Bybit Launches Pre-IPO Contracts for Unitree and Moonshot AI

Dubai-based crypto exchange crypto exchange Bybit has launched pre-IPO perpetual contracts tied to Chinese robotics firm Unitree and artificial intelligence startup Moonshot AI, expanding its push into private-market trading.

The USDT-denominated and settled contracts give traders price exposure without ownership of the underlying shares. Bybit said its TradFi perpetuals lineup has grown to more than 200 products since launching in April, spanning equities, ETFs, commodities, indices and pre-IPO companies.

Unitree received approval from China’s securities regulator in July for an initial public offering on Shanghai’s STAR Market. The perpetual gives traders exposure to the robotics company before its shares begin trading publicly.

The launch follows a broader push by crypto exchanges into private-market products. Binance, Coinbase, Kraken and others rolled out SpaceX-linked contracts ahead of the company’s June listing, offering pre-IPO exposure through crypto-native derivatives.

The private-market push comes as onchain equities are gaining traction. RWA.xyz data shows tokenized stocks have reached $2.38 billion in distributed value and 1.31 million holders, with the latter up 123.62% over the past 30 days.