OKX
Okcoin Europe Ltd · MT · 8 countries served
Okcoin Europe Ltd is OKX's Malta-registered EU entity with an MFSA MiCA CASP licence (January 2025) - the first global exchange to obtain MiCA. 350+ cryptocurrencies, lowest maker/taker fees in the MiCA space (0.08%/0.10%). In 2025 the company faced a US DOJ $504M fine and a Malta FIAU €1.1M AML penalty.
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Fees
| Spot maker | 0.08% |
| Spot taker | 0.10% |
| SEPA deposit | Free |
| Card deposit | 1.99% |
| SEPA withdrawal | Free |
| Crypto withdrawal (avg) | €0.00 |
Features
- ✓SEPA transfers
- −Bank ID support
- ✓Mobile app
- ✓Two-factor authentication
- ✓Cold storage custody
- ✓Proof of Reserves
- ✓Derivatives (futures/perp)
- ✓350+ crypto trading pairs
Supported fiat currencies: EUR, USD, GBP
Pros
- ✓MFSA MiCA CASP licence - first global exchange with MiCA (January 2025)
- ✓Lowest maker/taker fees in the MiCA space (0.08%/0.10%)
- ✓Monthly Proof of Reserves - publicly published
- ✓350+ cryptocurrencies including broad derivatives offering
- ✓ICE (NYSE parent) investment - $25B valuation (March 2026)
- ✓Malta PI licence for stablecoin services (2026)
Cons
- ✗US DOJ $504M fine in 2025 - systematic AML failures over 7+ years
- ✗Malta FIAU €1.1M fine in 2025 - AML violations from 2023
- ✗DEX aggregator used by Lazarus Group (North Korea) for money laundering 2025
- ✗English-only interface - no Baltic or Nordic language support
- ✗Parent company in Seychelles - regulatory distance
- ✗Complex interface for beginners
- ✗OKB native token exposure - additional risk
Full review
OKX - Okcoin Europe Ltd
Okcoin Europe Ltd is OKX's EU legal entity, registered in Malta. The platform was founded in 2013 by Star Xu (Mingxing Xu) and has grown from a small Chinese startup into one of the world's largest cryptocurrency trading platforms. OKX is a legitimate, operating company with a strong regulatory presence in the EU.
Ownership and company structure
OKX's parent company is Aux Cayes FinTech Co. Ltd, incorporated in the Seychelles - a private company with no publicly reported financial statements. EU operations are run by Okcoin Europe Ltd, a separate legal entity in Malta. Star Xu is the founder and a significant shareholder.
In March 2026, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) - the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange - invested in OKX, setting the company's valuation at $25 billion. OKX generated $1.9 billion in revenue in 2024, up 136% from the previous year. The platform has over 60 million registered users worldwide, with approximately 2.5 million active traders.
MiCA licence and regulation
OKX was the first global cryptocurrency exchange to obtain a MiCA CASP licence from the MFSA in Malta in January 2025, covering 9 of 10 possible MiCA service types - one of the broadest approvals available. MiCA passporting allows OKX to offer services across all 30 EEA member states, including Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. In early 2026, OKX also obtained a Malta Payment Institution (PI) licence for stablecoin services via OKX Pay and OKX Card, complying with both MiCA and PSD2.
Services and fees
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Spot maker | 0.08% |
| Spot taker | 0.10% |
| SEPA deposit | Free |
| SEPA Instant | Free |
| Card deposit | 1.99% |
| SEPA withdrawal | Free |
| Instant buy spread | 0.5% |
The platform offers over 350 cryptocurrencies with spot, futures, perpetual swap and options trading. Monthly Proof of Reserves is published publicly. The interface is available in English only - no local language support for Baltic or Nordic languages.
Critical issues
US Department of Justice fine - $504 million (February 2025)
This is the most significant event in OKX's history. On 24 February 2025, Aux Cayes FinTech pleaded guilty to operating an unlicensed money transmitting business in the US and agreed to pay $504 million in penalties: $420.3 million in forfeiture of ill-gotten gains plus an $84.4 million criminal fine. Over seven years (2018-2024), OKX processed more than $5 billion in suspicious transactions and allowed US customers to trade anonymously, with employees even advising customers to falsify their personal details. The company is subject to a three-year compliance monitor until 2027. Okcoin Europe Ltd is not the direct subject of this penalty, but the AML culture is a company-wide concern.