Bybit’s 1H 2025 report signals new standard in crisis recovery, AI innovation, and global expansion. (Image: Bybit)In February 2025, Bybit endured what is now described as the largest crypto exchange hack in history. A coordinated attack resulted in the theft of roughly $1.4 billion in Ethereum, shaking market confidence and testing the company’s crisis management capabilities. Yet within just 72 hours, Bybit restored its reserves to a full 1:1 ratio, supported by an independent audit conducted by blockchain security firm Hacken. The audit confirmed solvency across major assets including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Tether, and USD Coin. This rapid recovery was made possible through emergency liquidity lines provided by partners such as Galaxy Digital, FalconX, and Wintermute, which helped to cover the shortfall while security systems were overhauled.
Bybit’s operational comeback was unusually swift for a security incident of this magnitude. Within weeks of the hack, liquidity on the platform had largely returned to pre-crisis levels, with Bitcoin trading activity stabilizing. A separate analysis by Glassnode reinforced this trend, showing that trading flows, whale behavior, and order-book structures normalized at a pace rarely seen after such a major disruption. Together, these findings suggest that Bybit’s internal systems and crisis response strategy effectively prevented what could have been a prolonged market downturn.
Beyond crisis management, Bybit has also used the first half of the year to accelerate product innovation. The company’s AI-based trading assistant, known as TradeGPT, has now attracted more than five million users. This tool leverages natural-language prompts to assist traders in analyzing market conditions, managing risk, and automating strategies, effectively making institutional-grade insights accessible to retail participants. Bybit also expanded into tokenized real-world assets, offering exposure to equities such as Apple (AAPL) and Tesla (TSLA) as well as ETFs like SPY. Through its TradFi and xStocks spot platforms, the exchange is positioning itself as a bridge between traditional markets and the blockchain economy.
Another highlight from the report is the growing adoption of the Bybit Card, which integrates seamlessly with Mastercard, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. Now used by over two million cardholders, the card is accepted at more than 150 million merchants worldwide, underscoring how digital assets are increasingly being integrated into daily spending. Bybit’s leadership framed the card as a practical step toward mainstreaming crypto payments, allowing users to shift seamlessly between digital tokens and fiat in everyday transactions.
Security and transparency remain at the center of the exchange’s strategy. Following the hack, Bybit implemented more than 50 separate security upgrades, covering everything from multi-party computation wallets to real-time monitoring of suspicious transactions. The company also reaffirmed its commitment to Proof-of-Reserves, publishing full audits that verify customer funds are fully backed on a one-to-one basis. The report describes these measures as setting a “new standard of transparency” in the digital asset industry at a time when user trust is a crucial differentiator.
On the regulatory front, Bybit announced a significant milestone: securing a MiCAR license in Austria, which allows the firm to operate compliantly across the European Economic Area. With this approval, Bybit can now reach over 450 million potential users in 29 countries, an achievement that solidifies its position as a regulated player in one of the world’s most closely monitored crypto markets. The move also signals a broader pivot toward compliance as exchanges adapt to the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regime, widely seen as a template for global regulatory frameworks.
The report also dedicates space to corporate social responsibility. Bybit pledged more than $2 million to humanitarian and educational causes during the first half of 2025. Relief funds were directed to earthquake recovery efforts in Tibet, Myanmar, and Thailand, as well as flood response in South Africa. The exchange also committed $1 million through the Blockchain Gaming Alliance to support impact investments in Latin America, while scholarships totaling over $200,000 were awarded to students in Africa and Korea. These efforts were presented as part of the company’s broader vision to align profit with social good.
Bybit’s co-founder and CEO, Ben Zhou, used the report to emphasize trust as the central pillar of the exchange’s long-term growth. “Trust is the foundation of everything we do at Bybit,” Zhou said. “We’ve proven not only that we’re solvent and secure, but also that we act with full transparency—especially when it matters most. Securing a MiCAR license and expanding our regulatory footprint reflects our long-term vision: to be the most trusted and compliant gateway to Web3.”
The story of Bybit in 2025 is therefore not simply one of survival but of transformation. What could have been a devastating blow became, through rapid mobilization and a commitment to transparency, an opportunity to reset industry expectations. The company now finds itself not just competing in terms of liquidity and market share, but also setting benchmarks for regulatory compliance, security standards, and integration of traditional assets. With AI tools scaling rapidly and everyday products like the Bybit Card gaining traction, the exchange is positioning itself at the forefront of what it describes as a new era of market leadership.
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