Crypto exchange OKX is reportedly preparing to go public in the United States, marking a major step forward just months after re-entering the market.
According to recent reports, OKX is exploring plans for a U.S. initial public offering (IPO). While the exchange has yet to confirm the move publicly, the reports come after it re-launched operations in the U.S. on April 15, 2025, following the resolution of a legal dispute with the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Earlier this year, the DOJ sanctioned the exchange for operating an unlicensed crypto business in the U.S. According to the department, the compliance violations spanned from 2018 to early 2024, including findings that certain U.S. customers had accessed OKX’s global platform despite a policy prohibiting such users since 2017.
The legal dispute ended in a $505 million settlement, prompting a shift in the exchange’s regulatory priorities to re-establish a compliant presence in the region.
OKX’s IPO chatter also comes on the heels of its commendation of a similar move by USDC stablecoin issuer Circle. Following Circle’s recent IPO launch, OKX U.S. CEO Roshan Robert told crypto.news in a statement that the launch represents a “major milestone not just for stablecoins,” and “demonstrates that crypto firms can operate transparently and compliantly in U.S. markets.”
Beyond the United States, OKX has also continued to expand its regulatory presence across Europe. Just last week, the exchange launched fully licensed platforms in Germany and Poland, building on a series of successful license acquisitions throughout the region.
Meanwhile, another crypto exchange, the Winklevoss twins-owned Gemini, is also reportedly exploring a public listing and has submitted a confidential IPO filing.
crypto.news reached out to OKX for comment regarding the IPO reports, but had not received a response at the time of publication.
