OKX's BRC-20 market is a decentralized trading venue. The core rules are: the platform itself does not charge a service fee, and placing an order is free of gas fees. However, when buying, you need to pay the Bitcoin network miner fee. Before selling, you must first "inscribe" your token into a separate transfer inscription.
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First, distinguish the two entry points: Web3 Wallet vs. Exchange Account
BRC-20 trading is not in OKX's regular spot trading interface. It is conducted through the Ordinals market in the OKX Web3 Wallet. You need to first create or import an OKX Web3 Wallet and ensure the wallet has enough BTC to cover subsequent on-chain fees.
Buying: Taking an order and paying miner fees
The buying process is relatively straightforward: find the target BRC-20 token in the Ordinals market, check the current sell order list and floor price, select the inscription order you want to buy, click buy, and confirm.
The cost of buying includes the price of the token itself plus the Bitcoin network miner fee. Placing an order is zero gas, but when a taker order is filled, it needs to be recorded on-chain. This miner fee is paid by the buyer. According to OKX's official help documentation, the market itself does not charge a service fee.
Selling: You must "inscribe a transfer inscription" first
This is the most common sticking point for beginners in the BRC-20 selling process. You cannot directly list the BRC-20 tokens in your wallet for sale on the market.
The correct process is:
- Find the token you hold in the Ordinals market and click "Sell" or "List".
- If the system prompts that you have no assets, click "Inscribe transfer".
- In the wallet popup, enter the amount of the token you want to sell, adjust the gas fee rate (it is recommended to set it slightly higher to avoid getting stuck on-chain), and confirm the inscription.
- Wait for the inscription transaction to receive at least 3 block confirmations. Only then will this "transfer inscription" appear in your asset list.
- Now you can set a selling price for this inscription and officially list it. Listing itself does not consume gas fees and can be modified or canceled at any time.
The gas fee for the inscription step is non-refundable. Even if the listing is not filled later, this fee has already been paid to the miners.
The actual composition of fees
The platform fee is 0, but you will encounter Bitcoin network miner fees throughout the buying and selling process:
| Step | Is there a fee? | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Listing an order | Free | Listing itself does not trigger an on-chain transaction |
| Buying (taker) | Miner fee required | On-chain transaction when taking an order; fee fluctuates with network congestion |
| Inscribing before selling | Miner fee required | Inscribing the transfer inscription; fee is non-refundable |
| Withdrawing to exchange | Free | OKX does not charge a withdrawal fee |
Miner fees fluctuate significantly. OKX's help documentation mentions that during periods of network congestion, a single transaction fee can reach around $20, while it is much lower when the network is idle.
Arrival and confirmation
Purchased BRC-20 tokens do not immediately appear in your wallet balance. You need to wait for the inscription transaction to receive sufficient confirmations on the Bitcoin network before the asset officially belongs to your address. OKX's official FAQ states that during network congestion, confirmation may take 1 to 2 days.
If you are withdrawing tokens from an OKX exchange account to a Web3 wallet to participate in trading, you need to first confirm that the exchange's withdrawal network is selected correctly. BRC-20 withdrawals must use the Bitcoin network. Selecting the wrong network may result in the loss of assets. OKX's withdrawal itself is free, but you still need to pay the on-chain miner fee for the exchange withdrawal.
A mechanism limitation to be aware of
The BRC-20 order mechanism is that sellers place limit sell orders, and buyers must take these orders for a transaction to occur. Buyers cannot place limit buy orders in advance and wait for sellers to match them. This means you cannot set a low buy order in advance and wait for it to fill like on a centralized exchange. You can only monitor the sell order prices on the market in real-time and take them when you find the price acceptable.
If you want to set a target buy price, you need to use third-party tools or monitor the market continuously. OKX's Ordinals market itself does not offer a limit buy order feature.
A leading global cryptocurrency platform,suitable for both beginners and experienced traders.
New user benefit: 20% off trading fees upon registration!！
References
- OKX·How to invest in NFTs?, page published or updated: 2026-09-03; verified: 2026-09-26.
- OKX·How do I sell NFTs?, page published or updated: 2026-09-03; verified: 2026-09-26.
- OKX·How to buy and sell BRC-20 inscription tokens? (App), page published or updated: 2023-08-11; verified: 2026-09-26.
- OKX·BRC20 Trading and Inscription FAQ, page published or updated: 2025-09-23; verified: 2026-09-26.
- Followin·OKX BRC20 Trading Market Operation Process, page published or updated: 2026-09-23; verified: 2026-09-26.
- PANews·A Ten-Thousand-Word Analysis of the Telegram Bot Track: A Panorama of On-Chain Brokerages, page published or updated: 2024-02-11; verified: 2026-09-26.
- OKX·Step-by-step guide: How to deposit and withdraw BRC-20 token on OKX, page published or updated: 2025-07-15; verified: 2026-09-26.
