Bybit Secures Austrian EMI License to Expand EU Payment Services

The Vienna-based entity received its authorization under the country’s E-Money Act 2010, covering a range of financial activities including payment transactions and the issuance of payment instruments. While the license provides a foundation for the company to offer services such as open banking, merchant tools, and payment cards, these features remain subject to further regulatory approval. Bybit has not yet disclosed a timeline for the rollout of these consumer-facing products.

To maintain regulatory compliance, Bybit will keep its operations segmented. Bybit Payments GmbH will function independently from Bybit EU GmbH, the entity currently managing crypto-asset services under the Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation. This structural separation ensures that fiat-linked payment activities and crypto-trading services remain within their respective legal remits. Managing directors Georg Harer and Bernhard Krick emphasized that this dual-entity approach allows the company to build a comprehensive financial ecosystem while adhering to strict European oversight. The expansion marks another step in Bybit's strategy of utilizing locally supervised subsidiaries to gain a foothold in international markets, following a recent launch in Indonesia.