Bybit Expands in Europe With Banking, Crypto and Stock Trading Licences
Bybit is preparing to expand its European services beyond cryptocurrency trading after securing an electronic money institution (EMI) licence from Austria’s Financial Market Authority. The licence could allow eligible users to receive salaries, hold an IBAN account, make bank transfers and pay utility bills through the Bybit app.
Bybit CEO Ben Zhou said the exchange already holds an EU-wide Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) licence in Austria. The company expects to obtain a Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) licence within about two months, although the article does not confirm final approval.
MiFID authorisation could enable Bybit to offer access to shares such as Apple and Tesla, as well as bonds, contracts for difference, commodities, oil and financial derivatives. Bybit may connect users with brokers including Alpaca or Saxo Bank rather than build every service internally. Its partnership with Kraken’s xStocks product is also expected to continue.
Zhou said MiCA operations had not yet become profitable after about a year, highlighting the cost of compliance and competition in Europe. The broader strategy is to combine regulated banking services, cryptocurrency trading and traditional financial products in a single app. For crypto traders, the plan could increase user retention and liquidity over the long term, but the immediate market impact is likely limited because the MiFID licence remains pending and no launch date or financial results were provided.
Neutral
The immediate trading impact is neutral. Bybit’s EMI licence is positive for its European expansion, while the existing MiCA authorisation supports regulated cryptocurrency services. However, the most significant development—the MiFID licence—has only been forecast and is not yet confirmed. The article also provides no evidence of new trading volumes, revenue growth or capital inflows.
In the short term, the announcement could generate modestly positive sentiment for Bybit and increase attention on regulated crypto platforms. Traders may view access to banking services and tokenised stocks as a potential source of future user growth. Similar licensing announcements from major exchanges have often produced brief optimism, but their effect on Bitcoin and broader cryptocurrency prices has generally been limited unless followed by confirmed product launches or measurable liquidity growth.
Over the longer term, a successful launch could strengthen Bybit’s user retention, cross-asset trading activity and institutional credibility in Europe. Combining banking, cryptocurrency and securities services may also intensify competition with platforms such as Revolut and regulated brokerages. The main risks are regulatory delays, high compliance costs, product restrictions and uncertain profitability. These factors justify a neutral classification until MiFID approval and actual adoption are demonstrated.