promotions.

Bybit also secured a full Virtual Asset Platform Operator License from the Securities and Commodities Authority in the UAE, being the first crypto exchange to do so.

In January, CEO Ben Zhou talked about turning the platform into “The New Financial Platform,” a plan that includes combining banking products, custody services, and mixing traditional finance with crypto.

The exchange says it now has over 80 million users in 181 countries. Cryptopolitan previously reported that the exchange was added to Fortune’s first-ever Crypto 100 list in the CeFi category.

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