OKX vs KuCoin

OKX vs KuCoin: which to use

OKX vs KuCoin is a choice between two centralized exchanges that both match on an order book and both require KYC. OKX charges 5 bp taker against KuCoin's 6 bp, with the same 2 bp maker rate. KuCoin lists more perp markets (686 against 480) and allows up to 125x against OKX's 100x. OKX lists more real-world asset markets, 191 against 159. Taker fees, market count and leverage are the main differences between them.

How each exchange is built

OKX is a centralized exchange (CEX): you open an account with the company, and the account holds your funds. It matches orders on a central limit order book. KuCoin is built the same way: an account at the company holds your funds, and orders match on a central limit order book. The build does not separate them, so the differences are in fees, markets and rules.

Fees and what they mean

OKX's base tier is 2 bp maker and 5 bp taker, per OKX's fee page. KuCoin's base tier is 2 bp maker and 6 bp taker, per KuCoin's fee page. A bp is 0.01% of the position.

A market order pays the taker fee on entry and again on exit: 10 bp per round trip on OKX and 12 bp on KuCoin. A limit order that rests on the book pays the maker fee, 2 bp on both exchanges, so the gap only applies to market orders.

The fee is only part of a trade's cost. Slippage, the price you move by eating through the order book, grows with size. The cost table above adds it to the fee at each size from $1k to $5M, and the execution cost page compares trading cost across exchanges.

Markets, leverage and funding

As of 1 October 2026 KuCoin has 686 active perp markets and OKX has 480. Of those, 159 on KuCoin and 191 on OKX are stocks, commodities, FX or other real-world assets. KuCoin has more markets in total, and OKX has more of them in real-world assets.

KuCoin offers up to 125x on its highest-leverage market and OKX up to 100x. Most markets on both allow less, so check the market you trade.

Funding is the periodic payment between longs and shorts, and a positive rate means longs pay shorts. OKX pays every 4 hours or 8 hours depending on the market. KuCoin pays every 1 hour, 4 hours or 8 hours. An hourly market settles 24 times a day and an 8-hour market three times, so the interval sets how often a held position pays or receives funding. The list further down this page shows the markets both exchanges have and each one's funding rate.

Who can use them

Both require KYC. OKX asks for advanced verification before you trade, deposit or withdraw. KuCoin asks for standard KYC, an ID and face check, for any product, a rule in place since August 2023.

Tokens

OKX's token is $OKB. KuCoin's token is $KCS.

Reading the numbers on this page

Both exchanges publish open interest as one side of open positions, so the open interest row and chart above compare like with like. Neither exchange has a TVL, as is usual for a centralized exchange, so the TVL row and chart carry no figure for either. For live volume, depth and funding, use the Head to head table above. The BTC page lists every exchange that carries BTC with its funding and liquidity.

Which one fits you

• Pick OKX if you trade with market orders: 5 bp taker against KuCoin's 6 bp.
• Pick OKX if you want stocks, commodities or FX on the same exchange as your crypto: 191 real-world asset markets against 159.
• Pick OKX if you want every market on a 4-hour or 8-hour funding schedule, with no hourly settlement.
• Pick KuCoin if you want the larger list of perp markets: 686 against 480.
• Pick KuCoin if you need more than 100x: it goes up to 125x on its highest-leverage market.
• Pick KuCoin if you want markets with hourly funding, which settles 24 times a day.