This episode of The New Money Podcast features Georg Harer, Managing Director and Head of Legal & Compliance at Bybit EU. Georg traces his path from big-law M&A to building Bybit’s Vienna headquarters and securing a MiCA license in under a year. He shares how Bybit’s culture of transparency and fast execution shaped its response to a major security incident and informs its approach to client asset protection and proof of reserves. The conversation dives into localization for European users, navigating Asian–European team dynamics, and the realities of banking access for regulated crypto firms. It also explores why Austria is emerging as a serious crypto hub and how MiCA’s passporting transforms the scale of opportunity. A timely blueprint for compliant expansion in Europe and what it takes to win in the MiCA era.

Key Chapters

00:00 Inside Bybit’s Vienna crypto hub

03:01 From law to crypto operator

07:22 Balancing risk and speed

11:12 Building a transparent crypto culture

14:48 Navigating global team cultures

17:54 Localizing Bybit for Europe

19:52 Why Vienna is becoming a crypto hub

23:37 Licensing, security, and proof of reserves

26:53 Austria's path and industry collaboration

30:38 Quickfire Insights on Fintech and Crypto Trends

This is NOT financial, tax, or legal advice

Music by Marcelo Cataldo - http://www.marcelocataldo.com