Bybit Expands Annual Trading Competition to Stocks, Gold With $10M Prize Pool

Cryptocurrency exchange Bybit has announced the return of its annual World Series of Trading (WSOT) for 2026, featuring a maximum prize pool of 10 million USDT. The event, which opens for registration on October 29, will expand beyond its crypto-native roots to become a multi-asset competition.

Competition Expands Beyond Crypto

In a significant shift, the 2026 competition will allow participants to trade stocks, gold, oil, and indices in addition to crypto assets from a single account. According to Bybit's announcement, this year's theme, "The World Trades Here," reflects the platform's evolution into a broader financial ecosystem.

A new category, the "AI Showdown," has also been added, creating a dedicated leaderboard for traders utilizing AI-assisted trading tools. The main competition is scheduled to run from November 13 to December 2, 2026, with various stages and quests beginning as early as October 29.

Building on Record-Breaking 2025

The expansion follows a record-setting event in 2025. Bybit reported that the previous year's competition attracted a massive influx of participants after the removal of equity requirements for registration.

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Key figures from the 2025 WSOT include:

• 520,451 participants from 202 countries and regions.
• A GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the most participants in a virtual trading competition within 24 hours, with 71,765 traders joining.
• The formation of 1,474 trading squads worldwide.

Event Structure and Eligibility

The 2026 competition is divided into several tracks, including team-based (Squad Showdown) and individual profit-and-loss competitions, alongside the new Global Assets and AI categories. There is no minimum equity required to register for the event.

However, participation is subject to Know Your Customer (KYC) verification and other eligibility checks. The competition is not open to professional users, market makers, or institutional clients, positioning the event for retail traders. Bybit stated that activities such as wash trading and the use of multiple accounts are prohibited and will be monitored.