Southeast Asia (SEA) has emerged as a leader in cryptocurrency adoption, with countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines ranking among the top ten globally in the 2024 Chainalysis Global Crypto Adoption Index. T

Southeast Asia (SEA) has emerged as a leader in cryptocurrency adoption, with countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines ranking among the top ten globally in the 2024 Chainalysis Global Crypto Adoption Index. The region has witnessed a remarkable surge in crypto ownership, increasing by 21.8% to 326.8 million users as reported by Triple-A's 2024 research. A young, tech-savvy population, significant underbanked demographics, and widespread internet access largely drive this growth.

In terms of ownership rates, Singapore leads with 24.4%, followed by Thailand (17.6%), Vietnam (17.4%), and Malaysia (14.3%). These statistics highlight the potential for further growth in a market characterized by innovation and an appetite for financial technology.

Despite the strong adoption of cryptocurrencies, Southeast Asian countries exhibit varied regulatory landscapes, reflecting their unique economic priorities and goals for innovation. Countries such as Singapore and Thailand have established comprehensive regulatory frameworks, while others like Vietnam are still in the early stages of policy development.

The regulatory approaches in SEA are fragmented, ranging from supportive to developing. For instance, Singapore has enacted significant legislation through the Payment Services Act and the Securities and Futures Act, creating a robust legal infrastructure for digital assets. Conversely, Vietnam is still formulating formal regulations despite its high adoption rates, and the Philippines is working towards establishing licensing rules for crypto service providers.

There is a growing trend towards aligning local regulations with international standards, particularly concerning anti-money laundering (AML) and tax transparency. Countries like Singapore and Thailand have implemented strict AML requirements for crypto exchanges, while Malaysia is enhancing tax reporting for crypto transactions. These measures aim to create a sustainable crypto environment while addressing financial crime risks.

Investor protection and regulatory maturity

Investor protection is increasingly a focus for nations with established regulatory frameworks. Singapore and Thailand are moving towards more robust regulations to safeguard investors, while other countries are still developing basic compliance mechanisms. This disparity in regulatory maturity can impact the overall investment climate and innovation potential within the region.

As Southeast Asia continues to evolve as a significant player in the global crypto landscape, several challenges and opportunities lie ahead. The region's success will depend on its ability to foster innovation while ensuring consumer protection and attracting investment.

Regulatory clarity is crucial for spurring growth in the crypto sector. Countries like Singapore have set high benchmarks with their established frameworks, which could serve as models for others in the region. Collaboration with industry players, such as Bybit's involvement in Vietnam's regulatory sandbox initiative, will be vital for crafting effective regulations that balance market risks with long-term growth objectives.

Aligning with global standards, such as the EU’s Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regulation and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) guidelines, can enhance the credibility of SEA's crypto framework. This alignment will facilitate cross-border transactions and improve the region’s appeal to investors and businesses.

To capitalize on the growing interest in crypto, SEA must focus on building a supportive ecosystem that nurtures innovation. This includes investing in education, enhancing technological infrastructure, and promoting a collaborative environment among stakeholders. By fostering a culture of innovation and ensuring robust regulatory practices, SEA can solidify its position as a crypto powerhouse.

Southeast Asia stands at a pivotal moment in its crypto journey, characterized by significant adoption rates and a diverse regulatory landscape. The region's ability to establish clear, supportive regulations while fostering innovation will determine its future as a leading hub for cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. As countries navigate their regulatory paths, strategic collaboration and alignment with global standards will be essential to harness the full potential of the crypto market in Southeast Asia.

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Diving into Southeast Asia’s crypto regulatory landscape

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Bybit Crypto Insights Report: Diving into Southeast Asia’s crypto regulatory landscape

Our weekly crypto derivatives analytics report delves into macro events; the current state of crypto and trading signals from spot trading volume; and futures, options and perpetual contracts.

