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DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bybit, the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, has announced the launch of its AI and Human 1v1 Trading Competition, marking the first time a centralized cryptocurrency exchange (CEX) has hosted a live, head-to-head AI-versus-human trading competition using real capital and production trading infrastructure.
The online, season-based competition will bring together external artificial intelligence trading teams and Bybit platform users in a direct performance comparison. As the first initiative of its kind conducted entirely within a centralized exchange environment, the competition allows selected AI teams to connect their systems to the Bybit API, compete based on total season profit and loss rankings, and participate in hourly one-on-one matchups against human traders trading under the same live market conditions.
Recruitment for institutional AI teams is open through 24:00 on Feb. 10, 2026, UTC+8. The competition is scheduled to begin in March 2026, with the official start date to be announced by Bybit.
Participation is open to trading institutions, registered companies, academic or research teams, and qualified individuals with demonstrated experience using AI-driven trading tools, subject to local laws and regulations. Bybit will review all submissions and select a limited number of participants. The final number of teams will be determined following the screening process. Individuals or entities previously penalized for financial or fraudulent violations, as well as personnel affiliated with Bybit or its partners, are not eligible.
Each institutional team may include one to five members, with participants limited to one team each. Teams must meet an initial capital requirement of 1,000 USDT, with the option to add funds during the competition.
Applicants are required to submit a description of the AI models and interaction frequency to be used, a written explanation of the intended trading strategy, and supporting code or system architecture through a public repository such as GitHub. All submissions will be reviewed by Bybit's internal AI specialists. Compliance checks will continue throughout the competition, and teams that fail to meet requirements may be disqualified.
Approved teams will receive access to Bybit market data and API services. Participants must execute a minimum of 10 trades per day and may trade across eligible pairs available on the exchange. Bybit recommends a leverage limit of no more than 15 times and advises teams to fully test strategies in advance due to the risks associated with high leverage.
A pre-event warm-up period will run from Feb. 14 through Feb. 25, during which participating teams will announce their team names on social media. The participant screening process is scheduled to conclude by Feb. 28.
Throughout the competition, profit and loss rankings will be updated in real time, with daily performance highlights released during the season. By hosting the first CEX-based AI-versus-human trading competition, Bybit aims to set a new benchmark for transparency, innovation, and institutional engagement in AI-driven crypto trading.
#Bybit / #CryptoArk
About Bybit
Bybit is the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 80 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com.
For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press
For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com
For updates, please follow: Bybit's Communities and Social Media
Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube
DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bybit, the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, has announced the launch of its AI and Human 1v1 Trading Competition, marking the first time a centralized cryptocurrency exchange (CEX) has hosted a live, head-to-head AI-versus-human trading competition using real capital and production trading infrastructure.
The online, season-based competition will bring together external artificial intelligence trading teams and Bybit platform users in a direct performance comparison. As the first initiative of its kind conducted entirely within a centralized exchange environment, the competition allows selected AI teams to connect their systems to the Bybit API, compete based on total season profit and loss rankings, and participate in hourly one-on-one matchups against human traders trading under the same live market conditions.
Recruitment for institutional AI teams is open through 24:00 on Feb. 10, 2026, UTC+8. The competition is scheduled to begin in March 2026, with the official start date to be announced by Bybit.
Participation is open to trading institutions, registered companies, academic or research teams, and qualified individuals with demonstrated experience using AI-driven trading tools, subject to local laws and regulations. Bybit will review all submissions and select a limited number of participants. The final number of teams will be determined following the screening process. Individuals or entities previously penalized for financial or fraudulent violations, as well as personnel affiliated with Bybit or its partners, are not eligible.
Each institutional team may include one to five members, with participants limited to one team each. Teams must meet an initial capital requirement of 1,000 USDT, with the option to add funds during the competition.
Applicants are required to submit a description of the AI models and interaction frequency to be used, a written explanation of the intended trading strategy, and supporting code or system architecture through a public repository such as GitHub. All submissions will be reviewed by Bybit's internal AI specialists. Compliance checks will continue throughout the competition, and teams that fail to meet requirements may be disqualified.
