Bybit has announced the return of its flagship global trading competition, the World Series of Trading (WSOT), for 2026. Under the theme The World Trades Here, this year’s edition expands beyond cryptocurrency to include multiple asset classes and introduces a dedicated AI trading competition.
Registration opens on October 29, 2026, at 10 AM UTC, with the competition running until December 2, 2026. Bybit has announced a maximum prize pool of 10 million USDT, which will unlock as total trading volume grows.
The 2026 edition marks a significant change in the competition’s six-year history, allowing participants to compete across crypto, stocks, gold, oil and indices through a single account.
WSOT 2025 Attracted More Than 520,000 Participants
The previous edition recorded the largest participation in the competition’s history. According to Bybit, WSOT 2025 attracted 520,451 participants from 202 countries and regions, with 1,474 squads formed worldwide.
The event also secured a Guinness World Records title after 71,765 participants joined within 24 hours, according to the company.
WSOT began in 2020 with nearly 12,000 participants. By 2024, it had expanded to 161 countries and generated USD 100 billion in trading volume. Over the years, the competition has added features such as tiered leagues, Copy Trading and decentralised exchange participation.
Five Competition Tracks at WSOT 2026
WSOT 2026 will feature five tracks, covering individual and team competition, multiple asset classes and AI-assisted trading.
Squad Showdown
The Squad Showdown will see teams compete based on profit and loss percentage (P&L%). Rewards will be available for leading squad leaders and the first squads to form.
Bybit is inviting traders, creators and community leaders to apply as squad leaders. Applications open on October 29, and both leaders and members can earn rewards for inviting traders to their squads.
Individual Showdown
Individual participants will compete based on P&L performance across three weight classes: Light, Middle and Heavy.
Global Assets
The new Global Assets track introduces spot and TradFi perpetual contracts (Perps) leaderboards covering cryptocurrency, stocks, gold, oil and indices. The addition broadens the competition beyond digital assets.
AI Showdown
The new AI Showdown track is designed for participants using Bybit AI or general AI sub-accounts for trading. It will feature a dedicated leaderboard, reflecting the growing role of AI tools in trading activities.
Preheat Quest
The Preheat Quest will feature trading tasks across five arenas, with rewards available throughout the campaign.
WSOT 2026 Eligibility and Trading Rules
Bybit states that participants will not need to meet a minimum equity requirement to register. Participation remains subject to eligibility requirements, know-your-customer (KYC) checks and product appropriateness assessments.
The competition prohibits wash trading, self-trading, multiple-account abuse and collusion. Bybit says these activities will be monitored and that participants who violate the rules may be disqualified.
Professional users, market makers and institutional users are not eligible to participate.
Bybit Expands WSOT Beyond Cryptocurrency
With its multi-asset tracks and dedicated AI competition, WSOT 2026 represents an expansion of Bybit’s flagship trading event. The company aims to bring traders together across different markets while offering team-based and individual competition formats.
The maximum prize pool of 10 million USDT will depend on total trading volume, meaning the announced amount is not a guaranteed fixed payout. Participants should review the official competition rules, eligibility conditions and trading risks before registering.
Key dates by Stage
Also read – Bybit AI Adds Personalization and Long-Term Memory to Deliver Tailored Financial Insights
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