Front-end volatility for BTC has reacted to recent spot price fluctuations, leading to a new all-time high (ATH) of $111.8K, the first since January 20, 2025. At-the-money implied volatility is between 45% and 50%, with short-tenor volatility rising from last week's lows. Perpetual funding rates remain stable, even as spot prices climb, though options skew steepened towards calls by 7% due to increased demand for OTM calls.

In perpetual swaps, open interest hit a new May high over $11B, reflecting stronger risk-on sentiment than in April. For ETH, short-tenor options retain their volatility premium compared to longer-tenor options, while OTM calls continue to show solid support, despite a slowdown in the recent surge of ETH’s spot price.

Please check out the report’s highlights.

ETH open interest has started to rise this week, aligning with BTC surpassing its January ATH of $111K, positively affecting the crypto market, including Ether (+4.5%). However, the increase is slower than last week’s 50% surge in ETH's spot price. Total open interest and perpetual trading volume across nine tokens reached monthly highs of over $11B and $26B, respectively. On May 19, 2025, perpetual trading volumes surpassed $20B after Moody's downgraded US debt. BTC, like risk-on US equities, initially fell but quickly recovered its intraday losses.

Regulatory advances propel BTC toward ATH with put-call skews favouring calls

Mid-May volatility expectations declined as BTC traded sideways between $102K and $104K. Recently, this range extended to $108K due to a tariff détente between the US and China, though macro uncertainties like the downgrade of US treasuries limited a full breakout. However, regulatory advances helped BTC surpass $110K. This tug-of-war has led to reactive front-end volatility, with implied volatility levels for BTC between 45% and 50%. Options volumes remain skewed toward puts, despite the spot price entering price discovery, with open interest also dominated by puts at $200M.

What’s more, the skew of BTC volatility smiles has steepened significantly, as OTM calls trade at a higher implied volatility compared to puts across all tenors, with the one-week tenor put-call skew briefly exceeding 7% before coming back down.

ETH outperformance moderates as skews turn less bullish

After two weeks of ETH outperformance, it now lags behind BTC. While ETH's one-month returns are an impressive 69%, its seven-day increase has been lower, largely due to BTC's recent rally. The inversion in its term structure of volatility persists, with short tenors holding a premium over longer tenors. ETH's put-call skew is now significantly less bullish than last week, though it still shows a 5% skew for OTM calls. The dominance of call options in volumes and open interest has narrowed, with open interest in calls only $30M greater than in puts.

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Bybit X Block Scholes crypto derivatives analytics report (May 22, 2025): Bitcoin options skew steepens toward calls by 7%; ETH outperformances moderate

Discover how trading strategies differ in crypto vs. stock markets, from volatility and profit potential to regulation, TA tools, and trading hours.

 markets both offer profit opportunities to skilled traders but have significantly different characteristics. Compared to equities, cryptocurrencies are much more volatile and less regulated. They have lower barriers to entry and attract traders following 

The differences between the two asset classes mean they require different mindsets, approaches and tools to succeed. Strategies that work perfectly in the stock market may not fit the crypto market or require significant adjustments.

In this article, we will examine the key differences between stocks and cryptos. Understanding and appreciating these differences is key to successful trading in both markets.

Equities are a highly regulated asset class. Traders know that their funds are well protected by securities laws. They can diversify their stock portfolios, mixing in other regulated asset classes. The regulatory recognition also lets traders pursue tax-efficient investment strategies.

Crypto trading, on the other hand, has very low levels of regulation. This opens up opportunities for income sources that aren’t available for traditional asset classes 

The abundance of centralized (CEX) and decentralized (DEX) crypto exchanges and their rate differences also provide 

Skilled crypto traders may also use derivatives products, particularly 

 contracts. These are often based on pairing their target cryptocurrency with an established stablecoin, such as 

 (USDC). By holding the perp contracts with no expiry dates, the traders try to capitalize on the coin’s price movements against the stablecoin without owning that crypto directly. The perp contracts also typically offer the most liberal leverage ratios available in the crypto market.

