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Ben Zhou

Co-Founder & CEO, Bybit

Search every verified Ben Zhou interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Bybit, has been discussing the exchange's recovery from a $1.5 billion hack attributed to North Korean hackers, stating that Bybit compensated customers using its own treasury funds and that these losses were subsequently recouped through operating income by late 2025. He argued that other exchanges will likely face similar attacks and advised that security systems should be designed on the premise that a breach will occur, citing incidents at other platforms. Zhou also reflected on BitMEX's closure, expressing regret while describing the exchange as an early inspiration for Bybit's product and technology. In interviews, Zhou has addressed topics such as stablecoins, tokenization, and AI in finance. He noted that stablecoins are increasingly used for remittances and cross-border transactions, though he observed that bank-to-bank transfers still rely on SWIFT, and he discussed emerging networks aimed at banking institutions. He criticized current approaches to real-world asset tokenization as overly focused on distribution rather than innovation, and he suggested that future developments may involve building DeFi or other mechanisms on top of tokenized assets. Regarding AI agents handling payments, Zhou said the technology will develop quickly, but legal and regulatory frameworks are not yet ready to define liability. He also said he sees Turkey as a top-five market for global exchanges and outlined Bybit's strategy of regional localization over broad globalization, citing opportunities in Southeast Asian and Latin American markets.

Recent appearances

  • What Bybit's CEO Sees That Others Don't | Ben Zhou

    November 06, 2026 · 📺 NWN Labs

    What is the next major financial opportunity most people are still overlooking? I sat down with Ben Zhou, Co-Founder and CEO of Bybit, for an exclusive 30-minute interview with NWN LABS to explore the future of global finance, artificial intelligence, stablecoins, tokenization, and the next big shift in digital assets. From the next billion crypto users to the future of AI-powered investing, I had the opportunity to ask Ben eight important questions about where the financial industry is heading and what investors should be paying attention to. In this episode, we explore: • The Future of F…

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  • The Man Behind Bybit: An Exclusive Conversation with Ben Zhou

    October 24, 2026 · 📺 David Yang – Guinness World Record Holder

    What does it really take to build one of the biggest names in crypto? 👀 This time, we're sitting down with a very special guest — Ben Zhou, Co-Founder & CEO of Bybit! Beyond the charts, trading volumes and headlines, we want to get to know the person behind Bybit. From building a business in one of the most unpredictable industries to navigating challenges, making difficult decisions and looking ahead to the future of crypto. It's not every day we get to sit down with someone shaping the crypto industry, so you definitely don't want to miss this conversation! Grab a coffee, sit back and e…

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  • EP-121 Conversation with Bybit CEO Ben on North Korean Hackers, AI & Compliance

    October 16, 2026 · 📺 WuBlockchain Podcasst

    This episode of the Wu Blockchain Podcast talks with Bybit co-founder and CEO Ben Zhou about exchange security, AI, industry competition, regulatory compliance, and future development. Regarding the earlier North Korean hacker attack he faced previously, Ben said that ByBit has already made up for the losses it initially bore with its own funds through subsequent operating income. He believes that more exchanges will still be attacked by hackers in the future, and security systems should be designed on the premise of "assume you will definitely be hacked." He also analyzed the differences bet…

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  • Bitcoin, Bull Market and Turkey with Bybit’s CEO

    October 04, 2026 · 📺 uzmancoin

    Ben Zhou — one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges’ CEOs from Bitget?

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  • $1.5B in a Day. Bybit CEO Ben Zhou on Radical Honesty, Nerves of Steel, and the Future of Banking

    June 24, 2026 · 📺 Alex Falcon

    My Instagram - https://instagram.com/iamalexfalcon At what point does stability become more dangerous than risk? Why can a ...

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  • What’s next for crypto? with Ben Zhou.

    May 28, 2026 · 📺 Onchain Capital

    Ben Zhou, founder of Bybit, breaks down why crypto is graduating from speculation to real financial infrastructure, and what that means for the future of global finance. From Nigerian retail users sending money home via stablecoins, to institutions in Hong Kong and Japan already settling trades on crypto rails, the shift is happening now. Ben explains why even the most established financial centers still have a problem crypto solves: 24/7 instant settlement versus the traditional 2-3 day wire transfer. He also shares his vision of a "one financial app", and why crypto technology could do for…

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  • ByBit founder: Crypto is how AI will move money | Ep:13

    May 25, 2026 · 📺 Onchain Capital

    Description: Ben Zhou, CEO of Bybit, joins me in Hong Kong for a candid conversation about where crypto is really heading — and it's not where most people think. We cover the shift from speculation to infrastructure, why an Argentine family office is using crypto to de-risk (not go 100x), and what the collision between TradFi and crypto actually looks like from the inside. Ben also shares his honest take on the US market, the Clarity Act, and what he fears most about the next bull cycle. Topics covered: Why crypto is becoming the payment rails for AI The unbanked vs. the "bank-skipping" gener…

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  • Building the New Financial Platform | Ben Zhou (Bybit) & Brian McGleenon (BeInCrypto) | PBW 202