Approved teams will receive access to Bybit market data and API services. Participants must execute a minimum of 10 trades per day and may trade across eligible pairs available on the exchange. Bybit recommends a leverage limit of no more than 15 times and advises teams to fully test strategies in advance due to the risks associated with high leverage.
A pre-event warm-up period will run from Feb. 14 through Feb. 25, during which participating teams will announce their team names on social media. The participant screening process is scheduled to conclude by Feb. 28.
Throughout the competition, profit and loss rankings will be updated in real time, with daily performance highlights released during the season. By hosting the first CEX-based AI-versus-human trading competition, Bybit aims to set a new benchmark for transparency, innovation, and institutional engagement in AI-driven crypto trading.
#Bybit / #CryptoArk
About Bybit
Bybit is the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 80 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com.
For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press
For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com
For updates, please follow: Bybit's Communities and Social Media
Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Bybit Launches Crypto's First CEX-Hosted AI and Human 1v1 Trading Competition With Institutional Recruitment
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SINGAPORE, April 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund, a partnership between Agoda, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Singapore, and the UnTours Foundation, has announced its second round of investments alongside early impact results from the Fund's inaugural cohort.
Designed to provide affordable, flexible financing to small and medium-sized tourism enterprises, the Fund supports businesses that integrate environmental restoration, climate resilience, and inclusive economic development into their core operations. Indonesia-based Livingseas Asia and Bambike Ecotours in the Philippines are the beneficiaries of the new investments. Each new investee receives USD 25,000 in loan capital to expand impact-driven initiatives across the region.
In Indonesia, Livingseas Asia combines dive tourism with coral reef restoration in Padangbai, Bali. Its nonprofit arm, the Livingseas Foundation, has restored more than 7,300 square meters of degraded reef, deploying artificial reef structures and planting over 320,000 coral fragments, with measurable biodiversity recovery. The Fund's investment will support the construction of modular housing for staff and trainees near the restoration site. This will expand Livingseas Asia's hosting capacity and strengthen the Foundation's ability to deliver marine education, conservation training, and reef restoration activities.
Bambike Ecotours in the Philippines connects bamboo agroforestry, fair trade bicycle manufacturing in rural communities, and regenerative tourism experiences. The loan will support the development of Ligtasin Cove in Batangas, a bamboo-built tourism destination that will include coastal ecotours and a bamboo nursery for reforestation and erosion control. The initiative aims to create local jobs while expanding lower-carbon tourism experiences that connect travelers with community-led environmental restoration.
"At Agoda, we believe the future of travel depends on the resilience of the destinations we serve," said Timothy Hughes, Vice President of Corporate Development at Agoda. "These investments support local pioneers integrating environmental restoration and community well-being into their operations, demonstrating the potential of impact-driven travel."
Six months after the Fund's initial investments, early results across Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines demonstrate encouraging environmental and community impact.
Across Southeast Asia, three organizations advanced community-led tourism in meaningful ways. In Thailand, Local Alike expanded its Travel With Care initiative to 10 destinations, launching 16 regenerative tourism activities and securing partnerships with national parks and tourism authorities to develop a white paper on regenerative tourism. In the Philippines, Ecohotels grew its Bahay Farms initiative by onboarding 22 farmers, planting 500 mango trees, increasing plant-based menu offerings from 35% to 50%, and launching its Green Warriors workforce program, with 5 of 15 trainees already placed in hospitality roles. In Indonesia, Sejiva introduced heritage walking tours and coral restoration experiences across West Java and Jakarta, while scaling its #travelpositive campaign to reach broader audiences.
"We are incredibly encouraged by the impact created so far by our inaugural cohort," said Sarah Payne, Senior Director of Impact at the UnTours Foundation. "These businesses are expanding regenerative tourism models, strengthening local livelihoods, and embedding measurable environmental outcomes into their growth. Their progress shows how flexible financing can translate into tangible impact on the ground."