Stock market trading hours are limited to Monday through Friday, 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Most stock exchanges in the US, including the two largest ones — the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ — follow these hours.

These strictly defined hours have given rise to different occurrences, including market-opening momentum. This is where there’s a readily observable spike in activity in the first minutes of the trading day, typically driven by overnight news and pre-market events.

Another is the power hour, the last hour of trading, when traders rush to implement market moves they’re determined to carry out before the close of trading.

Unlike the stock market, the crypto market is open 24/7. The hour-specific phenomena of equities trading rarely apply to cryptocurrencies. Instead, the crypto market’s around-the-clock nature has led to the active use of automated trading strategies that can be executed at certain intervals regardless of the time of day.

 levels than cryptocurrencies. This is particularly true for blue-chip equities in stable, long-established industries like banking or utilities. Examples include JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) and Dominion Energy (D). Even tech and growth-oriented stocks like Microsoft (MSFT) and Apple (AAPL) exhibit lower volatility than crypto since they are global industry leaders with more established fundamentals.

The market’s relatively low volatility has led to the dominance of strategies like value-based investing and long-term trend following.

In contrast, the crypto market’s much higher volatility levels have led to the active use of momentum-based strategies and scalping, which aim to take advantage of small price changes quickly.

Crypto’s higher volatility attracts traders who utilize high-risk and high-reward strategies.

 This is particularly the case with smaller-cap altcoins as opposed to larger, more established cryptocurrencies like 

The stock market’s lower volatility also spells lower profit potential in the short term compared to crypto. Naturally, this is accompanied by less risk.

Instead of chasing large profits quickly, traders in the market try to maximize gains via long-term strategies, taking into account not only price growth but also dividend potential and other factors not directly tied to the stock price.

 (DCA), dividend-based investment, and long-term value investing are widespread in equities.

In contrast, the crypto market offers higher potential profits coupled with higher risks. High-risk strategies, such as leverage trading, short-term trend chasing and speculative altcoin investing, are very popular in the market. Not many active crypto traders, die-hard 

 aside, want to follow multi-month or multi-year approaches, which are very common in the stock market.   

As a result, you can earn significantly higher profits in crypto. However, the market also has an abundance of horror stories in which traders lose everything, or at least a significant proportion of their capital, trying to apply high-risk strategies.

 (TA) tools have a long and established history of use in the stock market. Equity traders use TA indicators like support and resistance levels, 

 and many others to support their decision-making. They also use fundamental analysis data pieces 

such as company earnings reports, price-to-earnings ratios, debt-to-equity ratios, dividend yield estimates and sectoral growth reports 

In the crypto market, many standard TA tools work reasonably well for high-cap, high-liquidity coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum. For these assets, support and resistance levels, volume data and basic patterns can provide useful information to support the trader’s actions. 

However, many TA indicators become less reliable the lower the liquidity of the analyzed coin. For low-liquidity altcoins, these indicators might become useless or even deceptive.

The most basic trading instrument in the equities market is the actual stock of publicly traded companies. Additionally, traders can invest in 

 (ETFs) that provide exposure to equities, bonds, indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies and other asset classes. In many cases, ETFs are based on a basket of assets, though single-asset ETFs are also quite common.

Stock traders also often invest in bonds, usually through the over-the-counter (OTC) bond market. Those with an understanding of the derivatives market may also trade options, futures or contracts for difference (CFDs) on specialized derivatives exchanges.

Typical trading instruments are somewhat different in the crypto market, where the most popular form of trading activity is the spot buying and selling of cryptocurrencies.

Skilled crypto traders may also use derivatives products, particularly perpetual futures contracts. These are often based on a pairing of their target cryptocurrency with some established stablecoin, such as USDT or USDC. By holding the perp contracts with no expiry dates, the traders try to capitalize on the coin’s price movements against the stablecoin without having to own that crypto directly. The perp contracts also typically offer the most liberal leverage ratios available in the crypto market.

