Belarus crypto ban tightens as Bybit, OKX, Bitget blocked

Local traders are reporting fresh disruption after a recent Belarus crypto ban move hit access to major trading platforms in the country.

Belarus blocks access to major crypto exchanges

On December 10, authorities in the Republic of Belarus added the websites of several cryptocurrency exchanges to the national restricted access list, including Bybit, OKX, and Bitget. The decision, which effectively blocks local access to these platforms, has raised concerns among retail traders and professional market participants.

According to the Republican Unitary Enterprise for Supervision of Telecommunications (BelGIE), the platforms were placed on the official stop list based on an order from the Ministry of Information of Belarus. However, the regulator did not publish detailed reasoning behind the move, leaving the market to speculate about the motives and potential duration of the restrictions.

How the restrictions affect Belarusian users

Local outlet Zerkalo reports that users across Belarus have encountered widespread access issues when trying to reach the affected exchanges. Moreover, traders have started to complain in thematic chats and community groups that they can no longer log in or execute trades through standard internet connections provided by domestic ISPs.

When attempting to access Bybit, clients of the state-owned internet provider Beltelecom are shown a standard warning page. The beltelecom access message reads: “Access to the information resource is restricted based on a decision by the authorized body of the Republic of Belarus.” This text confirms that the blocking is not a technical failure but a deliberate administrative action.

That said, it remains unclear whether the current measures represent a targeted enforcement episode or part of a wider belarus internet censorship trend affecting financial and trading services. Some users are reportedly testing workarounds such as VPNs, although these methods carry legal and security risks in tightly regulated jurisdictions.

Regulatory silence and previous complaints on Belarus crypto ban

So far, the Belarusian authorities have not publicly commented on the decision to restrict access to Bybit, OKX, and Bitget. Strategy from the exchanges has also been muted, with no immediate, detailed statements about the disruption for local account holders. However, market observers note that such unilateral access blocks can damage user confidence in both domestic regulation and international platforms.

The latest move follows earlier complaints in November, when Belarusians and Russians reported account blocks on Bybit EU and Revolut. Moreover, those earlier incidents already triggered debate about crypto exchanges blocked for users from certain jurisdictions, especially where sanctions and financial surveillance frameworks are tightening.

In that context, the current Nelarus crypto ban narrative is gaining traction among regional analysts, even though no formal, comprehensive prohibition on all digital asset activity has been announced. Instead, the focus appears to be on restricting access to specific foreign trading platforms that are widely used by local investors.

Implications for Bybit, OKX and Bitget users for the Belarus crypto ban

For now, affected users in Belarus must contend with the fact that Bybit access restricted, OKX access blocked, and Bitget access restricted issues can disrupt trading strategies, withdrawals, and portfolio management. That said, on-chain activity and assets stored in self-custody wallets remain outside the direct reach of local internet access controls.

However, the combination of internet-layer blocks, possible future financial restrictions, and opaque decision-making by the Ministry of Information may push more users toward decentralized platforms or cross-border solutions. As a result, this episode could further fragment the regional crypto market while intensifying scrutiny of centralized exchanges operating in Eastern Europe.

In summary, Belarus has escalated its pressure on centralized trading venues by adding Bybit, OKX, and Bitget to the national stop list on December 10, and the lack of official explanation leaves users and platforms facing heightened uncertainty.