OKX company
Overview
OKX is a global cryptocurrency exchange and blockchain services company offering digital asset trading, DeFi access through its Web3 wallet, and an NFT marketplace. It was founded by Star Xu in 2013 as OKCoin, became OKEx in 2017, and rebranded to OKX in January 2022. Its regulatory history is central to understanding the business: on 24 February 2025 the exchange's operating entity pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court to a single felony count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, agreeing to pay over $500 million — $420.3 million in criminal forfeiture representing fees earned from US customers, plus an $84.4 million criminal fine — and accepting a three-year compliance monitor running to 2027. The DOJ said that from roughly 2018 to at least early 2024 OKX served US retail and institutional customers who transacted over $1 trillion, and facilitated more than $5 billion in suspicious transactions and criminal proceeds. OKX relaunched US operations about two months after the settlement and moved its headquarters to San Jose, California in April 2025. It holds licences in Dubai (2022) and Hong Kong (2023) and expanded into France in 2023. In March 2026 NYSE parent Intercontinental Exchange invested in OKX at a $25 billion valuation. Founded as OKCoin in 2013 by Star Xu, renamed OKEx in 2017 and OKX in January 2022. It obtained licences in Dubai (2022) and Hong Kong (2023) and entered France in 2023. On 24 February 2025 it pleaded guilty to operating an unlicensed money transmitting business and paid over $500 million, then relaunched in the US and relocated its headquarters to San Jose in April 2025. Intercontinental Exchange invested in March 2026 at a $25 billion valuation.
Within the DeFi Intel graph, OKX connects to 14 tracked entities, most strongly to MAS, Binance, Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (Dubai).
Relations
Top connections in the DeFi Intel knowledge graph (confidence-weighted, 10 of 14 total).
| Relation | Connected entity | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
regulated_by | MAS | 95% |
competes-with | Binance | 95% |
regulated_by | Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (Dubai) | 95% |
regulated_by | Malta Financial Services Authority | 95% |
holds_license | VARA VASP licence — OKX Middle East | 95% |
holds_license | MAS MPI (DPT) — OKX SG | 95% |
holds_license | OKX Europe MiCA CASP Authorisation (Malta) | 95% |
regulated_by | Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority | 90% |
holds_license | OKX VARA VASP Licence | 90% |
subsidiary_of | OKX Wallet | 90% |
Frequently asked questions
What is OKX?
OKX is an exchange tracked in the DeFi Intel knowledge graph. It is connected to 14 other tracked entities, most strongly to MAS, Binance, Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (Dubai).
What type of entity is OKX?
OKX is classified as an exchange (company) in the DeFi Intel knowledge graph.
What is OKX connected to?
In the DeFi Intel knowledge graph, OKX is linked to 14 other tracked entities, most strongly to MAS, Binance, Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (Dubai).
Live news feed, full graph, and search.