OKX announced a new strategic funding round on October 6, 2026 at a $25 billion valuation, the same as when ICE invested in March. The new investors are Circle (the issuer of the USDC stablecoin), Ripple, SC Ventures (Standard Chartered's venture arm) and the trading firm Qube Research & Technologies (QRT). OKX did not say how much it raised (checked October 2026).
Below: who invested and how they already work with OKX, what OKX says the money is for, and whether any of it changes things for people who trade on OKX.
Summary
- Valuation of $25 billion, the same as the March round. The amount raised was not disclosed.
- New investors: Circle, Ripple, SC Ventures (Standard Chartered) and QRT.
- The round extends the strategic round from March, when Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the owner of the New York Stock Exchange, invested about $200 million.
- Founder and CEO Star Xu says the capital will go toward tokenizing real-world assets.
- OKX has not announced any change to trading fees, rebates or account rules.
Who invested
| Investor | What it is | Existing ties to OKX |
|---|---|---|
| Circle | Issuer of the USDC stablecoin | USDC is integrated across OKX products |
| Ripple | Payments company that issues the RLUSD stablecoin | RLUSD trades on OKX |
| SC Ventures | Standard Chartered's venture arm | Standard Chartered, BlackRock and OKX built a framework that lets a tokenized money market fund serve as collateral for institutional trading |
| QRT | Algorithmic trading firm | None mentioned in the reports |
Three of the four already did business with OKX. This round turns those partners into shareholders.
How it relates to the March ICE round
In March 2026, ICE invested about $200 million in OKX at a $25 billion valuation, Bloomberg reported. According to several reports (among them CoinDesk), Circle, Ripple, Standard Chartered and QRT joined that same strategic round, and the valuation did not change.
ICE and OKX are also building infrastructure for tokenized U.S. stocks that trade around the clock.
What OKX says the money is for
CryptoSlate quotes Star Xu as saying OKX did not raise because it needed capital. It brought in strategic partners that share its long-term plans for stablecoins, payments, institutional markets and financial infrastructure. He also said the exchange was the company's starting point and that OKX is becoming a broader global financial technology platform.
The investor list points the same way. A bank, two stablecoin issuers and a trading firm all have a stake in moving traditional assets and money onto blockchains. Around the same time, OKX launched OKX Money in selected emerging markets, which lets users convert more than 50 local currencies into dollar stablecoins such as USDC, USDT and USDG.
What it means for OKX users
Nothing changes right away. OKX has not tied any fee, VIP tier, withdrawal or rebate change to this round, so your account and the way you trade stay the same.
Two things are worth watching:
- Compliance. In 2025 an OKX operating entity pleaded guilty in the United States to running an unlicensed money transmitting business and paid more than $504 million in penalties and forfeiture, according to the U.S. Justice Department. Bringing in tightly regulated institutions such as ICE and Standard Chartered as shareholders fits a move toward regulated, institutional business.
- More stablecoin and tokenized products. The new investors issue USDC and RLUSD and work on tokenized funds, so OKX may add related trading pairs, collateral options and payment features. Check OKX announcements for what actually ships.
A funding round shows what investors think of OKX. It does not make your assets any safer. To check whether OKX holds enough to cover customer assets, look at its proof of reserves, explained in how to read OKX proof of reserves.
Cutting your trading fees on OKX
OKX fees depend on your VIP tier; the thresholds and rates are in OKX VIP tiers and fees. Our OKX invite code is FEEOTTER, built into our referral link. Register with it for a 20% auto-rebate + exclusive rewards; OKX pays the rebate straight into your account. Ask our support team about our exclusive OKX rewards and promotions. Binding steps and how to switch an existing account are in the OKX fee rebate guide.
FAQ
How much did OKX raise in this round?
OKX has not said. The public figures are the $25 billion valuation and ICE's investment of about $200 million in March.
Is OKX going public?
The announcement does not mention an IPO.
Will OKX fees change after the funding?
OKX has not announced any fee change. See the official OKX fee page for current rates.
Further reading
- OKX fee rebate guide: 20% auto-rebate, binding steps, switching an existing account.
- How to read OKX proof of reserves.
- OKX VIP tiers and fees.
Funding details come from October 6, 2026 reports by Bitcoin Magazine, CryptoSlate and Bitcoin.com News. OKX may change its products and rules; its official announcements take precedence. This article is for information only and is not investment advice.
