OKX

Corporate brand

A global cryptocurrency exchange and blockchain-services company offering digital-asset trading, custody, and Web3 products.

Last updated October 7, 2026

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Overview

OKX is a global cryptocurrency exchange and blockchain-services company whose principal business is the operation of a digital-asset trading platform. The company provides spot trading in cryptocurrencies and other digital assets, as well as leveraged and derivative products including futures and options. Its broader product set includes custody and wallet services, decentralized-finance access, non-fungible-token functionality, and tools for interacting with decentralized applications and blockchain networks. The business traces its origins to Okcoin, a cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2013 by Star Xu. It later developed an international exchange brand under the name OKEx, launching in Hong Kong in 2017. The OKEx identity became associated with a broadening product range that went beyond basic exchange services, including derivatives and other forms of digital-asset market infrastructure. In January 2022, the company rebranded as OKX, a shorter name intended to represent a wider ecosystem of exchange, wallet, Web3, and blockchain services rather than an exchange alone. OKX has operated across multiple jurisdictions and has adjusted its footprint in response to changing regulation. The company announced in October 2021 that it would stop serving customers in mainland China amid tightening regulatory restrictions. It subsequently pursued or obtained regulatory permissions in several other markets. In July 2022, it received a provisional virtual-asset license in Dubai. It applied for a virtual-asset license in Hong Kong in March 2023 and incorporated in France the following month, presenting Paris as a base for developing its European operations. In April 2025, the company relaunched operations in the United States and moved its headquarters to San Jose, according to the cited reference material. The company has also built a consumer-facing brand through sports, entertainment, and cultural partnerships. Its collaborations have included McLaren Racing, with a cyberpunk-themed livery used at the 2022 Singapore and Japanese Grands Prix, and Tribeca Festival, which named OKX a leading sponsor in 2022. These relationships positioned the company as a mainstream technology and lifestyle brand as well as a financial-asset platform. In early 2025, OKX partnered with Tribeca Film Festival and filmmaker Darren Aronofsky on the short film Mild Mild West. OKX's history also includes operational and regulatory controversies. In 2018, the liquidation of a heavily margined bitcoin-futures position led to a socialized clawback affecting profitable traders. In October 2020, the exchange temporarily suspended withdrawals while its founder cooperated with a police investigation; withdrawals were later scheduled to resume by late November. In March 2022, OKX rejected calls to impose a blanket ban on Russian cryptocurrency trading. These episodes illustrate the operational, compliance, and reputational risks associated with running a global digital-asset marketplace. As of the supplied reference material, OKX remains an active privately held cryptocurrency and Web3 company. Its business scope spans centralized exchange services, derivatives, wallet infrastructure, decentralized-finance access, NFT-related services, and blockchain applications. The company is internationally oriented, but its availability and product offering vary by jurisdiction because of licensing requirements, sanctions controls, and local restrictions on digital-asset activity.

