Key Takeaways:
Bybit will list the CHIP token on its spot trading platform, adding a key venue for the governance token of a DeFi lending protocol that uses real-world graphics processing units (GPUs) as collateral. The move follows a similar listing announcement from South Korean exchange Upbit, signaling growing interest in projects that connect physical AI infrastructure with decentralized finance.
"Bybit will list the CHIP token on its spot trading platform," the exchange officially announced, confirming the upcoming launch. The listing provides a major liquidity source for the token, which is described as part of "a dollar protocol that provides interest rates for AI." The news comes as Upbit prepares to launch CHIP trading against KRW, BTC, and USDT pairs on April 21, 2026, at 22:00 KST, according to a public notice.
The core function of the protocol is to allow owners of high-demand GPU hardware, essential for training AI models, to use it as collateral for borrowing. This aims to create a new financing channel for AI infrastructure, a sector that has seen surging demand, benefiting companies like Micron Technology (MU) and Comfort Systems (FIX), which are up 59% and 77% respectively in 2026. A prediction market on Polymarket asks whether CHIP’s fully diluted valuation (FDV) will exceed $300 million one day after its launch, though no trades have been recorded as of yet.
The dual listings on Bybit and Upbit are critical for CHIP's valuation trajectory. The South Korean market is particularly significant, as the country's forthcoming “Digital Asset Basic Law,” expected in 2026, may restrict foreign stablecoins and increase the relevance of protocols with local ties. With Binance also adding CHIP to its pre-market perpetual futures, traders will be closely watching if the combined exchange exposure generates enough buying pressure to push the FDV past the $300 million mark within 24 hours of the Upbit launch.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
