The next phase of global finance will be built on tokenized infrastructure that operates continuously across borders, according to Ben Zhou, Co-founder and CEO of Bybit.

Speaking at the 2026 Goldman Sachs Asia Pacific FinTech Conference during a fireside chat titled "In Conversation with Bybit: Building the New Financial Platform," moderated by Ken Tang, Head of FIG China & Digital Assets Coverage in Asia, Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs, Ben shared his view that tokenization, stablecoins, and AI-driven financial systems are accelerating the convergence between traditional capital markets and blockchain infrastructure.

"The current financial system is still constrained by geography, operating hours, intermediaries, and settlement delays," Ben said. "Tokenization allows financial assets to move within a more connected and efficient global network."

During the discussion, Ben described how the digital assetindustry is evolving beyond trading-focused platforms toward broader financial infrastructure that combines payments, trading, collateral management, yield products, and tokenized real-world assets within a unified ecosystem.

"The competition is no longer just about product speed," Ben said. "Compliance, licensing, institutional trust, and global distribution capability are becoming the real differentiators for this industry."

Ben noted that Bybit's long-term strategy centers on building infrastructure that can support both institutional and retail participation in tokenized financial markets. This includes the expansion of tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), such as equities and commodities, designed to improve accessibility and capital mobility across markets.

"We believe many traditional financial assets will eventually become tokenized," Ben said. "Once assets move on-chain, they become more transferable, more interoperable, and more efficient to use across settlement, collateral, and treasury systems."

The conversation also focused on the growing role of stablecoins in global payments and settlement infrastructure. Through initiatives such as MyBank and broader fiat connectivity efforts, Bybit is working to bridge traditional banking systems with blockchain-native liquidity rails.

"Stablecoins are becoming an important layer for global value transfer and settlement," Ben said. "Over time, much of this infrastructure may become invisible to end users, similar to how internet protocols operate today behind modern applications."

Addressing institutional adoption, Ben emphasized the importance of combining blockchain efficiency with institutional-grade governance and controls. He highlighted Bybit's ongoing investments in regulated custody frameworks, enhanced cold wallet and HSM security systems, compliance monitoring, and risk segregation capabilities.

"Institutional adoption depends on trust, governance, and operational resilience," Ben said. "The platforms that succeed long term will be the ones that can combine innovation with strong risk management and regulatory alignment."

Ben also discussed the growing convergence of AI and blockchain infrastructure, particularly as financial systems become increasingly programmable. He noted that AI agents are expected to play a larger role in trading, treasury management, and liquidity operations over time, while stressing the importance of permission controls and oversight frameworks.

"AI and blockchain naturally complement each other," Ben said. "Financial systems are becoming more programmable, but institutional adoption will require clear governance and risk management standards."

Bybit's participation at the Goldman Sachs Asia Pacific FinTech Conference reflects the company's continued focus on institutional engagement and the development of compliant infrastructure for the next generation of global financial markets.