History

OKX developed from Okcoin, a cryptocurrency exchange founded by Star Xu in 2013. The business initially operated under the Okcoin identity before expanding its international exchange activity under the OKEx name. OKEx launched in Hong Kong in 2017 and subsequently offered a progressively broader range of digital-asset markets, including spot products, margin trading, futures, and options. The company’s expansion occurred during a period in which cryptocurrency exchanges were seeking international customers while facing increasingly different national regulatory regimes. In June 2021, Chinese internet platforms including Baidu and Weibo reportedly blocked search terms associated with major cryptocurrency exchanges, including OKEx. In October of that year, OKX announced that it would cease serving customers in mainland China because of new regulatory restrictions. The company’s founding team moved its activities outside the mainland, while only limited outsourced personnel remained in the region. In January 2022, OKEx adopted the OKX name. The rebrand reflected a strategic effort to present the business as a broader digital-asset and Web3 ecosystem rather than only a centralized exchange. Alongside trading, OKX promoted wallet services, decentralized-finance access, non-fungible-token functions, and tools for interacting with blockchain applications. Its OKX Wallet became an important part of this expanded product identity. OKX also pursued licensing and geographic expansion. In July 2022, the company received a provisional virtual-asset license in Dubai, permitting access to certain products and services for investors in the United Arab Emirates. It applied for a virtual-asset license in Hong Kong in March 2023, shortly before the territory introduced a formal framework permitting regulated cryptocurrency trading. In April 2023, the company incorporated in France and announced plans to develop Paris as its European hub. The supplied reference material states that OKX relaunched operations in the United States in April 2025 and moved its headquarters to San Jose. Brand building has been another component of the company’s international strategy. In 2022, OKX became a leading sponsor of Tribeca Festival and received exclusivity in specified digital-asset categories at festival events. It also collaborated with McLaren Racing on a cyberpunk-inspired livery used at the 2022 Singapore and Japanese Grands Prix. In early 2025, OKX produced the short film Mild Mild West with Tribeca Film Festival and Darren Aronofsky. The company has experienced significant operational and reputational controversies. On 30 July 2018, a trader reportedly opened a bitcoin-futures position with a notional value of approximately US$416 million using margin. After the position was forcibly liquidated at a substantial loss, OKX placed 2,500 bitcoins into an insurance fund. A remaining shortfall was addressed through a socialized clawback, requiring traders who had recorded unrealized profits during the preceding week to surrender 17 percent of those gains. In October 2020, OKX suspended withdrawals while Star Xu cooperated with a police investigation. On 19 November 2020, the exchange announced that withdrawals would resume by, or before, 27 November. OKX has also taken positions on the political and regulatory questions surrounding digital assets. In March 2022, it rejected calls for a blanket prohibition on Russian cryptocurrency trading. Its current business remains dependent on jurisdiction-specific licensing, customer eligibility, sanctions compliance, and the regulatory treatment of cryptoasset trading, custody, derivatives, and decentralized-finance services.

2026
Intercontinental Exchange investment
[1]OKXen.wikipedia.org
The supplied reference material states that Intercontinental Exchange invested in OKX and that the investment implied a valuation of approximately US$25 billion.
2025
United States relaunch and San Jose headquarters
[1]OKXen.wikipedia.org
The supplied reference material states that OKX relaunched US operations and moved its headquarters to San Jose.
2023
Hong Kong license application and French incorporation
[1]OKXen.wikipedia.org
The company applied for a Hong Kong virtual-asset license and incorporated in France to support European expansion.
2022
OKEx becomes OKX
[1]OKXen.wikipedia.org
The company rebranded from OKEx to OKX as it broadened its exchange, wallet, and Web3 proposition.
2022
Dubai provisional license
[1]OKXen.wikipedia.org
OKX received a provisional virtual-asset license in Dubai for specified products and services.
2021
Mainland China service is discontinued
[1]OKXen.wikipedia.org
OKX announced that it would stop serving customers in mainland China because of regulatory changes.
2020
Withdrawals are temporarily suspended
[1]OKXen.wikipedia.org
OKX halted withdrawals while its founder cooperated with a police investigation and later announced their resumption.
2018
Leveraged futures liquidation produces a clawback
[1]OKXen.wikipedia.org
A major bitcoin-futures liquidation led to an insurance-fund contribution and a 17 percent socialized clawback on qualifying trader profits.
2017
OKEx launches in Hong Kong
[1]OKXen.wikipedia.org
The business expanded internationally under the OKEx brand and launched in Hong Kong.
2013
Okcoin is founded
[1]OKXen.wikipedia.org
Star Xu founded Okcoin, the cryptocurrency-exchange business from which OKX developed.

Products and positioning

A globally oriented digital-asset exchange and Web3 platform combining centralized trading, derivatives, wallet infrastructure, and access to decentralized applications.

