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OKX Review

Pro-grade trading tools, low fees, and a serious Web3 wallet, backed by monthly proof-of-reserves.

Malta Financial Services AuthorityVARAASICFinCEN / state regulatorsFounded2017HeadquartersSeychelles (global operating entity, Aux Cayes Fintech Co. Ltd.); OKX US operates separately out of San Jose, California
4.4
Rating · / 5
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  • Maker fees are lower than most top-tier exchanges (0.08% spot base tier)
  • Deep product range: spot, futures, options, margin, and a widely-used self-custody Web3 wallet
  • Consistent monthly proof-of-reserves reporting with a long, unbroken track record
  • Pled guilty in the US to operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business and paid a ~$504M penalty (Feb 2025); now under a multi-year compliance monitor
  • US users are restricted to a separate, more limited OKX US platform with several states excluded
  • Trustpilot reviews are heavily polarized, with withdrawal delays and account-freeze complaints among the most common
Maker fee
0.08% spot/ 0.02% perpetual futures; Level 1 base tier
Taker fee
0.10% spot/ 0.05% perpetual futures; Level 1 base tier
Coins listed
300
Max leverage
up to 100xperpetual futures; varies by market and account tier
  • Fiat on/off-ramp
  • Futures
  • Staking
  • Copy trading
  • Proof of reserves

At a glance

Payment methods
  • Bank transfer
  • Card
  • P2P
  • Crypto
KYC
Mandatory
Not accepted from

Mainland China, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Cuba and other OFAC/UN-sanctioned jurisdictions; also blocks India, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Canada, Afghanistan, Nepal and Uzbekistan on the main global platform. US residents cannot use the global platform at all — they must use the separate, more limited OKX US entity, which itself excludes New York, Texas, Puerto Rico, Guam and other US territories.

Withdrawal fee
Varies by asset and networke.g. a small fixed BTC/stablecoin fee set by current network conditions; deposits are free
Native token
OKB
Insurance fund
Maintains an insurance fund for derivatives alongside mark-price liquidation and auto-deleveragingexact current fund size not independently verified

Pros

  • Maker fees are lower than most top-tier exchanges (0.08% spot base tier)
  • Deep product range: spot, futures, options, margin, and a widely-used self-custody Web3 wallet
  • Consistent monthly proof-of-reserves reporting with a long, unbroken track record
  • Broad global licensing push, including a full MiCA license in the EU and a VARA license in Dubai
  • 24/7 live chat support

Cons

  • Pled guilty in the US to operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business and paid a ~$504M penalty (Feb 2025); now under a multi-year compliance monitor
  • US users are restricted to a separate, more limited OKX US platform with several states excluded
  • Trustpilot reviews are heavily polarized, with withdrawal delays and account-freeze complaints among the most common
  • Interface and product breadth can overwhelm first-time crypto users
  • Some advanced products (options, certain leverage tiers) are unavailable or capped for users in stricter jurisdictions

Is OKX safe?

OKX is regulated by Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) — MiCA CASP authorisation, VARA (Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority) — VASP licence, ASIC (Australia) — Australian Financial Services Licence for crypto derivatives, FinCEN / state regulators (USA) — registered money services business and state money transmitter. Regulator warnings or enforcement actions on record.

2.3
Trustpilot

1,766 reviews · source

Regulator warnings or enforcement actions on record

1 enforcement actions

Enforcement actions

  • US Department of Justice2025source

    OKX's operating entity pled guilty to running an unlicensed money-transmitting business that served US customers, paying over $504 million in fines and forfeiture and accepting a multi-year compliance monitor.

What clients complain about

  • OKX's Trustpilot profile is rated Poor, with roughly six in ten reviews at one star.
  • The dominant complaints are withdrawals held during risk or compliance reviews, accounts frozen with little explanation, and promotional rewards being withdrawn or reduced after users completed the campaign tasks.
  • Reviewers also cite slow, templated support replies and tickets closed without resolution.
  • Positive reviews focus on trading speed, low fees, and the breadth of the app.

See every warning and action we have on record

What does OKX charge?

OKX charges 0.08% maker and 0.10% taker at the Regular user tier. 4 of the 4 payment methods listed take deposits free of charge.

