OKX review: is the exchange plus self-custody wallet the better app for active traders?
OKX pairs a centralised exchange, spot fees from 0.08% maker, with a separate self-custody wallet covering 130+ chains. We looked at fees, proof of reserves and the 2025 US settlement to see who it fits.
7.9/10
OKX is a capable all-in-one app for active traders: deep markets, tiered fees from 0.08% maker, copy trading and a separate non-custodial wallet with a built-in DEX aggregator. Reserve proofs are published monthly. The negatives are a $505 million US settlement over anti-money-laundering failures in 2025, unavailability in the US, and uneven support. Active non-US traders fit; anyone wanting simple, US-regulated custody should look elsewhere.
Best for
Active non-US traders who want an exchange and a self-custody wallet
Spot fees from 0.08% maker and 0.10% taker, lower at VIP tiers or when paying in OKB
Separate OKX Wallet with self-custody across 130+ chains and a DEX aggregator
Monthly proof of reserves using zk-STARKs that users can verify themselves
Copy trading, trading bots and a wide set of markets in one app
Holds a MiCA licence in the EU, granted in January 2025
What does not
Pleaded guilty to US anti-money-laundering violations in February 2025 and paid $505 million
Not available to US residents beyond a limited, separate OKX US version
Card and third-party fiat on-ramps can cost 3% to 5%
Support quality varies by region, per independent reviewers
The exchange account is custodial, so your funds sit with OKX unless moved to the wallet
Specs
Spot maker fee (base)
0.08%
Spot taker fee (base)
0.10%
Fee discount
Further 25% off when paying with OKB (third-party figure)
Listed coins
About 300 coins, 688 trading pairs (third-party count)
Wallet chains
130+
Proof of reserves
Monthly, zk-STARK based
Withdrawal fee
Network fee only (about $1 for BTC per reviewers)
EU licence
MiCA (January 2025)
US availability
Not available; limited OKX US product
Copy trading
Yes
Legal history
$505M US DOJ settlement (February 2025)
OKX is really two products with one logo. One is a centralised exchange where you trade against an order book and OKX holds the coins. The other is a wallet where you keep the keys and OKX holds nothing. Whether that pairing beats a plain exchange depends on how you trade, and on how you feel about the company's legal past.
The exchange: cheap, deep and tiered
The fee page explains that users fall into regular and VIP levels, set by deposited assets or 30-day trading volume, and that "a user's level determines" the rate. The base spot schedule reported by independent reviewers is 0.08% maker and 0.10% taker, dropping with volume and with OKB held to pay fees.
okx.com
OKX's trading fee page, which explains how assets and volume set your fee level.
For perspective, that base schedule is slightly cheaper than most retail-facing apps, and it stays in the middle against fee-focused exchanges like Kraken Pro. The bigger saving for an active trader comes from crossing a volume tier. The bigger drag comes from on-ramps: buying with a card through a third party can cost 3% to 5%, which erases months of fee savings on a single purchase.
Coin coverage is wide. One independent count lists roughly 300 coins across 688 trading pairs. Withdrawal fees are network costs only, with reviewers quoting about $1 for Bitcoin and $5 to $8 for Ether.
The wallet: the reason to choose OKX over a plain exchange
The OKX Wallet is separate from your exchange account. The page promises "one crypto wallet, 130+ native chains", with portfolio tracking, a market view and a swap aggregator that routes trades across DEXs. You keep the seed phrase, so OKX cannot freeze or lose the coins. The aggregator can add an interface fee of up to 0.5% on top of pool fees and slippage, per independent reviews.
okx.com
OKX Wallet's landing page, advertising 130+ native chains in a single self-custody wallet.
That gives an active trader a sensible split: trade on the exchange, then move what you plan to hold into self-custody in the same app family. It is convenient, but self-custody moves the risk to you. Lose the seed phrase and nobody can help.
Security and proof of reserves
OKX's security page describes hot and cold wallet systems with multiple approvals and backups. More useful is the monthly proof of reserves, built on zk-STARKs and Merkle trees, which reviewers say users can download and check on their own machine. It shows assets against customer balances at a point in time. It does not show the company's liabilities outside customer accounts, so treat it as a signal, not a guarantee.
okx.com
OKX's wallet security page, headed 'Protecting your assets'.
The settlement you should know about
In February 2025 OKX pleaded guilty to US anti-money-laundering violations and agreed to pay $505 million. The company is not available to US residents except through a separate, limited product. In Europe it obtained a MiCA licence in January 2025. A settlement does not mean your funds are at risk, but it shows compliance was once weak. Some readers will rule it out on principle, and that is a fair call.
Copy trading and extras
OKX also runs a copy trading marketplace and trading bots, which suit people who want less screen time. Copying a strong recent record does not predict the next month, so size positions as if the lead trader can be wrong.
okx.com
OKX's copy trading page, with lead trader statistics in view.
How it compares with Coinbase and Kraken
Coinbase's easy app charges more for simplicity, and Kraken Pro is the cheaper, more conservative pick for trading Bitcoin against dollars, with a clean US-facing record. OKX goes the other way: more products, more chains, more derivatives and a bigger regulatory footnote. The right question is not which is best but which risk you prefer. An active trader who rotates across many altcoins and on-chain tokens will use OKX's breadth daily. Someone who buys twice a year will never touch it.
It also helps to decide in advance how much stays on the exchange. Keep trading capital there, and move long-term holdings to a wallet whose keys you control.
Who fits, who should skip
OKX fits a non-US trader who moves between spot, derivatives and on-chain swaps and wants one login. It does not fit a beginner who just wants to buy Bitcoin once, a US resident, or anyone who weights regulatory history above features.
Verdict
OKX earns 7.9: strong tools and fees, marred by its legal record and geographic limits.
Crypto prices can fall sharply and you can lose all you put in. This review summarises published terms and is general information, not personal advice.
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