The signup bonus has been increased to $500 — probably a new all-time high! You can earn rewards for registering, verifying your identity, and trading. Also, if you sign up through the link below, you can enjoy a permanent 10% discount on trading fees! There is also a 5% deposit match right now, which can work out to an equivalent annual return of 8.5%. Tips below

  • OKX sign-up link (register through the link, or use invite code NEW500 in the mobile app)

There are a total of four Tasks, and the rewards can be stacked for up to $500. Of course, if you're not sure, you can start with the $150 tier first, and consider the $500 tier only if you feel the risk is acceptable. You need to complete the deposit and trading within 7 days after opening the account for it to count.

  • Complete KYC: get $10 BTC directly
  • Deposit Cash or crypto worth $100+: get another $40 BTC (for a total of $50 BTC)
  • Deposit and trade $1,000: get another $100 BTC (for a total of $150 BTC)
  • Deposit and trade $10,000: get another $350 BTC (for a total of $500 BTC)

Here are some tips for getting the signup bonus

  • Both buys and sells count toward volume, so to qualify for the $1,000 trading requirement, you only need to buy and sell $500 each (of course, the $1,000 deposit requirement still has to be met). Likewise, to qualify for the $500 reward tier, you only need to deposit $10,000 and buy and sell $5,000.
  • Stablecoin trading no longer counts toward trading or signup-bonus spending (for example, USDT, USDC, USDG, and RLUSD do not count). Also, trading volume here can be cumulative. Rewards are issued immediately once the trading requirement is met and can be traded, but the reward cannot be withdrawn until after 30 days.
  • Buying and then selling immediately basically lets you ignore price swings. You can buy BTC, the largest cryptocurrency, which carries relatively low risk; you can also buy USDS, a stablecoin not on the list
  • Rewards are issued instantly, and there is a tracker you can use to check progress, so if anything is missing, just make up the shortfall (Activity hub)
  • In my test, USDS buy/sell fees totaled 2%, so the cost of the $500 reward tier is to trade $5,000 buy and sell, which costs $100. Net profit is $400, not bad
  • If you don't mind short-term volatility, I recommend buying BTC, the crypto with the lowest spread, so the buy/sell cost works out to about 1.6%, slightly better than USDS
  • The portion that counts toward the total deposit must remain in the account for 30 days and cannot be withdrawn, or the reward may be clawed back. You can convert it to RLUSD, get the 5% deposit match and the 3.5% APY savings reward, so holding it for 30 days won't hurt

OKX now has a deposit match campaign. You can see and activate it in your account. All deposits can earn a 5% match, with a maximum amount of $100,000. You need to hold it for at least 50 weeks to receive it. 50 weeks is a little less than a year, which is equivalent to 5% APY. After depositing, you can buy RLUSD or USDG and stack the 3.5% APY savings yield. Together that adds up to an equivalent 8.5% APY.

RLUSD/USDG are also a type of stablecoin, and they are pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar. Beginners are still advised to learn the basics before deciding whether to go for this high yield. Ask GPT or something like that, then read some related information to learn more about cryptocurrency and stablecoins before proceeding.

If you have questions, you can also join our discussion group

About OKX

OKX is one of the leading global cryptocurrency exchanges. It was founded relatively early, and its trading volume, liquidity, and user base are all in the industry’s top tier. The main reasons it is considered relatively reliable include: it regularly publishes proof of reserves, allowing users to verify whether the platform holds sufficient assets; it has obtained regulatory licenses in regions such as Europe, Singapore, and Dubai; and it supports security features such as two-factor authentication, withdrawal whitelists, and anti-phishing codes.

That said, being reliable does not mean completely safe. OKX is still a centralized exchange, user assets are generally not protected by FDIC bank deposit insurance, and there are also regulatory, hacking, and account risk-control risks. Overall, OKX is suitable for everyday trading and moving funds around, but it is not recommended to store all of your assets there.

Registration and rewards

Signup bonus

The signup bonus has been increased to $500 — probably a new all-time high! You can earn rewards for registering, verifying your identity, and trading. Also, if you sign up through this link, you can enjoy a permanent 10% discount on trading fees!

Registration requirements

  • The reward is only for users with a U.S. IP address and U.S. address, and identity verification requires SSN/ITIN.
  • Automatic verification usually passes in seconds. If a review is required, you will need to upload specific documents.
  • In testing, a Chinese passport plus a U.S. address can pass verification instantly.
  • NY/TX residents cannot register for now

Registration and deposit flow

Practical stepsStep 1.