Spot fee tiers

Tier30-day volumeMakerTaker
Regular user< €1M 30-day (or < €100K assets)0.08%0.10%
VIP 1€1M–5M 30-day (or €100K–200K assets)0.0675%0.08%
VIP 2€5M–10M 30-day (or €200K–2M assets)0.06%0.07%
VIP 3€10M–20M 30-day (or €2M–5M assets)0.055%0.065%
VIP 5€100M–200M 30-day (or €20M–50M assets)0.025%0.035%

Deposit & withdrawal fees

MethodDeposit feeWithdrawal feeProcessing time
Crypto depositFree—After required network confirmations
Crypto withdrawal (on-chain)—Fixed per-asset, per-network fee set by OKX (e.g. BTC on the Bitcoin network 0.000095 BTC at the time of checking); adjusted periodicallyTypically minutes, subject to network congestion and risk review
Bank transfer (SEPA / local rails)———
Card (Visa / Mastercard)———
OKX fees: trading, deposit, withdrawal

Security and licensing

OKX is operated globally by Aux Cayes Fintech Co. Ltd., a Seychelles-incorporated entity, alongside a growing list of regional licenses. In the EU it holds a full MiCA crypto-asset service provider (CASP) license through OKX Europe Limited, granted by Malta's MFSA in January 2025, well ahead of the July 2026 deadline for unlicensed exchanges to exit the bloc. It also holds a derivatives license from Dubai's VARA and is registered with AUSTRAC in Australia.

The exchange's regulatory history includes a serious blemish: in February 2025, OKX pled guilty in US federal court to operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, admitting it let US customers trade for years — including via VPNs — despite a policy barring them. It agreed to pay just over $504 million in fines and forfeiture and accepted a three-year compliance monitor running through 2027. OKX has since relaunched a separate, more restricted OKX US platform under the new terms.

Trading fees

OKX's base-tier (Level 1) spot fees are 0.08% maker and 0.10% taker, which undercuts many other large exchanges on the maker side. Perpetual futures and other derivatives run cheaper still at the base tier — roughly 0.02% maker and 0.05% taker — with rates falling further as 30-day trading volume or OKB token holdings increase across OKX's VIP tiers.

Deposits are free. Withdrawal fees are asset- and network-specific rather than a flat percentage — for example, a Bitcoin withdrawal or a stablecoin withdrawal on a cheaper network costs a small fixed amount set by network conditions, and OKX periodically adjusts these amounts. Holding and paying with OKB, OKX's native exchange token, unlocks fee discounts on top of volume-based tiers.

Coins and products

Coin counts vary by how you count them: OKX's core spot exchange lists in the region of 300+ tradable coins and several hundred trading pairs, while marketing materials citing 'thousands' of assets are generally counting tokens reachable through its DEX aggregator and Web3 wallet rather than the centralized exchange order book. Beyond spot, OKX offers futures, perpetual swaps, options, margin trading, and a Convert tool for simple swaps.

OKB is OKX's native token, used for trading fee discounts, VIP tier perks, and as the gas token on OKX's own Ethereum layer-2 network, X Layer. OKX also runs an active staking and earn section, and supports copy trading for users who want to follow other traders' positions.

Proof of reserves and fund safety

OKX has published dozens of consecutive monthly proof-of-reserves reports, one of the longer unbroken track records among major exchanges. Recent reports have shown reserve ratios comfortably above 100% for major assets like BTC, ETH, USDT, and USDC, with OKX stating that the large majority of user assets are held in offline cold storage.

Derivatives trading is backstopped by mark-price liquidation and an insurance fund with auto-deleveraging as a last resort; specific insurance fund size figures are not consistently published, so exact numbers should be checked on OKX's own risk pages before relying on them. OKX's public security record shows no large-scale exchange hack of user funds, though it has disclosed smaller incidents — including a 2024 case where a small number of accounts were compromised via forged identity documents, with affected users compensated.

Deposits and withdrawals

Funding options depend on region but generally include direct crypto deposits, bank transfer, card purchases, and P2P trading where users buy crypto from other users using local payment methods — useful in regions with limited direct banking rails. Fiat support varies significantly by country and is more limited for OKX US than for the global platform.

Withdrawals require completed identity verification and are subject to OKX's own risk controls, which several Trustpilot reviewers describe as a source of delays — accounts placed under review, extra document requests, or, in a minority of disputed cases, extended holds. This is worth weighing against OKX's compliance overhaul following its 2025 US settlement, which has tightened these controls further.

Support

OKX offers 24/7 live chat and a ticket-based help center covering account, deposit, and withdrawal issues, with OKX stating typical ticket responses within roughly 24 hours. Phone support is limited: outside of a California-specific line, most regions only get a voicemail callback option rather than direct phone support.

Trustpilot sentiment is sharply split — a large share of reviews are five-star, but a large share are also one-star, concentrated on withdrawal delays and frozen-account complaints, versus much stronger average ratings on the Apple App Store and Google Play. Treat any single review source with some caution and expect variable resolution times for account-specific disputes.

Who is it for

OKX suits active and intermediate-to-advanced traders who want low base fees, deep derivatives markets, and native access to Web3/DeFi without leaving the app. Its VIP and OKB fee-discount structure rewards higher-volume traders, and its long proof-of-reserves history appeals to users who weigh custodial risk carefully.

