Bybit Restores UK Services With Compliance-Focused Framework

Crypto exchange Bybit has officially re-entered the UK market, restoring access to its platform after nearly two years away.

The relaunch allows UK users to trade spot crypto pairs and use peer-to-peer services under a setup designed to comply with the Financial Conduct Authority’s strict financial promotion framework.

According to the company, the UK version of the platform launches with support for around 100 trading pairs, backed by Bybit’s global liquidity and operational systems. The exchange says the move reflects renewed confidence in its ability to operate within the UK’s regulatory environment while meeting local user demand.

Bybit’s return comes as crypto adoption in the UK continues to climb. Recent consumer research commissioned by the FCA suggests that roughly eight percent of UK adults now hold digital assets, representing an estimated 5.5 million people. The data also shows that centralized exchanges have become the primary gateway for crypto ownership, with nearly three-quarters of respondents saying they typically acquire assets through such platforms.

Compliance-First Return to the UK Market

The exchange said its UK offering has been structured to meet expectations for transparency and reliability, with initial services focused on giving users flexibility while keeping compliance front and center. To meet regulatory requirements, Bybit has implemented full anti-money laundering and know-your-customer checks and has aligned its marketing activities with UK financial promotion rules.

Compliance is facilitated through an arrangement with Archax, an FCA-authorised firm that approves financial promotions for overseas crypto companies operating in the UK. Archax acts as a regulated intermediary, allowing Bybit to communicate with UK users within the boundaries of local law.

Bybit’s senior policy director, Mykolas Majauskas, said the company’s objective is to provide UK users with dependable access to global digital asset markets. He added that the UK’s financial infrastructure and regulatory trajectory make it a suitable environment for what he described as responsible innovation, and confirmed that additional products tailored to UK users are planned.

The relaunch marks a significant reversal from Bybit’s decision to suspend UK services in September 2023. At the time, the exchange stepped back ahead of new FCA rules governing crypto promotions, which came into force the following month. Those rules introduced tighter controls on marketing practices, including mandatory risk warnings and cooling-off periods for first-time investors.

Several crypto firms struggled to adapt to the new regime, and some opted to pause or restructure their UK operations. Bybit’s chief executive, Ben Zhou, previously said the regulatory changes made it difficult to continue operating in the country, leading the exchange to wind down user positions and halt new activity.

Other major platforms, including Binance and OKX, also reassessed their UK strategies during that period. While Bybit initially left the door open to a potential return, the timeline remained uncertain as the company worked to redesign its products and compliance processes.

Zhou said on Friday that the past year had been spent developing offerings specifically shaped by the needs of UK users, describing the relaunch as both a return and the beginning of a new phase for the exchange in the country.

Bybit emphasized that it is not authorised or regulated by the FCA and noted that crypto services remain outside the scope of protections such as the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and the Financial Ombudsman Service. Despite those limitations, the company says it believes its revised UK presence strikes a balance between regulatory expectations and user access as the local crypto market continues to mature.