    April 30, 2026 · 📺 Paris Blockchain Week

    Ben Zhou, Co-founder and CEO of Bybit, joined Brian McGleenon, Global Head of News at BeInCrypto, for a fireside chat on trust, technology, and transformation, and what it takes to build the financial platform infrastructure for a tokenized economy. From exchange resilience to the next generation of digital asset infrastructure, Ben Zhou offered a rare look at how one of the world's largest trading platforms is positioning itself for a future where tokenization is the default. 🔔 Found this valuable? Give us a thumbs up, leave a comment, and subscribe for more such engaging conversations. 🔗…

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  • ByBit Founder: I Survived the $1.5B Hack and Still Had My Best Year | E168

    April 23, 2026 · 📺 When Shift Happens

    Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Bybit, tells the story of how he navigated the largest security breach in Web3 history - closing a $1.5 billion gap in 8 months without missing a single bonus or dividend payment. He shares the full recovery story, Bybit's rise to 85 million users, and his vision for the next generation digital finance super-app. THE SHIFT NEWSLETTER 💡Go beyond the mic - subscribe to The Shift, my new weekly newsletter where I share the uncut stories, raw takes, and behind-the-scenes notes from When Shift Happens: https://www.kevinfollonier.com/crypto... ___________ PARTNERS…

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  • Ben Zhou of Bybit drops a bombshell at the Paris Blockchain Week! Only if you read between the lines

    April 22, 2026 · 📺 Leandro Vega and Fran De Olza

    Fireside Chat with Ben Zhou, Co-founder and CEO of Bybit | Trust, Technology, and transformation: Building the New Financial Platform for a Tokenized Economy. I recorded this panel on April the 15th 2026 in Paris, and I've edited a part or two that stand out in my opinion, please enjoy and support my Channel ;-) 💡 Rejoignez la communauté "Paradigm SHIFT Mastermind" et continuons ce chemin ensemble ! Accédez à : 🔹 Un centre de ressources exclusif : mes articles, analyses et documents stratégiques 🔹 Une visioconférence hebdomadaire chaque mardi soir sur Zoom 🔹 Notre serveur Discord privé, po…

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  • Bybit CEO Ben: What Defines an Exchange's Competitive Edge?

    April 20, 2026 · 📺 WuBlockchain Podcast

    This episode features a fireside chat at Paris Blockchain Week 2026 between Brian McGleenon, Global Head of News at BeInCrypto, and Ben Zhou, Co-Founder and CEO of Bybit. The conversation focuses on the accelerating convergence of crypto and the global financial system. Ben argues that exchanges used to compete mainly on execution and liquidity, but over the past three years the real edge has shifted to compliance, licensing, and global distribution. As stablecoins, tokenized assets, smart contract-based payments, and 24/7 markets gain traction, crypto platforms are evolving from trading venu…

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  • Bybit CEO Reveals Biggest Lesson From Lazarus Hack

    April 20, 2026 · 📺 The Block

    In this Paris Blockchain Week special interview, Bybit CEO Ben Zhao shares his perspective on recent security incidents in crypto, and the future trajectory of crypto markets, including institutional adoption and RWA integration. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 00:39 Bybit Hack Post-Mortem 09:13 Institutionalization of Crypto 11:11 Bybit's Roadmap 13:10 All Assets Onchain 14:48 Prediction Market Licensing 17:17 The AI Era 20:26 Crypto Market Outlook Guest links: Ben Zhou - https://x.com/benbybit Bybit - https://x.com/Bybit_Official Host links: Gareth Jenkinson - ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/gazza_jenks The…

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Verified interview transcripts

Notable quotes

“I think the challenge is not the challenge to this question is not the technology. I think the technology will develop very fast. The challenge is everything else built around AI. If you look at the law and the court system, the current court system because whenever you give permission of money to an agent, the next thing you ask yourself is, what if I give too much and it's go crazy and it's start spending without m”

“First of all, let's look at what we have now, the current financial system, right? I would say the current financial system, there's a lot of issues with it. Number one is segregated. Segregated meaning that if you're from Myanmar or from Nigeria, you don't get the same sets of financial instruments, financial infrastructure as someone who lives in New York or London. People are living in the same time, but very diff”

“I think currently RWA has been perceived as let's find some asset with real world usage whether it's from BlackRock or Franklin Templeton or HSBC. What's the reason people would make RWA out of it is because they want to have more distribution channels, more money. So at the end of the day, they are trading tokenization as today I have 100 users that can buy this thing. Let's make a token out of it. So 10,000 people ”

“I think this is a consolidation that happens every bear market. Now in exchanges, if you're not deeply cultivating one country and you're doing globalization, your competitors—whether from organizational strength, product capability, or budgeting ability—it's hard to compete with those exchanges. So looking at exchanges, you can define some as global exchanges that come in with high profile and want to fight globally”

“I think first of all, North Korea has already mobilized state power, the Lazarus group. Recently you've seen Bitget also had some issues. Actually, since Bybit, not just Bitget, hacker incidents have been very frequent. If you ask me whether other exchanges will be hacked in the future, I think at least now there will definitely be new exchanges hacked. And I think a warning for many exchanges should be: don't make y”

“I think for sure Turkey for any global exchange is probably the top five market in the world. Uh, we operate more than 150 countries and for us uh Turkey is definitely the top top five. I think the data is same for everyone. This is why you see global exchange like BBE, like Binance, OKX, we're all here. Um you also where you have local exchange uh very uh strong competitors like Paribu, like uh PDC Turk. Um for so I”

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