OKX Referral Code (October 2026): Welcome Rewards, Fees and Where OKX Works
Last updated: October 27, 2026
An OKX referral code enrols your new account in OKX’s New User Bonus Program, a set of welcome tasks and rewards you can track under Rewards > Welcome Rewards. OKX does not publish one fixed sign-up gift; rewards depend on your region and on completing tasks such as advanced identity verification, a deposit and a first trade, usually within 14 days.
This guide is for new users deciding whether OKX fits them, particularly in Southeast Asia, Turkey, Latin America and the EU. It covers where the code goes, what the rewards look like, OKX’s fees, and the important difference between the global OKX platform and OKX US, all checked against OKX’s own help centre as of October 2026.
Two caveats matter most. OKX says plainly that a referral code cannot be added or changed once the account is created. And the global platform is not available in several large markets, including India, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan.
New users who join with a referral link or code are enrolled in OKX's New User Bonus Program; rewards and tasks (identity verification, deposit and trading tasks, typically within 14 days) are shown under Rewards > Welcome Rewards and vary by region.
Paste it into Expandable 'Referral code (optional)' field on the OKX registration page, or a referral link. Global platform not available in Canada, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Uzbekistan, sanctioned regions and certain US jurisdictions; US users go through OKX US in approved states; derivatives restricted in the UK, Australia, Brazil and South Korea; advanced identity verification required for referral rewards. Verified October 27, 2026.
Open OKXKey takeaways
- Enter the OKX referral code in the expandable “Referral code (optional)” field before you finish signing up; it cannot be added or changed later.
- New users join the New User Bonus Program; rewards vary by region and require advanced identity verification plus tasks, often within 14 days.
- Global base fees for regular users: spot 0.08% maker and 0.10% taker; futures 0.02% maker and 0.05% taker. EEA and US accounts have their own schedules.
- The global platform excludes Canada, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Uzbekistan and certain US jurisdictions.
- US residents in approved states use OKX US, a separate company with its own terms and fees.
What the OKX referral code gives you
According to OKX’s Referral Program FAQ, friends who sign up through a referral automatically join the platform’s New User Bonus Program. OKX does not put a single number on it. Your tasks and rewards appear in the app under Rewards > Welcome Rewards, and the exact mix depends on your region and the campaign that is running when you register.
To qualify, a referred user must sign up through the referrer’s link or code, complete advanced identity verification and finish the tasks shown on the referral page. Trading tasks may require a trade or a volume target within 14 days of sign-up, and some regional versions of the programme use a 30-day window. Rewards are locked for seven days after they are earned and must be claimed before the campaign ends.
On the referrer’s side, OKX pays fixed crypto rewards or rewards “worth up to” a set amount per successful referral, rising as invitees complete more advanced tasks, with a cap per campaign cycle. Cross-region invitations do not count for the referrer (OKX gives the example of a Brazilian user inviting someone outside Brazil), and sub-accounts are not eligible.
| Element | What OKX states (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| New user reward | New User Bonus Program; see Rewards > Welcome Rewards in the app |
| Requirements | Sign up via link or code, advanced identity verification, listed tasks |
| Deadlines | Trading tasks often within 14 days of sign-up; some regions use 30 days |
| Reward lock | Rewards locked for 7 days after being earned |
| App version | OKX app 6.66.0 or later; not available to all users |
| Late entry | Not possible: the code cannot be added or changed after the account is created |
How to use an OKX referral code, step by step
- Check your eligibility first (see the restricted list below). If you are in the US, you need OKX US rather than the global platform.
- Open the referral link, or go to the OKX website or app (version 6.66.0 or later) and choose Sign up.
- Enter your email or phone number and choose your country of residence.
- Expand the “Referral code (optional)” field and enter the code. If the field is not shown, sign up through the referrer’s link instead.
- Check for a pre-filled code. OKX notes that if you clicked a referral link or installed the app through one in the past 30 days, that code may already be linked to your device.
- Finish registration, then complete advanced identity verification. OKX may ask for a government photo ID and proof of address such as a utility bill or bank statement.
- Open Rewards > Welcome Rewards, read each task and deadline, and complete them before the window closes.
If a referral link will not open, OKX’s advice is to enter the invitation code manually on the registration page. Do this before you confirm the account, because OKX says it will not be possible to add or change the referral code afterwards.
Eligibility, restrictions and fine print
OKX’s Risk and Compliance Disclosure lists the locations where the global platform does not operate: Afghanistan, Canada, Cuba, Hong Kong, Iran, India, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, North Korea, Syria, Crimea, the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, Uzbekistan, all US territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the US Virgin Islands) and certain jurisdictions within the United States.
