What Okcoin was
Okcoin was a cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2013 in China by Star Xu, the same entrepreneur who in 2017 launched OKEx, which later became OKX. Following the crackdown by the Chinese authorities, in September 2017 it announced that it would stop trading between yuan and cryptocurrencies by 31 October that year. In that same year, 2017, it established itself in the United States, where the company Okcoin USA, Inc. came to serve customers in 41 states with buying and selling of cryptocurrencies in dollars, trading and OTC services. In Europe the operator was the Maltese company Okcoin Europe Ltd, with a Class 4 VFA licence from the Maltese authority MFSA since 2021 and a registration with the Dutch central bank. (Verified: October 2026)
Regulation and licences
(Verified: October 2026)
- MiCA: YES, under the OKX brand — The European company that ran Okcoin has been authorised as a crypto-asset service provider by the Maltese MFSA since 27 January 2025, with passporting across the entire European Economic Area. In the ESMA register it appears as OKX Europe Limited (LEI 54930069NLWEIGLHXU42); according to the GLEIF register it is the same company that was called Okcoin Europe Ltd, renamed on 31 October 2025. Details in the OKX profile.
- United States: in September 2024 OKX's chief marketing officer stated that Okcoin's licences could be transferred to the OKX-branded US platform, which was then launched in April 2025.
- There are no warnings or blocking orders from CONSOB (Italy's securities regulator) concerning the Okcoin name.
Security
There are no cyberattacks on the platform on record involving the theft of customer funds (Verified: October 2026). The documented episodes concern continuity of service: on 5 November 2015 OKCoin suspended some services after what was described as a cyberattack, and for a few hours users could neither deposit nor withdraw; on 13 March 2023, after the failure of Signature Bank, its main bank for dollars, the US platform temporarily suspended dollar deposits.
Headquarters and contacts
- United States: Okcoin USA, Inc. (NMLS no. 1767779), according to the okcoin.com website (October 2026).
- European Union: OKX Europe Limited, formerly Okcoin Europe Ltd (Maltese registration number C 88193 according to GLEIF), Piazzetta Business Plaza, Triq Ghar il-Lembi, Sliema, Malta (ESMA register, October 2026).
- Website: the www.okcoin.com home page shows the notice about the switch to OKX.
Alternatives
- OKX — the brand that replaced Okcoin; MiCA licence from Malta (January 2025)
- Kraken — MiCA licence from Ireland (June 2025)
- Bitstamp — MiCA licence from Luxembourg (May 2025)
FAQ
Does Okcoin still exist? No, not as a brand: between 2023 and 2025 the group replaced it with OKX in Europe and the United States. The www.okcoin.com home page shows the notice about the switch (Verified: October 2026).
What is the difference between Okcoin and OKX? They were two platforms of the same group founded by Star Xu: Okcoin, launched in 2013, and OKEx, launched in 2017, which became OKX. Between 2023 and 2025, in Europe and the United States, Okcoin was merged into OKX.
Can former Okcoin customers withdraw their funds? According to the notice published on www.okcoin.com, existing customers can access their balance and withdraw at any time; in the United States OKX began moving users to its own platform in 2025 (Verified: October 2026).
Verified sources
- https://www.okcoin.com/
- https://www.esma.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-12/CASPS.csv
- https://api.gleif.org/api/v1/lei-records/54930069NLWEIGLHXU42
- https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/okx-announces-malta-as-mica-hub-in-eu-302199636
- https://cointelegraph.com/news/crypto-ok-group-cancels-okcoin-brand
- https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/okx-unveils-european-expansion-plan-with-ok
- https://decrypt.co/250432/okx-relaunch-us-exchange-new-app
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/okx-launches-u-exchange-self-193049556.html
