Binance vs OKX
Side-by-side comparison from our sourced exchange data. A dash means we haven't verified that fact — we don't fill gaps with guesses.
| Binance | OKX | |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial score | — | — |
| Founded | 2017 | 2017 |
| Headquarters | — | Registered in Seychelles; European hub is OKX Europe Ltd in Sliema, Malta. |
| Spot maker (base) | 0.1% | 0.08% |
| Spot taker (base) | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Listed assets | ~600 | ~305 |
| KYC | Required | Required |
| Notably unavailable | United States (Binance.com), Iran, North Korea, Syria | Certain US jurisdictions and all US territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, US Virgin Islands), United Kingdom retail derivatives (spot and on/off-ramp only) |
How they differ
Binance and OKX are both large global exchanges founded in 2017 that combine spot with a deep derivatives book. Binance lists roughly 600 assets and supports card purchases plus a peer-to-peer marketplace. OKX is registered in Seychelles and runs its European business through OKX Europe Ltd in Sliema, Malta, listing about 305 assets and operating regional API domains for the EU and for US and Australian users.
Base spot fees are close but not identical. Binance charges 0.1% maker and 0.1% taker at the regular tier, cut by 25% to 0.075%/0.075% when fees are paid in BNB, with VIP tiers above. OKX's base level one rates are 0.080% maker and 0.100% taker per third-party fee guides, falling with 30-day volume or OKB holdings. In both cases the base number is a starting point rather than what an active trader pays.
Both require identity verification before trading. Binance excludes US residents from Binance.com, closed new UK sign-ups in October 2023, and bars Iran, North Korea, Syria, Cuba and the Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk regions. OKX restricts certain US jurisdictions and all US territories, including Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the US Virgin Islands, and in the United Kingdom offers spot and on and off-ramp services only, without retail derivatives.
Their European positions differ most. OKX holds a MiCA crypto-asset service provider licence from the Malta Financial Services Authority granted on 27 January 2025 and passported to 28 EEA countries, plus a UK FCA registration; Binance's recorded permissions are the Dubai VARA licence and ADGM FSRA recognitions. The OKX profile records no security incidents, while Binance's 2019 hot wallet loss of about $40.7M was covered from its SAFU fund.