Readers in India should note that India is on that list, so an OKX referral code is not a route in. OKX also restricts some services in other markets: derivatives, CeFi and P2P services in the United Kingdom; derivatives and CeFi in Australia; derivatives and P2P in Brazil and South Korea; retail products in the Bahamas; and fiat payment services in Russia.
OKX vs OKX US
OKX’s terms name OKX Inc., a Delaware company, as the provider for residents of OKX US’s approved operating locations in the United States. It has its own local terms, its own product set and its own fee schedule, and OKX’s US fee framework for regular users is considerably higher than the global one. If you live in the US, the referral offers and figures on this page for the global platform do not apply to you; check the OKX US app for what is available in your state.
Regional entities elsewhere
OKX runs separate entities for the EEA (OKX Europe Limited, based in Malta), Australia, the UAE, Brazil, Singapore and others, with Aux Cayes FinTech in the Seychelles serving other eligible users. Welcome rewards and fees can differ by entity. EU users can read our explainer on MiCA in 2026 for how that licence regime shapes what exchanges may offer.
How OKX works: fees, strengths and weak spots
Under OKX’s global fee framework (effective from 25 November 2025), regular users pay 0.08% maker and 0.10% taker on spot, and 0.02% maker and 0.05% taker on futures, with lower rates at higher volume tiers. The EEA has its own schedule: OKX announced that from 25 September 2026, spot-only EEA accounts at the regular tier pay 0.10% maker and 0.20% taker. US accounts follow a separate US fee framework.
- Good at: deep liquidity, a wide derivatives range, and an ecosystem that includes a self-custody wallet alongside the exchange. Our piece on wallets and exchanges converging looks at what that blend means for custody.
- Weaker at: availability. The global platform is closed to India, Canada, Japan and Hong Kong, and UK users cannot use derivatives.
- Watch for: fees that depend on which OKX entity you are signed up with, and welcome rewards that differ by region.
OKX vs alternatives
These are the closest comparisons in our crypto exchange referral codes hub, with each exchange’s published entry-tier fees as of October 2026.
| Exchange | Spot maker / taker | Futures maker / taker | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| OKX (global) | 0.08% / 0.10% | 0.02% / 0.05% | Excludes India, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong |
| Bybit | 0.10% / 0.10% | 0.02% / 0.055% | Registered in India; MiCA entity in the EU |
| Bitget | 0.10% / 0.10% | 0.02% / 0.06% | Excludes Thailand, Malaysia, Germany, France |
| MEXC | 0% / 0.05% | 0% / 0.02% (BTCUSDT) | Excludes the US, UK and Canada |
| KuCoin | See guide | See guide | Large altcoin list; excludes the US |
For Indian users, Bybit is the obvious alternative of similar scale. For the lowest spot fees, MEXC is cheaper. At the entry tier, OKX’s futures taker fee is lower than Bybit’s and Bitget’s.
Is OKX safe and legit?
OKX is one of the largest centralised exchanges and holds licences or registrations through regional entities in the EEA, the UAE, Singapore, Australia and elsewhere. It also has a regulatory history worth knowing: in February 2025 its Seychelles operating company pleaded guilty in the US to operating an unlicensed money transmitting business and agreed to pay more than $500 million, after which OKX launched its licensed US entity. Our overview of US crypto enforcement in 2026 puts that kind of settlement in context.
OKX publishes proof-of-reserves reports, but as with any custodian, a reserves snapshot is not a guarantee. Keep trading balances on the exchange and long-term holdings in a wallet you control.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an OKX promo code for existing users?
No referral code can be applied to an existing account. Existing users get offers through OKX’s Rewards hub, events and earn promotions instead.
Can I add an OKX referral code after signing up?
No. OKX’s help centre says it is not possible to add or change the referral code once the account has been created. Enter it in the “Referral code (optional)” field before you finish registering.
What is the difference between an OKX referral code, invite code and promo code?
A referral code and an invitation code are the same on OKX: the code that links you to a referrer at sign-up and enrols you in the New User Bonus Program. Promo codes and vouchers are separate campaign rewards claimed in the Rewards hub.
Does an OKX referral code work for OKX US?
OKX US is run by a separate company, OKX Inc., with its own terms, products and fees. Offers for the global platform do not carry over; check the OKX US app for what applies in your state.
Can I use OKX in India?
Not the global platform. India is on OKX’s list of restricted locations, alongside Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia and Nepal.
Why did my OKX referral not register?
Common reasons are a different code already linked to your device from a link clicked in the past 30 days, an app older than version 6.66.0, or a region where the programme is not offered. Check the pre-filled field before you confirm sign-up.
Risk warning: crypto assets are volatile and leveraged derivatives are high risk. You can lose all the funds you deposit. Only trade what you can afford to lose, and check that OKX is permitted where you live.