Cryptocurrency exchange · 2017
OKX Exchange
The core OKX marketplace supports buying, selling, and exchanging digital assets through spot markets. Depending on jurisdiction and eligibility, users may also access margin, futures, options, and other trading products. The exchange is the successor to the OKEx platform and remains the principal centralized component of the OKX ecosystem.
Digital-asset wallet
OKX Wallet
OKX Wallet is a self-custody Web3 wallet designed to let users hold and manage digital assets and interact with blockchain applications. It extends the brand beyond exchange custody and provides an entry point to decentralized finance, NFT services, and other decentralized applications.
Blockchain and decentralized finance
OKX Web3 services
The OKX Web3 offering groups services connected with decentralized finance, non-fungible tokens, decentralized applications, and GameFi. These capabilities complement the centralized exchange by giving customers access to blockchain-based products and protocols through wallet and related infrastructure.
Financial derivatives
Digital-asset derivatives
OKX offers cryptocurrency futures and options in addition to spot trading. These products allow eligible users to obtain leveraged or hedging exposure to digital-asset prices, but they also create liquidation, insurance-fund, and market-integrity risks, as illustrated by the 2018 futures incident.

Controversies

2020
Temporary withdrawal suspension
OKX temporarily suspended withdrawals while founder Star Xu cooperated with a police investigation. The company later announced that withdrawals would reopen by late November 2020.
Source
2018
Bitcoin-futures liquidation and socialized clawback
A trader reportedly opened a bitcoin-futures position with a notional value of about US$416 million on margin. After forced liquidation, OKX added 2,500 bitcoins to its insurance fund, while traders with unrealized profits from the preceding week faced a 17 percent clawback to cover the remaining deficit.
Source

2025Mild Mild West
International
OKX produced the short film Mild Mild West with Tribeca Film Festival and Darren Aronofsky.
Outcome. Extended OKX's cultural-marketing activity into film production and storytelling.
Source
2022Tribeca Festival sponsorship
United States · International
OKX became a leading sponsor of Tribeca Festival and received category exclusivity at festival events covering NFT marketplaces, cryptocurrency exchanges, social tokens, DeFi, and GameFi.
Outcome. Expanded OKX's visibility in entertainment and culture while associating the brand with digital ownership and Web3.
Source
2022McLaren cyberpunk livery
Singapore · Japan · International motorsport audience
OKX and McLaren unveiled a cyberpunk-inspired livery that modified McLaren's Fluro Papaya color scheme for the Singapore and Japanese Grands Prix.
Outcome. Connected the exchange brand with Formula One, technology, and digital culture.
Source

Brand decisions

2026
Intercontinental Exchange investmentM&A
Background
The supplied reference material reports an investment by Intercontinental Exchange, the parent of NYSE, in OKX.
Action taken
Intercontinental Exchange invested in OKX, with the reference material stating an implied valuation of approximately US$25 billion.
Aftermath
The reported transaction would represent a major institutional validation of OKX and a significant change in its external ownership or capitalization profile.
Implied company valuation. US$25 billion (March 2026)
Source
2025
United States relaunch and headquarters relocationStrategy
Background
The supplied reference material describes a renewed US operating presence and a shift in the company's headquarters location.
Action taken
OKX relaunched operations in the United States and relocated its headquarters to San Jose.
Aftermath
The move increased the prominence of the US in OKX's operating footprint.
Source
2023
European and Hong Kong expansionStrategy
Background
OKX sought regulated access to additional financial centers as cryptocurrency licensing regimes became more formalized.
Action taken
The company applied for a Hong Kong virtual-asset license and incorporated in France, announcing plans to develop Paris as a European hub.
Aftermath
The moves strengthened OKX's stated international and European regulatory infrastructure.
Source
2022
Rebrand from OKEx to OKXStrategy
Background
The company was expanding beyond centralized exchange trading into wallets, decentralized finance, NFTs, and other Web3 services.
Action taken
OKEx adopted the shorter OKX name and presented itself as a broader digital-asset and blockchain ecosystem.
Aftermath
The new identity supported product expansion and a wider international consumer brand.
Source
2022
Continued Russian trading accessStrategy
Background
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, cryptocurrency platforms faced calls to restrict or ban Russian users and trading activity.
Action taken
OKX rejected calls for a blanket ban on Russian cryptocurrency trading.
Aftermath
The position highlighted the tension between global platform access, sanctions compliance, and political pressure.
Source
2022
Dubai regulatory expansionStrategy
Background
Dubai was developing a licensing framework for virtual-asset businesses seeking regulated regional operations.
Action taken
OKX obtained a provisional virtual-asset license allowing specified products and services for eligible UAE investors.
Aftermath
The license gave OKX a regulated foothold in the United Arab Emirates, subject to the scope and conditions of the provisional authorization.
Source
2021
Exit from mainland China customer serviceStrategy
Background
Chinese regulatory restrictions and wider limits on cryptocurrency activity affected the ability of exchanges to serve mainland customers.
Action taken
OKX announced that it would stop serving customers in mainland China and shifted its operating focus toward international markets.
Aftermath
The decision reinforced OKX's international positioning and reduced its direct mainland-China customer exposure.
Source

