ByBit EU vs XTB Comparison

In short: Bybit EU combines the technology of one of the largest crypto exchanges with an EU licence: spot trading in more than 100 coins, fixed rates from 0.25% that fall to 0.15% with high euro volume, and a crypto card. For retail clients in the EEA, Bybit EU focuses on spot trading. If you want to buy and hold crypto at a large exchange with a European licence, Bybit EU fits.

Is Bybit safe and licensed in the EU?

Yes, Bybit EU may serve customers across the EU. Bybit EU GmbH, based in Vienna, has been authorised as a crypto-asset service provider under Article 63 MiCA since 28 May 2025, licensed by Austria's Financial Market Authority (FMA). Through the EU passport the licence covers 29 EEA countries, including Germany, France and Spain (ESMA register, file of 30 October 2026). It covers custody, exchanging crypto for money and for other crypto, placing and transfer services. Bybit EU itself points out that certain offers on bybit.eu fall outside MiCA supervision; each product page states the framework.

The hack of 21 February 2025: Attackers took ether worth about $1.4 to $1.5 billion from a Bybit group multisig cold wallet by slipping a manipulated transaction past the signers. The FBI attributed the attack to the North Korean group TraderTraitor, better known as Lazarus. On the same day Bybit stated that all client assets were backed 1:1 and that the exchange would cover the loss; withdrawals kept running. On bybit.eu, Bybit EU states 1:1 reserves for all user assets.

Counterparty list: Since September 2026 Bybit has published a list of services its customers must not transact with. If screening flags one of them, Bybit can freeze accounts or restrict funds. Our report on the Bybit counterparty list explains what to check in your payment history.

What you can do yourself: turn on two-factor authentication and a withdrawal address whitelist, keep proof of origin for coins bought peer to peer, and store larger amounts on your own hardware wallet.

Who is Bybit EU for?

Bybit EU suits investors in the EU who want spot trading at a large international exchange with a European licence and who like to pay with crypto. Anyone who regularly trades larger amounts against the euro benefits from the volume tiers. Our comparison of regulated crypto exchanges sets Bybit EU against other licensed exchanges such as OKX, Kraken and Bitvavo.

XTB stands out as an established, publicly listed multi-asset broker with more than 20 years of market experience and over 2.9 million clients. Its main strengths are a clear, easy-to-use interface and an unusually broad offering of more than 12,800 instruments, including more than 40 crypto Contracts for Differences alongside real stocks, ETFs, forex and commodities. The 0% commission on stocks and ETFs up to €100,000 in monthly volume, the XTB card and payment account, locally regulated European branches with support in the local language, and the depth of educational material all add to its appeal.

The key thing to understand is how XTB offers crypto: as Contract for Differences rather than as actual coins. That's a deliberate product design, not a defect: Contracts for Differences let you go long or short with leverage and built-in risk controls. But it does mean you never own the underlying crypto and can't move it to a personal wallet. For real crypto assets, the Cypriot entity XTB Limited has held a MiCA authorisation from CySEC since December 2025; XTB S.A., which serves clients in Germany, France and Spain among others, still offers crypto as Contracts for Differences. If your goal is self-custody or long-term holding of real coins, a dedicated crypto platform fits better; if you want regulated, flexible price exposure within a single multi-asset account, XTB's approach is a sensible match. Some users also note room for improvement in support responsiveness and app stability.

Overall, XTB is best suited to investors who want a regulated, broadly positioned broker with locally supervised European branches, strong stock and ETF conditions, and integrated crypto Contracts for Differences trading, and who value a simple, clear and intuitive interface over direct crypto ownership.

**Contracts for Differences are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 77% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with the EU entity XTB Limited, and 74% with XTB UK. You should consider whether you understand how Contracts for Differences work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.