Key Preparation Checklist for International Students Registering on OKX
When overseas international students register on OKX, there are three core items you need to prepare: a valid passport or national ID card, proof of residence issued within the last 3 months (such as a utility bill or bank statement), and a mobile phone number that can normally receive SMS verification codes. The most critical step is not filling out the registration form, but following the rule that "you must use the identity document and proof of residence tied to the country where you are currently located to register" — the address verification step is the part that blocks the largest number of applicants.
1. Confirm you are located in an OKX-supported region
What to do: Before starting the registration process, first verify that the country/region you are currently residing in is eligible to use OKX services. After arriving in a new study destination, the first step for international students is not to fill in the registration form, but to confirm service availability.
How to do it:
OKX services do not cover all regions globally. Per official compliance disclosures, the following regions cannot access OKX's centralized exchange services (as of July 2026): the United States (partial services are available via OKX US), Canada, Hong Kong SAR of China, Japan, India, Malaysia, Singapore (partial services restricted), the United Kingdom (partial services restricted) and more.
If you are an international student residing in any of the above restricted regions, you may not be able to complete OKX registration. If you are in a supported region (such as most European countries, Australia, most Southeast Asian countries), you can proceed with the process.
Completion criteria: You have confirmed that your current country/region of residence is not on OKX's restricted service list.
Prerequisite: You have normal access to the official OKX website or mobile app.
Common failure causes: Using VPN or proxy for registration, or frequent IP address changes, may trigger risk control mechanisms and prevent you from finishing registration.
2. Prepare mobile phone number and email for registration
What to do: Prepare a mobile phone number that can normally receive SMS verification codes, and an email address that can normally receive verification messages.
How to do it:
OKX registration requires binding both a mobile phone number and an email address.
Mobile phone number: Use a mobile number registered under your own name. Both a local number from your study destination country and a Chinese domestic number are acceptable, as long as it can receive international SMS verification codes normally.
Email: QQ Mail, 163 Mail, Gmail, Outlook and other common email providers are all supported, as long as you can access the inbox to receive verification emails.
Completion criteria: Your mobile phone can successfully receive SMS verification codes, and your email can receive verification messages without issues.
Prerequisite: Your mobile number is in active service, and you remember your email login password.
Common failure causes: Mobile number overdue for payment, international SMS blocked by carrier, or a typo in your email address leading to failed receipt of verification codes.
3. Prepare identity document (passport or national ID card)
What to do: Prepare a valid government-issued photo ID within its validity period for identity authentication (KYC).
How to do it:
OKX identity authentication requires submission of a valid government-issued identity document, including a passport, national ID card, or driver's license.
For international students, there are two commonly accepted options:
Passport (the most universally accepted option, especially for non-local residents)
National ID card (as long as it is still within its official validity period)
Extra note for US users: US residents are required to provide their Social Security Number (SSN) for KYC verification.
Completion criteria: Your identity document is on hand, within its validity period, and the printed photo and text details are clearly recognizable.
Prerequisite: Your document has not expired, and the printed photo has no damage or blurring.
Common failure causes: Expired identity document, blurry or reflective uploaded photo, or the name on your document does not match the name you filled in during registration.
4. Prepare proof of residential address (the step most likely to cause rejection)
What to do: Prepare a valid document that proves your current residential address. OKX KYC rules require all users to complete address verification.
How to do it:
Accepted address proof document types for OKX include:
Public utility bills (water, electricity, gas) issued within the last 3 months
Bank statements issued within the last 3 months
Driver's license (if your current residential address is clearly printed on it)
Government-issued identity document with your current residential address listed
Property management fee payment receipts
Not accepted: Private letters, parcel delivery slips and similar documents.
For international students, bank statements are usually the easiest address proof to obtain: you can open a local bank account in your study destination and print a recent official bank statement. Shared utility bills that are not issued under your own name will not be accepted.
Completion criteria: You have an address proof document issued within the last 3 months, and the address printed on the document is fully consistent with the residential address you fill in during registration.
Prerequisite: You have a stable residential address (the address listed on your rental contract).
Common failure causes:
Address mismatch: The address you entered during registration does not match the address on your proof document, which is the most common reason for KYC rejection.
Expired date: The issue date on the bill is more than 3 months before your verification submission.
Name mismatch: The name printed on the bill is an English nickname, while the name on your identity document is your legal pinyin/official name.
Risk reminder: Submitting falsified address proof will lead to KYC audit failure. Multiple consecutive failed verification attempts may trigger permanent account risk control restrictions.
5. Complete security initialization after registration approval
What to do: After your registration and identity authentication are approved, finish all recommended security settings before you make any deposit to your account.
How to do it:
After your KYC verification is passed, go to the [Security Center] section to complete the following operations:
Bind Google Authenticator (2FA): It is more secure than SMS verification, and is the core measure to defend against account hijacking.
Set a fund password: Different from your login password, this password is used for withdrawal and all fund-related operations.
Enable withdrawal whitelist: You will only be able to withdraw funds to addresses saved in your address book, preventing hackers from transferring out your assets.
Set an anti-phishing code: This unique code will be attached to all official OKX emails, helping you identify scam phishing emails.
Completion criteria: The Security Center page shows that 2FA is bound, fund password is set, withdrawal whitelist is enabled, and anti-phishing code is activated.
Prerequisite: Your identity authentication (KYC) has been fully approved.
Common failure causes: Only finishing registration and KYC, skipping security settings and depositing funds directly — this leaves your account at extremely high risk of unauthorized access.
Next steps to follow:
Follow the steps in order today: first confirm that your country/region of residence supports OKX services, then prepare your mobile phone number, email, passport/ID card, and address proof issued within the last 3 months. After all materials are ready, open the OKX app to complete registration and identity authentication. Once your KYC is approved, immediately go to the [Security Center] to finish 2FA binding, fund password setup, withdrawal whitelist activation and anti-phishing code configuration — do not skip security settings and deposit funds directly. KYC audits are usually completed within 10 to 30 minutes, and may take up to 24 hours for special complex verification cases.
