Bybit, the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, has announced the launch of a groundbreaking AI and Human 1v1 Trading Competition. This initiative marks the first time a centralized cryptocurrency exchange (CEX) will host a live, head-to-head competition pitting artificial intelligence trading systems against human traders using real capital and production trading infrastructure.
The online, season-based competition is designed to bring together external AI trading teams and Bybit platform users for a direct performance comparison. Selected AI teams will connect their systems to the Bybit API and compete based on total season profit and loss rankings. They will also participate in hourly one-on-one matchups against human traders operating under identical live market conditions.
Recruitment for institutional AI teams is open until 24:00 UTC+8 on February 10, 2026. The competition itself is scheduled to begin in March 2026, with the official start date to be announced later by Bybit. Participation is open to trading institutions, registered companies, academic or research teams, and qualified individuals with demonstrated experience in AI-driven trading tools, all subject to local laws and regulations.
Bybit will review all submissions and select a limited number of participants, with the final team count determined after the screening process. Eligibility restrictions exclude individuals or entities previously penalized for financial or fraudulent violations, as well as personnel affiliated with Bybit or its partners.
Each institutional team may consist of 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 their AI models and interaction frequency, a written explanation of their intended trading strategy, and supporting code or system architecture via a public repository like GitHub. All submissions will be reviewed by Bybit's internal AI specialists.
Compliance checks will continue throughout the competition, and teams failing to meet requirements may be disqualified. Approved teams will gain access to Bybit market data and API services. Participants must execute a minimum of 10 trades per day and may trade across eligible pairs on the exchange. Bybit recommends a leverage limit of no more than 15x and advises teams to fully test strategies in advance due to the risks of high leverage.
A pre-event warm-up period is scheduled from February 14 through February 25, during which participating teams will announce their team names on social media. The participant screening process is slated to conclude by February 28. Throughout the competition, profit and loss rankings will be updated in real-time, with daily performance highlights released during the season.
By hosting this first-of-its-kind CEX-based competition, Bybit aims to set a new benchmark for transparency, innovation, and institutional engagement in AI-driven cryptocurrency trading.
