Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, demonstrated its commitment to bridging centralized and decentralized finance at Blockchain Life 2025, the landmark Web3 and blockchain forum that concluded in Dubai with a record-breaking 16,730 attendees from 130 countries.
The Future Lies in Convergence
Emily Bao, Bybit’s Head of Spot, Founder of Byreal, and Key Advisor of Mantle, addressed the audience in a session titled “DEX vs CEX: Evolution of Exchange and New Competition,” outlining Bybit’s vision for a holistic transformation for the industry.
Highlighting complementary strengths of centralized and decentralized platforms, Emily gave an overview of the landscape and the cultural evolution among traders and institutions.
“CEXs remain the cornerstone of the crypto industry, commanding the lion’s share of active users and providing the deepest, most reliable liquidity in the market,” Emily said. “However, perceptions matter. CEXs operate within private infrastructure, while DEXs are seen as an embodiment of transparency and the open source principle that originally defined blockchain technology.”
This dichotomy, she said, presents unprecedented opportunities for innovation. Emily emphasized that the industry is witnessing a natural convergence, and the users will emerge as the ultimate winner of the best of both worlds.
“Opportunities lie at the inflection point where the boundaries between CEX and DEX are becoming increasingly fluid,” Emily said. “Users today can now access DeFi projects and protocols directly through CEXs, while simultaneously enjoying CeDeFi products on decentralized protocols.”
“I think we have many opportunities right now, and we can see this convergence between CEX and DEX. You can get access to the DeFi projects and protocols through the central exchange and also you can enjoy the kind of like CeDeFi products on DeFi protocols and projects as well,” she said.
Celebrating the Bybit Community at Blockchain Life 2025
The 15th edition of Blockchain Life solidified Dubai’s position as a global crypto hub, featuring over 160 speakers from leading organizations including Telegram, Tether, Mastercard, TRON, Sui, Ripple, and Google Cloud. At the center of over 300 side events, the main plenary sessions focused on discussions about digital assets, Web3 insights, mining strategies, and the future of decentralization.
Bybit’s presence at the two-day event extended beyond thought leadership. The company’s booth attracted over 2,000 visitors from pioneering groups and institutions, partner organizations, and tech communities in the crypto industry, with over 400 participants receiving exclusive Bybit merchandise through giveaway activities.
