Bybit H1 2026 Security & Risk Report Overview

Bybit, the world’s second‑largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, released its H1 2026 Risk & Security Report covering the period 1 January to 15 June 2026. The report follows a February 2025 theft that resulted in an estimated $1.46 billion loss of digital assets and outlines a three‑layer protection model comprising user and account security, real‑time on‑chain monitoring, and AI‑assisted security operations.

Key Security Outcomes

  • The exchange intercepted potential user losses exceeding $700 million, safeguarding nearly 20,000 users. It processed more than 30,000 suspicious withdrawal requests, with an average initial risk‑review time of 4.7 minutes and 95 % of reviews completed within ten minutes.
  • On‑chain monitoring achieved 100 % coverage of business‑relevant activity, encompassing listed token contracts, ecosystem contracts, and the exchange’s cold, warm and hot wallets.
  • Ten security incidents involving listed token projects were identified and resolved with zero platform losses; in eight cases Bybit’s emergency response preceded that of other major exchanges, and in two cases the attacks were detected before the affected projects themselves became aware.

Fraud Detection and Address Blacklisting

  • Approximately $212 million of fraud‑linked on‑chain funds were identified.
  • More than 10,000 malicious blockchain addresses were blacklisted using behavioural analysis and AI‑driven monitoring.

AI‑Driven Enhancements

  • Over 100,000 security alerts were processed with AI assistance, allowing high‑severity vulnerabilities to be identified at three‑to‑five times the rate of manual review.
  • Automation shortened the security‑assessment‑to‑testing cycle from roughly two weeks to two hours, and reduced the time from asset discovery to initial penetration testing to under 24 hours.
  • An automated red‑team platform evaluated 1,489 public‑facing assets, uncovering more than 100 high‑severity vulnerabilities.
  • While AI accelerates detection and testing, human security specialists retain responsibility for complex threat decisions.

Collaborative Law‑Enforcement Efforts

Bybit has engaged law‑enforcement agencies, blockchain intelligence firms, and industry partners to trace and recover stolen assets. It is pursuing legal action against entities linked to North Korea and the Lazarus Group to hold attackers accountable and recover assets.

Disclaimer

The report reiterates that trading cryptocurrencies and digital assets carries high risk and may not be suitable for all investors, advising consultation with independent financial advisors.