OKX Star: Focusing on Products in 2025, Believing in the Industry, and Building a Win-Win Ecosystem for Builders
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OKX Star: Focusing on Products in 2025, Believing in the Industry, and Building a Win-Win Ecosystem for Builders
OKX will continue to adhere to restraint and prudence in its future development, respect rules, assume responsibilities, and promote the symbiotic growth of technology and ecosystem.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insights
On January 14, 2025, OKX's "OKX Reunion Dinner" event officially kicked off in Da Nang, Vietnam. The “OKX Reunion Dinner” is a special gathering for industry builders hosted by OKX in Da Nang, focusing on core topics such as OKX’s latest product roadmap, analysis of current industry trends, and experience sharing. It aims to provide a platform for deep exchanges and intellectual碰撞 among global cryptocurrency enthusiasts, welcoming the new year together.
Star, CEO of OKX, attended the event via video link and delivered an impromptu speech, offering profound reflections on the industry's development and insights into its future.
Below is the full transcript of Star’s speech (edited):
I'm very happy to see all of you virtually—many are old friends, and many others I've only met online. Welcome to travel so far to join our OKX event.
1. "Crypto Circle" Should Not Be a Derogatory Term; The Future of Crypto & AI Is Promising
I’ve been in the crypto industry for over a decade now, and I've witnessed how public perception of Bitcoin and the broader crypto space has evolved.
Let me highlight a thought-provoking phenomenon: many people translate the English term “Crypto industry” into the Chinese phrase “币圈” (bì quān). If “Crypto industry” carries positive connotations—associated with technological innovation and economic empowerment—then “币圈,” by contrast, feels more neutral. In reality, however, “币圈” often takes on a negative tone. For example, when someone fails at a startup and then turns to the crypto industry, people might say dismissively, “Oh, now he’s gone into 币圈.”
This semantic gap coexists with public prejudice toward our industry—an issue we urgently need to confront. In my view, “币圈” is no different from terms like “automotive circle,” “smartphone circle,” or “live-streaming circle.” Every one of us working in this field should hold ourselves to high standards, actively reshaping public perception of the crypto industry. When the technological essence gets reduced to mere hype and speculation, the long-term value of our industry risks being misunderstood or overlooked. This bias isn’t accidental—it stems from complex social, economic, and cultural factors.
After decades of deep involvement in the crypto space, I firmly believe it is a technology-driven, innovative, vibrant industry that increasingly enjoys global regulatory support. Crypto & AI will become one of the most promising tech-driven sectors globally over the next ten years.
Therefore, I urge everyone: if we want to protect the reputation of the “crypto circle” or the “crypto industry,” we must start with our own words and actions. Let’s respect our peers, and ultimately build an industry that is innovative, technical, and transparent.
2. OKX’s Token Listing and OKB Are Being Built Thoughtfully, With High Compliance Standards
In 2024, OKX achieved several notable milestones worldwide. But rather than boasting about these successes, I’d like to candidly discuss where OKX falls short.
Many describe OKX as “different”—even “aloof”—a characterization especially evident in our token listing practices. Compared to other platforms, OKX maintains an extremely cautious approach to asset listings. We are, by design, highly conservative.
To us, listing is about discovering high-quality assets. But when we can't assess an asset’s quality, we’d rather not recommend it to users at all. This prudence sometimes makes us appear indecisive and has drawn criticism for being too conservative.
Behind this caution lies a deep commitment to user interests, as well as adherence to OKX’s corporate DNA and values. While this stance may cost us some market competitiveness in the short term, in the long run, such restraint lays a more solid foundation for healthy industry growth. We acknowledge other platforms’ success in this area, but different companies have different DNA and values. OKX is learning and improving, striving to balance user needs with our core principles.
Another controversial topic is OKX’s platform token, OKB. Many companies use short-term tactics to pump their token prices and generate buzz. We never predict OKB’s price, nor do we employ such short-term boosting strategies. I always say: OKB follows the same long-term value philosophy as Bitcoin. Looking back, those once sky-high prices of $1,000 or $10,000 for Bitcoin now seem incredibly cheap.
We take responsibility for our users and show respect for the industry’s regulatory environment. Given the heavily regulated nature of crypto, price predictions could pose compliance risks. Therefore, OKX focuses instead on increasing OKB’s intrinsic value through real-world utility and greater transparency—for instance, advancing the development of the X Layer blockchain and publicly disclosing the amount of OKB held by OKX.
Going forward, OKX will continue to act with restraint and caution, respecting rules and taking responsibility seriously, promoting symbiotic growth between technology and ecosystem. We’ll keep refining our technology and products, while adopting a more open mindset to listen to market feedback and work with partners to build a more transparent, fair, and sustainable crypto ecosystem.
In the future, OKX hopes to overcome the stereotype of being “detached from reality.” Starting with myself, I hope to learn, grow, and develop alongside our partners—to make the crypto industry a domain driven by technological innovation and lasting value, not one held hostage by short-term gains.
3. Focus on Product Excellence, Embrace Industry Growth Dividends
Over the past decade, I haven’t come across a single fund whose returns consistently outperformed Bitcoin. Industry participants should be wary of chasing “wealth shortcuts.” The real opportunity lies in capturing the industry’s long-term growth dividend. Let me joke a bit: “If you don’t hold at least 10 Bitcoins, don’t call yourself a KOL.” If we adopted that standard, I believe the industry would be in much better shape.
The current market cap of Bitcoin is just one-tenth that of gold, yet inflows into Bitcoin ETFs have already surpassed those into gold ETFs. This is not only validation of Bitcoin’s value but also suggests the industry’s potential upside could be 100-fold. Achieving consensus on holding and understanding Bitcoin should be the baseline for anyone in this industry.
Bitcoin’s value anchoring and Ethereum’s ecosystem potential are the two engines driving long-term industry growth—but this is not investment advice. You might say: “Always have Bitcoin; within your risk tolerance, participating in this industry brings a sense of fulfillment.”
Now, returning from Bitcoin’s grand narrative to today’s reality: OKX has made significant progress in recent years—not only in building Web3 wallets and exchange products, but also developing a “secret product line” set to launch this February. Our current version still doesn’t fully satisfy us, so we’re continuously refining it. I hope this future OKX product will seamlessly integrate into users’ daily lives, serving multiple countries globally and delivering frictionless experiences. Especially now that OKX has obtained licenses in various regions and integrated local bank cards, this product will directly address core industry pain points—such as smooth and convenient global deposits and withdrawals—while introducing further technological innovations.
Thank you all.
Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute, and should not be construed as, (i) investment advice or a recommendation, (ii) an offer or solicitation to buy, sell, or hold any digital assets, or (iii) financial, accounting, legal, or tax advice. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of the information provided. Digital assets (including stablecoins and NFTs) are subject to market volatility, involve high risks, and may depreciate or become worthless. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding digital assets is suitable for you based on your financial situation and risk tolerance. For advice specific to your circumstances, please consult your legal/tax/investment professionals. Not all products are available in all regions. For more details, please refer to the OKX Terms of Service and Risk Disclosure & Disclaimer. The OKX Web3 mobile wallet and its derivative services are governed by separate terms of service. You are solely responsible for understanding and complying with applicable local laws and regulations.
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