In the context of the accelerated evolution of the global cryptocurrency ecosystem, OKX is advancing its global layout at an unprecedented pace. Recently, OKX President Hong accepted an exclusive interview with CoinDesk at the "Consensus Hong Kong 2025" conference to discuss OKX's pioneering role in the retail user and institutional markets around Dubai and globally, and shared his observations on the booming development of the Asian cryptocurrency community. At the same time, she also elaborated on OKX's future global expansion plan, showing her firm belief in the long-term development of the industry.

According to Hong: “In Dubai, we are the first and perhaps the only exchange that can provide derivatives trading services to both retail and institutional users. Similarly , In Australia, we also have the ability to operate compliantly and provide services to our users. This is exactly where we are constantly working to provide more comprehensive, compliant and reliable products to a wider community of institutional users, and we are confident that . ”

The following is the full text of the interview:

CoinDesk: Our guest is OKX President Hong. Hello! Just now Andy and I were still talking about New York, and the three of us also met in Dubai. So, let's bring the topic to Hong Kong. What is the special significance of OKX’s debut at the consensus conference today?

Hong: We have always attached great importance to the Asian market. Asia is an important area in our strategic layout and has a unique community ecology. We have formed a strong team in Hong Kong and are committed to promoting the development of the local crypto ecosystem. It is really exciting to be able to communicate with industry partners here and feel the warm atmosphere of the conference.

CoinDesk: At present, the retail market's enthusiasm for cryptocurrencies is still rising. The crypto market has grown from its original hobbies to a huge financial system with a scale of trillions of dollars. The total transaction volume in November and December alone exceeded $10 trillion, a staggering figure. The crypto market is more inclined to trade than trading, which undoubtedly benefits exchanges like OKX. So, what have changed in the behavioral patterns of your main user group, retail users, over the past 12 to 18 months?

Hong: From a global perspective, encrypted users in different regions show different behavior patterns. Trading activities in the Asian market are indeed relatively more active, but at the same time, there are also a large number of traders among Asian retail users seeking long-term trading opportunities. For example, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other Layer 1 assets are their long-term holding options. In addition, the market also maintains a healthy interest in revenue products, whether on-chain revenue or other forms of revenue products. This part of the demand may not be as conspicuous as the trading market, but it always exists.

CoinDesk: It is very encouraging to hear about this trend. After all, those arePeople who are keen on trading in their 20s, and when they reach their 30s ten years later, they may have already started a family and started a business, so their trading strategies will naturally tend to be more long-term planning, right?

Hong: That's true. We have also observed some new trends in our products over the past 12 months. In addition to the compliant products provided by OKX on centralized exchanges, the use of Web3 self-custodial wallets is also increasing significantly. Our self-hosted wallets are powerful and can meet user needs in one-stop. It is worth noting that this product is rapidly gaining popularity in our community and has a very strong momentum in adoption.

CoinDesk: So now the number of people using self-custodial wallets is even more than the users of centralized exchanges, right?

Hong: If you look at the total assets of both, that is indeed the case.

CoinDesk: Is this phenomenon surprised you?

Hong: To be honest, we didn’t expect this 12 months ago. But we have been continuously investing in product research and development and infrastructure construction. Whether in the CEX or DeFi fields, we insist on market demand-oriented. At the same time, we also attach great importance to community building. We have invested a lot of energy in local community activities in the compliant market or in exchanges within various Web3 vertical communities and protocols. Most importantly, we listen to user feedback and turn it into motivation for product optimization. These efforts ultimately pay off.

CoinDesk: When it comes to "community", we usually think of Web3 game projects, or active groups on Telegram or Discord. By contrast, exchanges seem to have little emphasis on community. So, how do you define “community”? And how do you build the OKX community globally?

Hong: Community construction is one of the core values ​​of our exchange. We are not only providing transaction products, but more importantly, creating value for users. This is the only reason we exist. Therefore, we attach great importance to localized operations so that users can truly feel our services. For example, in terms of CEX business, we have made important progress in the compliance process over the past year - Singapore and Australia have obtained licenses, and in the European Economic Area (EEA), we have successfully obtained 28 business licenses. This is an important step towards localized services, that is, to provide users with a compliant and reliable transaction experience. In the Web3 field, we focus on the needs of crypto-native communities, such as interest in different public chains and different assets. Our goal is to integrate liquidity through technical means, meet user needs, and help them achieve their trading goals in a responsible way. This is our mission.

CoinDesk: Indeed, users can now spend more time in wallets and exchanges and access more products, which will also bring about new liquidity trends and attract institutionsTrader. So, in terms of institutional services, how does OKX expand its business, especially under the restrictions of areas such as lending, and how can it attract hedge funds and professional traders?

Hong: The institutional market has always been one of our core businesses, and we serve many institutional users around the world, including Asia, Europe and Latin America. OKX's competitive advantage lies in its ability to provide highly liquid and innovative institutional trading products. Over the next 12 to 24 months, we will continue to invest resources to further expand our compliance business based on existing CEX infrastructure. For example, we have obtained relevant licenses in Dubai and Australia, and have expanded to 28 in the European Economic Area. Many institutional traders are looking not only to use offshore trading products, but also to look for compliant, regulated crypto products. OKX is uniquely competitive in this field. For example, in Dubai, we are the first and currently the only exchange that provides both retail and institutional derivatives trading; in Australia, we can also serve large and institutional users. Our goal is to provide more comprehensive, compliant and reliable products that cover a wider range of institutional users.

CoinDesk: You mentioned derivatives, and perpetual contracts seem to be sweeping the entire market. They are not only fun, but also an efficient and powerful financial tool. At the same time, your options products have also attracted much attention. OKX How to ensure that users can use these complex products correctly and avoid unnecessary risks?

Hong: For regulated markets, we always ensure strict compliance processes to confirm the identity of qualified traders. In markets without regulatory requirements, we work with partners to provide trader education, help users do due diligence and protect their own interests. Our goal is to develop responsible traders so that they can benefit from long-term trading. OKX does not pursue short-term profits, we will not bet with users, and we do not want them to suffer huge losses in market volatility. Therefore, user education will be the focus of our continuous investment.

CoinDesk: OKX is accelerating global expansion. What is the next plan?

Hong: We are promoting the layout of multiple markets, including the United States. We hope to complete the brand restructuring this year and officially enter the market as "OKX". The European market is a long-term challenge. We have obtained an EEA license, but each has different regulatory requirements and needs further localization. In addition, we are also launching localized products for the Singapore, Australia and Dubai markets, such as fiat currency recharge, trading robots, etc., to provide more abundant trading tools in a compliant manner.

CoinDesk: Finally, what activities do you most look forward to at the consensus conference today? Will go racing horses?

Hong: See if you can survive the whole day, haha. I'm looking forward to it.

CoinDesk: Thank you very much for sharing today.

Disclaimer

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