There are considerable differences between equities and crypto, meaning trading these asset classes requires different approaches. Crypto’s 24/7 markets mean that many of the time-of-the-day phenomena observable in the stock market, such as the opening momentum and the rush hour, do not apply.

At the same time, the crypto market’s high volatility also means that traders actively use scalping and momentum-based strategies. The high volatility also attracts the trader crowd that prefers to apply high-risk and high-reward strategies. While risks in the market are considerably higher than for equities, potential profits, especially in the short term, can be significantly stronger.

Cryptocurrency traders should also consider that established TA methods may not provide as clear signals as they do in the stock market, particularly for smaller-cap coins. The prevalent trading instruments differ to some extent as well 

 spot cryptocurrency trades and perps dominate in the crypto market, while stocks and ETFs are the name of the game for equity traders.

Intermediate

trading difference between crypto and stocks

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Stock market vs. crypto: Different approaches to trading success

Mantle has partnered with Republic Technologies to make mETH the first liquid staking token held on the balance sheet of a publicly listed company.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.04% as deficit concerns from a $4T spending bill and a U.S. credit downgrade pressured markets. Gold fell 0.83% to $3,289 as a stronger US Dollar and solid US data outweighed falling yields, though long-term bullish sentiment remains supported by geopolitical risks. The Coindesk Indices, which tracks the broader crypto market, rose 2.13%, with Bitcoin and Ether up 2.35% and 5.37%, respectively in the past 24 hours. Trade these markets and more with up to 500x leverage on Bybit MT5 using this 

Today’s top performer is WLD, up 28.0% after Worldcoin raised $135M to scale its network, with verified users surpassing 12.5 million.

Worldcoin (WLD), uses iris scans to verify identity, giving users a World ID and free tokens. Co-founded by Sam Altman, it aims to build a global identity and financial network. Worldcoin 

 $135M through a direct token purchase by a16z and Bain Capital Crypto to scale its network, now with over 26M users and 12.5M verified via the Orb. The funding increased WLD's circulating supply.

Check out the latest prices, charts, and data of 

 with Republic Technologies to make mETH the first liquid staking token held on the balance sheet of a publicly listed company. Republic will allocate ETH to Mantle’s mETH Protocol, reflecting a shift in institutional strategy toward Ethereum-based yield infrastructure. The move supports Mantle’s broader plans, including mETH’s role in the upcoming MI4 index fund and Mantle Banking, which aims to integrate mETH into traditional finance.

Yesterday, Bitcoin spot ETFs saw $57.6M in inflows, entirely from non-GBTC funds, with GBTC recording no flow.

, featuring Spark—a DeFi platform with $2.6B in liquidity—is now live. Users can earn Snaps by posting, liking, or engaging with Spark-related content on Crypto Twitter. More Snaps means more rewards.

Beginner

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Mantle partners with Republic Technologies as mETH becomes first liquid staking token on public company balance sheet

Bybit Learn

Copy Trading

Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX is an MT5–based copy trading system that enables investors to replicate the trading strategies of experienced traders. Learn more.

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Looking to enter the world of forex and commodities trading, but feeling overwhelmed by the complexity? Bybit's Copy Trading Gold & FX platform offers a solution that connects novice traders with experienced professionals on the 

This guide explains Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX in detail and describes how it works, its benefits and risks, and how it compares to other copy trading options. We'll also provide a detailed getting-started guide to help you decide if this platform is right for you.

Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX is a MetaTrader 5

 system that enables investors to automatically replicate the trading strategies of experienced traders across forex, commodities and market indices.

With Master Traders earning additional income from their followers' successful trades, the platform serves as a bridge between those seeking to profit from traditional financial markets and experienced traders willing to share their expertise. 

How Does Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX Work?

Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX operates on a straightforward signal-copying mechanism whereby followers automatically replicate the trades of their chosen Master Traders. The platform uses the 

Followers' profits are shared with Master Traders only when the net profit, which includes both realized and unrealized PnL, surpasses its previous peak. This

 means that Master Traders are rewarded only when they exceed their previous performance peaks, thereby incentivizing 

Master Traders to maximize their Followers’ profitability.

Let’s look at a detailed breakdown of how the system works for both parties.

To become a Master Trader, individuals must first apply using an eligible 

. Upon approval, an MT5 account is automatically created, enabling them to start trading. Master Traders need to 

 before they can execute trades, which will then be copied by their followers in real time.

Master Traders earn a profit-sharing fee ranging from 0% to 15%, based on the profits generated for their Followers. This profit-sharing process occurs weekly, specifically every Sunday at midnight, according to the MT5 server time. The HWM principle ensures that Master Traders only receive profit-sharing payments when their Followers’ accounts exceed previous high points. Additionally, a single Master Trader can manage up to 300 followers simultaneously.

To participate in Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX, Master Traders must use 

 as the margin for their trading positions. Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX is not available 24/7, and trading may be paused during non-trading hours or system maintenance. You can check notifications on the 

 for the latest updates. Master Traders also have the flexibility to adjust their profit-sharing ratios at any time, allowing them to fine-tune their earning strategies based on market conditions and follower engagement.

Followers can choose their preferred Master Traders from the leaderboard, allowing them to align with traders whose strategies match their investment goals. To start copy trading, Followers must invest a minimum of 100 USDT, while the maximum investment amount is capped at 1,000,000 USDT. Additionally, they can follow up to 10 different Master Traders at the same time, diversifying their trading exposure.

When a Follower subscribes to a Master Trader, their positions are copied proportionally based on the Follower's investment size. As opposed to traditional trading, Followers do not have the option to manually close positions. However, they can set 

 (SL) levels to manage risk. Exiting a position is only possible by either unfollowing the Master Trader, or when TP/SL thresholds are triggered.

The fund management process is designed to be seamless, with automatic fund transfers occurring when Followers initiate copy trading. If a Follower decides to stop copying a Master Trader, their funds are automatically returned to their Funding Account. Furthermore, Followers can manage their investment amounts through the 

, providing them with greater control over their capital allocation.

Benefits of Using Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX

Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX offers the compelling benefits listed below for both Master Traders looking to monetize their expertise, and Followers seeking professional trading strategies.

MT5 integration provides access to diverse markets, including forex pairs, commodities, and market indices, allowing traders to maximize earning potential. This exposure helps investors diversify their portfolios beyond cryptocurrency markets, optimizing asset allocation while minimizing risk through traditional finance markets.

Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX creates opportunities for 

 through the replication of expert strategies, without requiring Followers to have prior trading experience. Its automatic trade execution and position management system removes the complexity of manual trading, while clear performance metrics help evaluate Master Traders' performance and potential.

Master Traders can establish a consistent additional income stream by earning a profit share of up to 15% from their Followers' successful trades. With no initial performance requirements and a capacity for 300 Followers, experienced traders can quickly start monetizing their expertise while building a substantial trading community.

The platform leverages MetaTrader 5's robust infrastructure, offering fast execution speeds and comprehensive multi-asset trading support. 

 help traders make informed decisions, while transparent performance tracking ensures accountability. 

Risks of Using Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX

As with any trading platform, Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX comes with inherent risks that both Master Traders and Followers need to understand.

Past performance does not guarantee future results in financial markets. Even experienced Master Traders with strong track records can experience losses, and Followers should carefully evaluate their 

 before committing capital to copy trading strategies.

Followers may experience different entry prices from their Master Traders, due to market conditions, network delays or timing differences. These price discrepancies can impact profitability and yield, varying returns between Master Traders and their Followers.

The profit-sharing model follows the aforementioned HWM principle, meaning Master Traders must exceed their previous performance peaks to earn profit shares. This could potentially influence trading behavior and risk management decisions as traders attempt to surpass their previous high-water marks.

