A New Chapter: Building the Next Generation of Financial Infrastructure
Our partnership with Intercontinental Exchange marks an important moment for OKX and for the broader evolution of digital asset markets. ICE has built and operated some of the most important financial infrastructure in the world, including the New York Stock Exchange and global derivatives and clearing platforms. Their decision to invest in OKX, and join our board, reflects a shared belief that digital asset technology will play an enduring role in the future of financial markets.
For OKX, this partnership also represents a new chapter in how we approach the United States. In many ways, we view our presence in the U.S. as a blank sheet of paper — an opportunity to build thoughtfully, engage constructively with regulators and institutions, and contribute to the development of market infrastructure that meets the standards of the world’s most sophisticated capital markets.
Financial markets are entering a period of structural transformation. Blockchain technology allows assets to move and settle globally with unprecedented efficiency. Artificial intelligence is reshaping how markets analyze information and manage risk. At the same time, expectations around safety, transparency, and investor protection remain as important as ever. The next generation of financial infrastructure must bring these elements together.
One area where we see tremendous potential is the development of tokenized securities and digital representations of traditional assets. In the future, issuers may be able to bring securities directly to global investors through modern digital infrastructure, while still benefiting from the governance, market structure, and regulatory frameworks that have long defined traditional exchanges. Working alongside ICE and the broader New York Stock Exchange ecosystem gives us a unique opportunity to explore how these models can evolve responsibly.
Our focus is not simply on new technology, but on building durable infrastructure for the global financial system. This includes improving market structure, strengthening risk management and clearing frameworks, expanding institutional access to digital assets, and creating platforms that protect consumers while enabling innovation.
OKX today serves more than 120 million people globally and operates under licensing frameworks in major financial jurisdictions. Over the past decade, we have built high-performance trading systems, onchain technologies, payment systems and security frameworks capable of supporting large-scale global markets. As digital assets continue to mature, we believe collaboration between technology innovators and established financial institutions will be essential.
Our partnership with ICE reflects this principle. Together we will explore how traditional exchange infrastructure and digital asset technology can complement each other to build stronger, more efficient markets.
This investment is not an endpoint — it is the beginning of a deeper collaboration. Our goal is to help shape the next chapter of financial markets, where digital and traditional infrastructure work together to expand access, strengthen trust, and support innovation across the global economy.
https://t.co/HMDZPAWPak
🚨GOOGLE PLAY STORE TO BAN OVERSEAS CRYPTO APPS IN S. KOREA
From Jan. 28, Google Play Store will require crypto apps to register as VASPs with Korean authorities.
This will block Android access to overseas exchanges as compliance is nearly impossible for foreign firms.
We are revising our developer API policies:
We will no longer allow apps that reward users for posting on X (aka “infofi”). This has led to a tremendous amount of AI slop & reply spam on the platform.
We have revoked API access from these apps, so your X experience should start improving soon (once the bots realize they’re not getting paid anymore).
If your developer account was terminated, please reach out and we will assist in transitioning your business to Threads and Bluesky.
🇺🇸 NOW: Senator Cynthia Lummis expects Senate Banking Committee to delay Thursday's crypto market structure bill markup after Coinbase withdrew support, per Bloomberg.
🇰🇷 NEW: South Korea reportedly lifting ban on corporate crypto investment, allowing listed companies to invest up to 5% of equity in top 20 cryptocurrencies, ending a 2017 restriction.
🚨 Everyone's panicking about DAC8. Here's what they got wrong.
Threads claim real-time surveillance, instant account freezes, the end of financial freedom. There's a LOT of misinformation out there. If you're confused by the noise, you're in the right place. 🧵👇
What is DAC8?
DAC8 (Directive 2023/2226) is an EU tax reporting directive that requires custodial crypto service providers to automatically share customer information with tax authorities across member states.
Let's Debunk the Myths:
❌ "Non-EU exchanges don't have to comply"
✅ They must report EU customers or face EU market restrictions.
❌ "They track every transaction in your hardware wallet"
✅ Only the withdrawal from exchange to wallet is reported. What happens after = not tracked.
❌ "Real-time surveillance dashboard tracking your net worth"
✅ Annual reporting only (2027 for 2026 data). No live tracking.
❌ "Accounts frozen instantly without TIN"
✅ Grace periods exist (60-90 days). Not immediate.
What's Actually True:
✅ Automated reporting to tax authorities
✅ TIN requirements enforced more strictly
✅ Better cross-border data sharing across EU
What You Need to Remember:
1. Timing: Data collected in 2026, reported to authorities in 2027
2. Scope: Custodial services only, not self-custody or DEX
3. Obligations: Tax duties haven't changed, just reporting has
DAC8 shifts tax reporting from voluntary declaration to automatic data sharing between exchanges and authorities.
That said, mass centralisation of financial data raises real privacy and surveillance concerns. Whether you agree with stricter tax enforcement or not, we shouldn't ignore that large databases of crypto holdings create security risks, especially if breached. In crypto, privacy isn't just ideological; leaked wealth data has led to targeted attacks.
Found this useful? Bookmark and share! 🎯
🏦 @Barclays has made a strategic investment in Ubyx.
Our mission is to deliver the ubiquitous acceptance of digital money.
Ubyx solves the many-to-many problem faced by issuers, enabling a pluralistic market structure while preserving the singleness of money.
Press release👇