How to Create an OKX Account: Complete Registration Guide (2026)

Before You Start: What You Need

Gather these items before opening OKX so the process goes smoothly without interruptions:

• A valid email address — You will receive a 6-digit verification code here
• A phone number — OKX requires both email and phone for account recovery and security
• A government-issued photo ID — Passport, national ID card, or driver's license (must not be expired)
• A device with a working camera — Needed for the facial recognition step during KYC
• A stable internet connection — The entire process takes 10 minutes; make sure you won't get disconnected

One important note: OKX is available in over 100 countries but is not available everywhere. The platform is restricted in the United States, Canada, and a handful of other jurisdictions. During registration, you will select your country of residence — if it's restricted, OKX will show you a notice right away. Check the OKX review page for a breakdown of supported regions.

Step 1 — Register Your Account (3 Minutes)

Head to OKX's registration page. You can sign up using either your email or phone number — but you will need to link both before you finish.

Here is the exact process:

1. Select your country or region. OKX will ask where you live before showing the registration form. Choose your actual country — this affects which features are available to you and which payment methods you can use later.
2. Enter your email address. Type it in the email field and click "Send code." Check your inbox (and spam folder) for a 6-digit verification code. You have 10 minutes to enter it.
3. Verify your phone number. After email verification, OKX will prompt you to add your phone number. Enter it with the correct country code, and you will receive another SMS verification code.
4. Create your password. Use at least 8 characters with a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters. Do not reuse passwords from other sites — this is your money we are talking about.
5. Accept the terms of service and click "Sign Up."

That is it for registration. Your account now exists. But you cannot trade yet — KYC verification comes next.

Step 2 — Complete KYC Identity Verification

KYC (Know Your Customer) is mandatory on OKX. Without it, you cannot deposit, trade, or withdraw. The good news: it usually takes under 10 minutes.

How to complete KYC on OKX:

1. Open the verification page. In the app, tap the menu icon (top-left) → Profile and settings → Profile → Identity verification. On the web, click your profile icon → Verification.
2. Enter your personal details. Full legal name, date of birth, and country of residence. These must match the ID you will upload in the next step.
3. Upload your ID document. Choose from passport, national ID card, or driver's license. Take a clear photo with all four corners visible. Avoid glare and make sure the text is readable.
4. Complete facial recognition. OKX will ask you to take a live selfie. Follow the on-screen instructions — look straight at the camera in a well-lit room. This usually takes 2-3 attempts if the lighting is poor.
5. Wait for approval. Most verifications complete within minutes. During peak times, it may take up to 24 hours. You will get a notification when it is approved.

Why KYC fails (and how to fix it):

• Document too dark or blurry: Retake the photo in natural daylight. Avoid using flash directly on the document.
• Name mismatch: The name you typed during registration must be identical to what appears on your ID — including middle names if present.
• Facial recognition fails: Remove glasses, ensure even lighting, and hold the phone at eye level. If it still fails, try a different device.
• Wrong country selected: Go to Profile → Country or Region to change it. You may need to re-submit your ID if the document type is not accepted for the new country.

Step 3 — Secure Your Account

Before depositing any funds, lock down your account security. This takes 2-3 minutes and prevents the most common attack vectors.

Essential security settings (do all three):

1. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA). Go to Security settings → Two-factor authentication. We recommend Google Authenticator over SMS-based 2FA — it is not vulnerable to SIM-swapping attacks. Save your backup key in a safe place; if you lose your phone, you will need it to recover access.
2. Set an anti-phishing code. This is a custom word or phrase that OKX will include in every official email they send you. If an email claims to be from OKX but does not contain your code, it is a phishing attempt. Set it in Security settings → Anti-phishing code.
3. Add a withdrawal whitelist. In Security settings → Withdrawal whitelist, add the crypto wallet addresses you plan to withdraw to. Once enabled, withdrawals to unknown addresses are blocked for 24 hours.

Step 4 — Make Your First Deposit

OKX offers several ways to fund your account. Choose the one that works best for your situation:

For crypto transfers (most common):

1. Go to Assets → Deposit → Select the cryptocurrency you want to deposit
2. Choose the network (e.g., BTC on Bitcoin network, ETH on Ethereum, USDT on TRC-20 or ERC-20)
3. Copy the deposit address or scan the QR code
4. Initiate the withdrawal from your other wallet or exchange to this address
5. Wait for network confirmations — usually 10-30 minutes for BTC, faster for other chains

For P2P buying (popular in emerging markets):

1. Go to Buy Crypto → P2P
2. Select USDT (recommended as a stable starting point)
3. Choose a merchant with high completion rate (>95%) and high volume
4. Enter the amount in your local currency and follow the payment instructions
5. After you pay, click "I've Paid" and wait for the merchant to release the crypto

Step 5 — Place Your First Trade

Once your funds arrive, you are ready to trade. For your first trade, we recommend starting with the spot market — it is simpler and carries less risk than futures.

1. Navigate to Trade → Spot. Select a trading pair like BTC/USDT or ETH/USDT.
2. Choose your order type. For beginners, a Market order is simplest — it executes immediately at the current price. A Limit order lets you set the price you want to buy at.
3. Enter the amount. You can enter either the quantity of crypto you want to buy or the amount of USDT you want to spend.
4. Review and confirm. Double-check the price, amount, and total cost. Click "Buy" to execute.

If you are not ready to trade with real money yet, OKX offers a demo trading mode with virtual funds. Go to Trade → Demo Trading to practice without risk. This is a good way to familiarize yourself with the interface before committing real capital.

For a deeper guide on futures trading once you are comfortable, check out our beginner's guide to futures trading on OKX.

OKX Account Setup: Quick Reference Table

Everything you need to know about your new OKX account at a glance:

For a detailed breakdown of how OKX compares to other exchanges on fees, security, and features, see our full OKX review or compare directly with OKX vs Binance and OKX vs Bybit.