It's a weaker fit for complete beginners who want the simplest possible interface, for anyone in the United States wanting the full global product suite, and for risk-averse users who want zero regulatory history to research — the 2025 US settlement is a legitimate factor to weigh, even though it resulted in a formal resolution and an ongoing compliance overhaul rather than an ongoing legal problem.

How to open an account

OKX

Before you apply

Verification time
Basic identity verification often completes within minutes to a few hours; enhanced/institutional verification can take longer
Minimum age
18+
Documents required
Government-issued photo ID (passport, national ID, or driver's license) plus a live selfie; proof of address may be requested for higher verification levels

KYC is mandatory before deposits/withdrawals are unlocked at most tiers. OKX operates a three-year AML/KYC compliance monitorship (through 2027) agreed with the US Department of Justice.

  1. 1.

    Create your account

    Sign up with an email or phone number at okx.com and set a password; a referral code is optional.

  2. 2.

    Complete identity verification

    Submit a government ID and a selfie to unlock deposits, withdrawals, and higher trading limits.

  3. 3.

    Fund your account

    Deposit crypto directly, or use bank transfer, card, or P2P trading depending on your region.

  4. 4.

    Choose a product

    Trade spot, use the Convert tool for simple swaps, or move into futures/margin once you're comfortable with the fee schedule and leverage risk.

  5. 5.

    Turn on security features

    Enable 2FA (authenticator app or hardware key) and set an anti-phishing code before trading any meaningful balance.

  6. 6.

    Explore Web3 tools

    Optionally connect the OKX Wallet for DeFi, NFTs, and on-chain trading directly from the same app.

Good to know before you start

Why you have to verify your identity

Why you have to verify your identity

Every regulated broker and exchange must confirm who you are before you can trade or withdraw. Expect to upload a passport or national ID and a proof of address under three months old (utility bill or bank statement). Most platforms approve documents within a few hours; a mismatch between your ID and the name on your payment method is the most common reason for delays.

How funding your account works

How funding your account works

Deposits by card or e-wallet usually land within minutes; bank wires take one to three business days and may carry a fee from your bank. Withdrawals go back to the method you deposited with, which is an anti-money-laundering rule rather than a platform choice. Start with the minimum, confirm a small withdrawal works, then scale up.

What to expect on your first trade

What to expect on your first trade

Open a demo account first if the platform offers one, then place a small live trade on a liquid market such as EUR/USD or BTC/USD. Check the spread, the commission and the swap before you confirm. Set a stop-loss on every position — losing a small amount quickly is the cheapest lesson in trading.

About the company

Parent company
Aux Cayes Fintech Co. Ltd. (OK Group)
Founded
2017
Headquarters
Seychelles (global operating entity, Aux Cayes Fintech Co. Ltd.); OKX US operates separately out of San Jose, California
Countries served
Over 100 countries

Contact & support

Support hours
24/7 live chat and support tickets; California phone line Mon–Fri 8 AM–6 PM PT
Live chat
Yes
Languages
Live chat and help center available in multiple languages; the site and app are localised in 21 languages including English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Czech, Romanian, Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish, Arabic, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish
Address
One Sansome Street, Suite 1400 PMB 6005, San Francisco, CA 94104, USA (OKX Inc., US entity); One Central, Dubai, UAE (OKX Middle East Fintech FZE)

Frequently asked questions

Is OKX safe to use?

OKX publishes monthly proof-of-reserves reports showing reserve ratios above 100% for major assets and says the large majority of user funds are held in cold storage. It has no history of a major exchange-wide hack, though it has disclosed smaller account-compromise incidents and settled a serious US regulatory case in 2025.

Can US residents use OKX?

Not the global platform. US residents must use the separate OKX US entity, which offers a narrower product set and excludes some states and territories, including New York and Texas.

What are OKX's trading fees?

Base-tier spot fees are 0.08% maker and 0.10% taker; perpetual futures are cheaper at roughly 0.02% maker and 0.05% taker. Fees drop further with trading volume or by holding OKB.

What happened with OKX and the US Department of Justice?

In February 2025, OKX's operating entity pled guilty to running an unlicensed money-transmitting business in the US and agreed to pay just over $504 million in fines and forfeiture, plus a three-year compliance monitor.

How many cryptocurrencies does OKX support?

The core exchange lists in the region of 300+ tradable coins; figures in the thousands typically refer to tokens accessible through OKX's DEX aggregator and Web3 wallet, not the main spot order book.

Does OKX have its own token?

Yes, OKB. It gives fee discounts and VIP perks on the exchange and is the gas token for OKX's layer-2 network, X Layer.

How do I contact OKX support?

24/7 live chat is the fastest route. There's also a help-center ticket system for account, deposit, and withdrawal issues; direct phone support is limited to specific regions.

Sources

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  7. 7theblock.co
  8. 8coinnews.com
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  10. 10okx.com
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  13. 13coinperps.com
  14. 14okx.com
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  16. 16coinmarketcap.com
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