In a significant milestone for the digital asset industry, OKX—formerly known as OKEx—has emerged as the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by spot trading volume. More than just a trading platform, OKX has rebranded to reflect its evolution into a comprehensive cross-chain and cross-platform Web3 service provider, offering advanced tools for crypto investment, decentralized finance (DeFi), and non-fungible token (NFT) exploration.
Founded in 2017, OKX has grown rapidly to serve over 20 million users across 180 countries. The platform’s transformation underscores the accelerating adoption of blockchain technology and the growing demand for integrated financial solutions beyond simple crypto trading. With its new identity, OKX emphasizes accessibility, decentralization, and user empowerment in the rapidly evolving digital economy.
Expanding Beyond Traditional Exchange Services
While OKX remains a leader in crypto derivatives trading—consistently ranking first in futures trading volume—it has recently climbed to second place globally in spot trading. In 2021 alone, the platform saw total trading volume grow by over 700%, with transaction counts increasing by more than 480%. These figures highlight both rising market participation and OKX’s ability to scale securely and efficiently.
But OKX is no longer just about trading. The platform now offers a full suite of wealth-building tools designed for both novice and experienced users:
- OKX Earn: A passive income solution allowing users to earn yield through staking, savings products, and DeFi protocols.
- NFT Marketplace: A curated space for discovering, buying, and selling digital collectibles.
- MetaX: A new decentralized gateway featuring a cross-chain dashboard and a self-custody Web3 wallet for managing digital assets, including NFTs.
This expansion reflects a strategic shift from being solely an exchange to becoming a holistic gateway into the decentralized future.
👉 Discover how OKX empowers users with seamless access to crypto, DeFi, and NFTs.
A Mission Rooted in Decentralization
At the heart of OKX’s rebranding is a clear mission: “To remove barriers to wealth creation by giving you access to everything held within our decentralized future.” This vision aligns with the core principles of blockchain—decentralization, autonomy, and user sovereignty.
Unlike traditional centralized exchanges where the platform holds custody of user funds, OKX is actively working to reduce its role as an intermediary. Through tools like MetaX and its self-custody wallet, users can retain full control over their private keys and digital assets. The company aims to eventually transition toward a fully decentralized model, enabling peer-to-peer transactions without reliance on central oversight.
Jay Hao, CEO of OKX, emphasized this shift:
“We’re moving beyond the standard centralized exchange model to deliver an end-to-end crypto experience. Most importantly, we remain committed to the foundational ideals of crypto—decentralization and self-governance. Our goal is to equip users with the tools they need to earn, transfer, and use their wealth freely and securely—without us acting as middlemen. We dropped the 'E' from our name because we’re no longer just an exchange. Just like crypto is more than just a speculative asset.”
Comprehensive Product Ecosystem for Modern Investors
OKX supports over 250 digital assets, providing deep liquidity and advanced trading options across spot, margin, and derivatives markets. But its innovation extends far beyond trading engines.
Passive Income with OKX Earn
The OKX Earn platform has attracted over $5.1 billion in user deposits across staking, flexible savings, and DeFi yield products. In the past year alone, it has distributed more than $314 million in passive income to users—demonstrating the growing appeal of earning while holding crypto.
NFTs and Digital Ownership
As digital ownership gains mainstream traction, OKX’s NFT marketplace enables creators and collectors to engage in a secure, low-fee environment. Integrated directly into the user wallet, the marketplace simplifies discovery and ownership verification across multiple blockchains.
Web3 Gateway: MetaX
MetaX represents OKX’s bold step into the decentralized internet. Featuring a cross-chain dashboard and built-in DApp browser, MetaX allows users to explore decentralized applications seamlessly. Its self-custody wallet ensures that users maintain full ownership of their assets at all times—a critical feature in an era of rising security concerns.
👉 Explore how MetaX is redefining access to decentralized apps and cross-chain assets.
Core Keywords Driving Visibility
To ensure strong search engine performance and alignment with user intent, key terms naturally integrated throughout this article include:
- crypto exchange
- Web3 service provider
- decentralized finance (DeFi)
- NFT marketplace
- self-custody wallet
- passive income crypto
- cross-chain dashboard
- OKX Earn
These keywords reflect high-intent search queries and position OKX at the intersection of innovation and accessibility in the blockchain space.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What makes OKX different from other crypto exchanges?
A: OKX goes beyond trading by offering integrated tools for earning yield (OKX Earn), exploring NFTs, using DeFi apps, and managing assets via a self-custody Web3 wallet—all within a single ecosystem.
Q: Is OKX a centralized or decentralized exchange?
A: While OKX operates as a centralized exchange for trading purposes, it actively promotes decentralization through products like MetaX and its self-custody wallet, giving users control over their assets.
Q: How does OKX support passive income generation?
A: Through OKX Earn, users can stake cryptocurrencies or deposit funds into flexible savings accounts to earn competitive yields across various DeFi and traditional crypto products.
Q: Can I use OKX if I’m new to crypto?
A: Yes. OKX offers intuitive interfaces, educational resources, and tiered security features suitable for beginners while still providing advanced tools for experienced traders.
Q: What is MetaX and why does it matter?
A: MetaX is OKX’s decentralized gateway that includes a cross-chain dashboard and Web3 wallet. It enables seamless interaction with DApps across multiple blockchains while ensuring users retain full control of their private keys.
Q: Does OKX plan to become fully decentralized?
A: While still operating core exchange functions centrally, OKX is progressively reducing its role as an intermediary and investing heavily in decentralized infrastructure with the long-term goal of greater user autonomy.
With its rebranding and product expansion, OKX is not just adapting to the future of finance—it's helping build it. By combining powerful trading capabilities with decentralized access and user-first design, OKX is positioning itself as a leading force in the global Web3 revolution.
👉 Start your journey into crypto, DeFi, and Web3 with a platform built for the future.