Recent events

Unconfirmed
OKX joint venture files with SEC to launch tokenized trading platform[2]OKX合资公司向美国SEC提交文件以推出代币化交易平台news.google.com
Reported: 2026-10-05
A joint venture associated with OKX has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as a step toward launching a tokenized trading platform, according to Reuters.
2022-01-18
OKEx announces name change to OKX[3]OKEx宣布更名为OKXindiantelevision.com
Reported: 2022-01-18
The cryptocurrency exchange announced a company-wide rebrand and a name change from OKEx to OKX, describing the change as reflecting its services beyond the exchange.
2021-09-27
Marvion announces planned hybrid-NFT launch on OKEx[4]Marvion 宣布计划在 OKEx 推出混合 NFTprnewswire.com
Reported: 2021-09-27
Marvion announced that it planned to launch hybrid-NFTs on the OKEx NFT marketplace on 5 October 2021, including limited-edition film and UK premiere NFTs.
2021-09-14
Hodlnaut and Okcoin form strategic partnership[5]Hodlnaut与Okcoin建立战略合作关系prnewswire.com
Reported: 2021-09-15
Singapore-based crypto lending platform Hodlnaut partnered with U.S. crypto exchange Okcoin. The collaboration enables users of both platforms to purchase cryptocurrencies and earn returns on their assets.
2021-07-28
Okcoin secures in-principle Malta licensing approval[6]Okcoin获得马耳他原则性许可批准prnewswire.com
Reported: 2021-07-29
Okcoin announced that it had secured in-principle approval from the Malta Financial Services Authority for a cryptocurrency license.
2021-07-28
Okcoin receives formal registration in the Netherlands[6]Okcoin获得马耳他原则性许可批准prnewswire.com
Reported: 2021-07-29
Okcoin announced that it had received formal registration from the Netherlands Central Bank for cryptocurrency services.
2021-06-24
OKExChain adds EVM compatibility[7]OKExChain新增EVM兼容性prnewswire.com
Reported: 2021-06-24
OKEx announced that OKExChain is now Ethereum Virtual Machine-compatible, enabling projects from Ethereum to be migrated to OKExChain.
2020-12-29
OKCoin announces planned XRP trading and deposit suspension[8]OKCoin宣布计划暂停XRP交易和存入finance.sina.com.cn
Reported: 2020-12-28
OKCoin announced that it would suspend XRP trading and deposits starting January 4, 2021, until further notice, citing the SEC's lawsuit against two Ripple executives.
Unconfirmed
OKEx adds additional expiry schedules to options trading[9]OKEx为期权交易新增到期周期crowdfundinsider.com
Reported: 2020-07-28
OKEx added daily, two-day-period and monthly expiration dates to its cryptocurrency options trading.
2020-07-24
OKEx lists Synthetix for spot trading[9]OKEx为期权交易新增到期周期crowdfundinsider.com
Reported: 2020-07-28
OKEx announced that it had listed Synthetix (SNX); spot trading against Bitcoin and Tether began on July 24, 2020.

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