Copy Trading Gold & FX vs. Copy Trading Classic vs. Copy Trading Pro

Let's compare Bybit's three copy trading products and their unique features to help you choose the one that best matches your trading goals.

Copy Trading Gold & FX specializes in traditional financial markets, offering access to forex, indices and commodities via MT5. In contrast, Copy Trading Classic focuses on USDT Perpetual contracts, while Copy Trading Pro encompasses Spot trading and both USDT and USDC Perpetual contracts.

For Copy Trading Gold & FX, Followers cannot manually close positions, and must rely on TP/SL orders (or completely unfollow the Master Trader) to exit trades. Copy Trading Classic offers flexibility, allowing Followers to set various parameters, including leverage and margin mode. Copy Trading Pro represents the other end of the spectrum, whereby Pro Masters have complete control over investors' funds.

Each platform implements different profit-sharing mechanisms. Copy Trading Gold & FX uses the HWM principle, with profit shares ranging from 0–15%. Copy Trading Classic follows a similar range, but with daily profit deductions. Finally, Copy Trading Pro offers the highest potential returns for professional traders, with profit-sharing of up to 30% of gains.

Copy Trading Gold & FX has no specific performance requirements for Master Traders, though MT5 trading expertise is essential. Copy Trading Pro maintains the strictest standards, requiring Pro Masters to meet specific trading criteria and maintain minimum balance requirements. Meanwhile, Copy Trading Classic remains the most accessible option, with no performance prerequisites for Master Traders.

How to Get Started With Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX

: To begin, make sure you’re logged into your Bybit Subaccount. If you don't have a Subaccount, log in to your Bybit Main Account and click on 

 that a Gold & FX (MT5) Account must not previously have been created using the Subaccount. Full instructions on how to create a Subaccount can be found 

: Read through the specification, confirm you’ve read the 

Copy Trading Gold & FX Terms and Conditions, and click on 

I have understood and agreed to the above agreement

 Now, submit your personal information. After doing so, check the boxes to confirm you’ve agreed to the Bybit MT5 Terms and Conditions and

 to create an MT5 Account using your current account, and then sign up as a Copy Trading Gold & FX Master Trader.

 and wait for approval. Once you’re approved, an MT5 account will automatically be created for you. 

Applications are typically reviewed and processed within one hour.

: Install MetaTrader 5 on your device and launch the application.

. Toggle between the options to find a Master Trader who aligns with your financial goals and risk tolerance.

to begin the process of following a Master Trader.

: Enter your investment amount (minimum 100 USDT). Note that you cannot exceed 1,000,000 USDT per Master Trader.

: Set your take profit and stop loss levels by clicking on 

: Monitor your copied positions through the 

Bybit is holding an exclusive event where you can enjoy up to 100 USDT loss protection on your very first Gold & FX copy trade. This is open to all first-time Copy Trading Gold & FX Followers only, from now through Jun 30, 2025. To get started, claim your voucher, follow your first Gold & FX Master Trader and copy trade for the first time. If your first trade results in a loss, you'll receive up to 100 USDT as compensation. Click 

 to learn more and claim your voucher today.  

Should You Try Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX?

Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX is worth considering if you:

Before participating, carefully evaluate your trading goals and risk tolerance. New traders should choose Master Traders based on consistent performance, rather than just high returns, while experienced traders should ensure they're comfortable with MT5 before applying to become Master Traders.

Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX bridges traditional finance and modern copy trading, making forex and commodities markets more accessible to diverse traders. While it offers significant opportunities for both followers and Master Traders, success requires careful selection of trading partners and an understanding of the platform's features.

Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX: Master MT5 With Expert-Led Strategies

Compete for 2,500 USDT USDT Every Week

Bybit Copy Trading Gold & FX: Master MT5 With Expert-Led Strategies

Grab Up to 5,000 USDT in Rewards

Compete for 2,500 USDT USDT Every Week

Grab Up to 5,000 USDT in Rewards