The Fund is part of Agoda's broader sustainability strategy and builds on its partnership with WWF-Singapore through Agoda's Eco Deals program. Through Eco Deals, Agoda works with hotel partners across Asia to offer travelers discounted stays while directing a portion of proceeds to WWF's conservation initiatives. Those funds also support the Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund, extending conservation impact to small tourism enterprises, strengthening ecosystem health and community resilience at the destination level.
Tourism enterprises across the region advancing conservation, climate resilience, sustainable mobility, and community-led economic development are encouraged to apply for the next round of funding at: https://untoursfoundation.org/sustainable-tourism-impact-fund.
SINGAPORE, April 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund, a partnership between Agoda, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Singapore, and the UnTours Foundation, has announced its second round of investments alongside early impact results from the Fund's inaugural cohort.
Designed to provide affordable, flexible financing to small and medium-sized tourism enterprises, the Fund supports businesses that integrate environmental restoration, climate resilience, and inclusive economic development into their core operations. Indonesia-based Livingseas Asia and Bambike Ecotours in the Philippines are the beneficiaries of the new investments. Each new investee receives USD 25,000 in loan capital to expand impact-driven initiatives across the region.
In Indonesia, Livingseas Asia combines dive tourism with coral reef restoration in Padangbai, Bali. Its nonprofit arm, the Livingseas Foundation, has restored more than 7,300 square meters of degraded reef, deploying artificial reef structures and planting over 320,000 coral fragments, with measurable biodiversity recovery. The Fund's investment will support the construction of modular housing for staff and trainees near the restoration site. This will expand Livingseas Asia's hosting capacity and strengthen the Foundation's ability to deliver marine education, conservation training, and reef restoration activities.
Bambike Ecotours in the Philippines connects bamboo agroforestry, fair trade bicycle manufacturing in rural communities, and regenerative tourism experiences. The loan will support the development of Ligtasin Cove in Batangas, a bamboo-built tourism destination that will include coastal ecotours and a bamboo nursery for reforestation and erosion control. The initiative aims to create local jobs while expanding lower-carbon tourism experiences that connect travelers with community-led environmental restoration.
"At Agoda, we believe the future of travel depends on the resilience of the destinations we serve," said Timothy Hughes, Vice President of Corporate Development at Agoda. "These investments support local pioneers integrating environmental restoration and community well-being into their operations, demonstrating the potential of impact-driven travel."
Six months after the Fund's initial investments, early results across Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines demonstrate encouraging environmental and community impact.
Across Southeast Asia, three organizations advanced community-led tourism in meaningful ways. In Thailand, Local Alike expanded its Travel With Care initiative to 10 destinations, launching 16 regenerative tourism activities and securing partnerships with national parks and tourism authorities to develop a white paper on regenerative tourism. In the Philippines, Ecohotels grew its Bahay Farms initiative by onboarding 22 farmers, planting 500 mango trees, increasing plant-based menu offerings from 35% to 50%, and launching its Green Warriors workforce program, with 5 of 15 trainees already placed in hospitality roles. In Indonesia, Sejiva introduced heritage walking tours and coral restoration experiences across West Java and Jakarta, while scaling its #travelpositive campaign to reach broader audiences.
"We are incredibly encouraged by the impact created so far by our inaugural cohort," said Sarah Payne, Senior Director of Impact at the UnTours Foundation. "These businesses are expanding regenerative tourism models, strengthening local livelihoods, and embedding measurable environmental outcomes into their growth. Their progress shows how flexible financing can translate into tangible impact on the ground."
The Fund is part of Agoda's broader sustainability strategy and builds on its partnership with WWF-Singapore through Agoda's Eco Deals program. Through Eco Deals, Agoda works with hotel partners across Asia to offer travelers discounted stays while directing a portion of proceeds to WWF's conservation initiatives. Those funds also support the Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund, extending conservation impact to small tourism enterprises, strengthening ecosystem health and community resilience at the destination level.
Tourism enterprises across the region advancing conservation, climate resilience, sustainable mobility, and community-led economic development are encouraged to apply for the next round of funding at: https://untoursfoundation.org/sustainable-tourism-impact-fund.
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund Expands Investments Across Southeast Asia
Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund Expands Investments Across Southeast Asia
Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund Expands Investments Across Southeast Asia
