In the wide world of digital cryptocurrency exchanges, OKEx offers a comparatively wide range of trading pairs and the ability to trade directly to and from fiat currency. They are also taking steps to develop the cryptocurrency derivatives market by offering futures. Access to the exchange is limited, however, by its stringent user guidelines. OKEx is the offspring of exchange OKCoin, the brainchild of investor Star Xu.

They are to OKCoin as Coinbase is to GDAX – both exchange sets cater to different groups of investors. Both OKEx and GDAX are geared toward more professional cryptocurrency traders. Originally founded in 2014 in China, OKEx is the second-largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world by volume. Its Bitcoin future arm alone does nearly $1.5 billion in volume every day. Like competitor Binance, they have recently relocated to the crypto-friendly island nation of Malta.