Bybit vs OKX
Side-by-side comparison from our sourced exchange data. A dash means we haven't verified that fact — we don't fill gaps with guesses.
| Bybit | OKX | |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial score | — | — |
| Founded | 2018 | 2017 |
| Headquarters | Dubai, United Arab Emirates (relocated from Singapore in 2022) | Registered in Seychelles; European hub is OKX Europe Ltd in Sliema, Malta. |
| Spot maker (base) | 0.1% | 0.08% |
| Spot taker (base) | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Listed assets | ~425 | ~305 |
| KYC | Required | Required |
| Notably unavailable | United States, Canada, Mainland China, Hong Kong | Certain US jurisdictions and all US territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, US Virgin Islands), United Kingdom retail derivatives (spot and on/off-ramp only) |
How they differ
Bybit, founded in 2018 and headquartered in Dubai since moving from Singapore in 2022, lists about 425 assets and organises spot, derivatives and options under a unified account. OKX, founded in 2017, is registered in Seychelles with its European hub at OKX Europe Ltd in Sliema, Malta, and lists about 305 assets. Both target active traders who want derivatives alongside spot rather than a simple buy-and-hold interface.
Base spot fees are close. Bybit applies a flat 0.1% maker and taker for non-VIP users, with Adventure Zone pairs at 0.2% and VIP tiers reducing rates as volume rises. OKX's base level one rates are 0.080% maker and 0.100% taker per third-party fee guides, falling with 30-day volume or OKB holdings. The maker side is the practical difference for anyone posting limit orders.
Both require verification, Bybit at Standard level or above across three tiers and OKX before trading. Their footprints differ substantially. Bybit excludes the United States, Canada, mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Uzbekistan, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Syria, Sudan and Russian-controlled regions of Ukraine. OKX offers MiCA-passported services across 28 EEA countries, restricts certain US jurisdictions and all US territories including Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and the US Virgin Islands, and in the UK offers spot and on and off-ramp services without retail derivatives.
The clearest split is security history. Bybit lost roughly $1.5B in Ethereum from a cold wallet in February 2025, after attackers linked to North Korea's Lazarus Group compromised a third-party multisig signing interface, the largest crypto exploit on record; Bybit published a timeline and a recovery bounty offering 10% of recovered funds. The OKX profile records no security incidents. On licensing, OKX holds a Malta MiCA licence granted 27 January 2025 and a UK FCA registration, while Bybit holds a UAE Virtual Asset Platform Operator licence and a provisional, non-operational VARA approval in Dubai.