  • Register an OKX account: Sign-up link (you can only join the campaign after registering)

Step 2. Complete KYC identity verification. Enter your SSN/ITIN, and the system will automatically pull up your information. After you confirm it, you can usually pass instantly. If not, you will need to enter the information yourself

Verification with a U.S. driver's license takes just a few minutes. After you pass, you can deposit funds. A Chinese passport can also be used to verify identity. In addition to the document, selfie verification is also required.

  • This is a requirement for the signup bonus
Step 3. Deposit
  • Deposit method 1: link a bank account (via Plaid) and transfer USD directly.
  • Deposit method 2: transfer other crypto assets.

Step 4. Trading

Just search for the cryptocurrency you want to buy and pay with the funds in your account. According to customer support, once the trading requirement is met, the reward will be sent directly to your account.

It turns out USDS counts too (its value is very stable, you can check it yourself), and the reward arrives instantly!

Highlights

Activity hub

You can see all currently active campaigns and your progress on this page. This deposit match is basically giving you 5%, and the say hello $500 offer is your signup bonus! You can check all progress there.

High-yield account

You can buy the stablecoin USDG on OKX and earn up to 4.1% APY. USDG is pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar, so it’s relatively low risk. You can use the account as a high-yield account, or park funds there for a while and enter when you’re ready.

4.1% is only available to VIP users; regular users get 3.5%. The minimum deposit is low, interest is paid weekly, and there’s no need to subscribe to any extra membership.

VIP rules

They award VIP status based on everyone’s trading volume. You can enjoy up to 95% off trading fees, more free airdrops, up to 10% APY on USDG, and more. Overall, it’s pretty good for high-volume traders.

If you have VIP status at another platform, you can also fill out a form for a match

Free Drop promotion

From time to time, they run airdrop campaigns and give out free tokens to users with deposits above $2,000. You can check the app from time to time; if you catch one, it’s all upside.

Deposit Match promotion

They also run Deposit Match promotions from time to time, where depositing money can earn an extra 5%-10% reward. The highest offer has been a 10% match, so depositing $3,000 USDG could get you $300. If there are any good offers later, we’ll update everyone promptly.

  • Deposit/buy USDG to get a 5% match (there has been a 10% match before, up to $300 USDG)
  • You must hold it for 90 days to unlock the reward
  • USDG is a stablecoin issued by Paxos and is pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar
  • There is also a 5% APY annual yield

Summary

OKX is one of the world’s top five all-in-one crypto exchanges, and one of the world’s second-largest derivatives exchanges. This reward is pretty good, and if you’re not opposed to crypto, you can give this exchange a try. After all, the sign-up bonus alone is already quite attractive.

If you’re interested in other crypto platforms, you can check out our compiled articles and short reviews

Platform Summary Bonus
OKX Top-tier global platform; strong spot and derivatives liquidity; rich selection of coins and products; relatively low fees; reserves published monthly; robust account security features; interface is a bit complex; suitable for advanced traders. $500+ 10% fee discount
Bitget Known for derivatives trading; mature copy-trading features; wide coin selection; competitive fees; reserves published monthly; lots of promotional rewards; many high-risk products; suitable for active traders $750 for US stocks, $10,000 for transfers; get 6,200u on account opening + an exclusive trading fee discount
Bit (formerly Matrixport) Strong institutional finance background; broad licensing footprint across regions; relatively rich wealth-management products; supports US stocks and RWA; suitable for cross-asset allocation; not a top-tier platform by trading volume; higher learning curve for products; better for professional investors. Transfer in and get up to a $300 stock cash card, plus a chance to win an iPhone 17 Pro
Coinbase Broad US licensing coverage; convenient USD deposits; simple, easy-to-use interface; transparent asset custody; relatively curated coin selection; spreads on standard buys are on the high side; stricter account risk controls; suitable for long-term US users. Unknown
Gemini Long-established US exchange; strong focus on security and compliance; clean, easy-to-use interface; fewer coin options; relatively small trading volume; higher standard trading fees; not especially rich in advanced features; suitable for low-frequency, conservative users. Trade $100, get $50
Kraken Long-established platform in the US and Europe; strong industry reputation; reserves can be independently verified; Kraken Pro fees are low; fiat channels are well developed; interface is more professional; trading features are fairly comprehensive; suitable for intermediate and advanced users. Around $100, plus cashback sites
eToro One-stop stocks and crypto platform; social copy trading is its standout feature; very user-friendly interface; suitable for investing beginners; crypto trading fees are about 1%; relatively limited coin selection; weaker professional trading tools; more like an all-in-one investing platform. Deposit $100, get $30

Sign-up link

  • OKX sign-up link (register through the link, or use referral code NEW500 when registering in the mobile app)