Bybit Responds After Singapore Places Exchange on MAS Investor Alert List

Highlights:

• Bybit said it already blocks users in Singapore and is working with MAS to understand the alert list decision.
• Bybit’s concerns center on licensing, as the exchange does not hold approval under the Payment Services Act in Singapore.
• MAS says its investor alert list warns consumers about firms that may appear licensed even when they are not.

Crypto exchange Bybit has responded after the Monetary Authority of Singapore added Bybit and Bybit Fintech Limited to its investor alert list on June 17. In an X post, the company stated that it has noted the listing and is communicating with MAS to better understand the basis for the decision.

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Bybit is aware that Bybit Fintech Limited has been included on the Monetary Authority of Singapore's (MAS) Investor Alert List and is engaging MAS to better understand the basis for this listing.

Bybit has consistently engaged openly and constructively with MAS and has been…

— Bybit (@Bybit_Official) June 18, 2026

Bybit said it has maintained communication with MAS while restricting Singapore users from accessing its platform. The exchange said its Terms of Service prohibit users in Singapore from accessing its products and services. Bybit also said it blocks IP addresses from Singapore to prevent local users from reaching the platform. The company stated that it currently does not provide services to users in the country.

In addition, Bybit said it will continue working with financial regulators as it seeks clarity on the MAS alert list decision. MAS added the exchange and Bybit Fintech Limited to the alert list but did not provide a specific reason for the move.

Licensing Questions Grow Around Bybit in Singapore

MAS created the investor alert list to identify companies that consumers may mistakenly believe hold regulatory approval in Singapore. According to the regulator, the list includes entities whose services or investment offers may create the impression of MAS authorization or approval.

Breaking: Bybit Added to Singapore MAS Investor Alert List

According to the official website of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange, Bybit Fintech Limited/Bybit, was added to the MAS Investor Alert List on June 17. pic.twitter.com/GapClDLxzU

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) June 17, 2026

MAS has stated that inclusion on the list does not represent an enforcement action. The regulator also does not treat a listing as evidence of fraud, misconduct, or other violations.

MAS requires crypto firms to obtain authorization under the Payment Services Act before serving users in Singapore. Based on publicly available information, Bybit does not hold the approvals required to provide digital payment token services in the country. MAS directs consumers seeking licensed providers to its Financial Institutions Directory. The directory allows users to identify firms that hold authorization under Singapore law.

The listing stands out because Singaporean entrepreneur Ben Zhou founded Bybit before expanding the exchange globally. The company later moved its operational base to Dubai and secured approvals in several jurisdictions outside Singapore.

Recent MAS Actions Across Crypto

MAS added Bybit to the alert list as Singapore increases oversight of crypto firms operating without local licenses. Chainalysis ranked Singapore among the world’s leading jurisdictions for decentralized finance activity and institutional digital asset services in its Global Crypto Adoption Index last year.

In May, MAS revoked the Major Payment Institution license held by crypto liquidity provider Bsquared Technology. The regulator cited weaknesses in risk management controls and conflict-of-interest policies. MAS also said the company provided false or misleading information during its license application process and during later inspections.

Meanwhile, Singapore police charged former Hodlnaut CEO Zhu Juntao with six fraud-related offenses in May. Authorities allege that he misled customers about the crypto lender’s exposure to the Terra ecosystem before its collapse.

MAS added Binance to the investor alert earlier, and added KuCoin earlier this year. Malaysia removed Bybit from its Securities Commission alert list in April after discussions between the exchange and local authorities.

#InvestorAlert: KuCoin ; _www.kucoin.com ; Peken Global Limited ; has been listed on our #IAL https://t.co/Qj2deLFzP3

— MAS (@MAS_sg) February 11, 2026

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