After the registration page opens, the "Country/Region" selector and the phone area code selector are not the same function, but both appear on the registration homepage.
"Country/Region" selects where you currently live and decides which regional compliance terms apply to your registration. Phone area code selects where your phone number belongs and is used to receive the verification code. Both fields must be filled in correctly.
Step 1: Fill in "Country/Region" and the area code together on the registration page
Open the OKX app or website and click [Sign up]. The first dropdown on the page is [Country/Region]. Select the country/region where you actually live. This option affects which compliance rules apply to you, so do not choose it randomly.
Next is the phone number step. In front of the phone number input box, there is a dropdown with a flag icon. Open it and search "86" to find "+86", which is the international area code for mainland China. If you have a Hong Kong number, select "+852", and so on.
Completion standard: After selecting your country/region and entering your phone number, click "Get code" and make sure your phone receives a 6-digit SMS code.
Step 2: What if your residence and nationality are different?
Many users get confused by this rule. OKX determines restricted regions based on your Country of Residence, not your nationality.
Case A: You are a Chinese national but live abroad long-term, such as in Singapore. When registering, select "Singapore" as your country/region. Later, during identity verification (KYC), select "China" for nationality. You can use your Chinese ID card or passport as the document. This is compliant.
Case B: You are a foreign national but live in China. In this case, select "China" as your country/region when registering. During verification, select your actual nationality and use your passport. The two pieces of information will not conflict.
Step 3: After submitting, how to confirm you filled it in correctly
How to check: After registration, go to [My] → [Identity verification] and click "Start Lv.1 verification". The system will ask you to confirm your name, document number, and other personal information again.
On the Lv.1 verification page, the system shows the country/region of residence you selected during registration. If it matches your actual situation, your registration choice was correct.
Completion standard: After Lv.1 is submitted successfully, the page shows "Verified" or "Lv.1 completed".
Common failure reason: Choosing the wrong region causes you not to receive the SMS code
Choosing the wrong phone area code is the most common issue. For example, you use a +86 Chinese phone number, but the dropdown defaults to +1 (United States). If you enter your number without changing it, the system will try to send the code to the wrong region number, and you will not receive it.
Correct method: Before entering your phone number, check whether the area code matches your phone number's region. If not, manually search for and select the correct one.
Risk reminder: Your residence is not easy to change after selection
OKX officially allows changing your country of residence up to 3 times, but each change requires proof of address. Some users have reported that customer support may reject the change request directly. Do not choose a random region during registration to "unlock more features". Honestly select the place where you actually live.
