What Users Changing Phone Numbers Need to Prepare When Registering on OKX
If you know you will soon change your phone number, what you need to focus on when registering an OKX account is not anything else, but an email address that you can use stably for the long term, along with a set of identity verification documents.
The core logic is: OKX accounts must be bound to both a phone number and an email address. The phone number is the "first key" used for daily login and receiving verification codes, while the email serves as an important credential for account recovery and resetting security settings. When you are about to change your phone number, the email's role as a backup channel becomes the highest priority.
Step 1: Prepare a Backup Email for Long-Term Use
What to do: The email you use at registration must be one you can ensure long-term, stable access to, to receive system notifications, verify identity, and recover passwords.
How to do it:
Choose an email you frequently use and do not plan to change in the future (e.g., Gmail, Outlook, QQ Mail, etc.).
Ensure the password for this email is independently set and strong, not reused for other important accounts.
Remember, when you change your phone number in the future, this email will be one of the key identity verification channels. OKX's system notifications, identity verification, and password recovery will all rely on this email.
When is it complete: You have selected an email that can be used stably long-term and confirmed it can receive emails normally.
Step 2: Use Your Real-Name Registered Phone Number for Registration
What to do: During registration, fill in your current, personally real-name registered phone number to ensure you can receive SMS normally.
How to do it:
You must bind both phone number and email during registration; both are indispensable. Be sure to use a phone number under your own name, otherwise you will not be able to complete subsequent identity verification.
Even if you plan to change this number, you need to use it for identity binding and verification during registration.
When is it complete: Successfully completed registration and initial verification using your currently available phone number.
Step 3: Complete Identity Verification (KYC)
What to do: Complete real-name authentication, which is the foundation for unlocking all account features and future security setting changes.
How to do it:
After registration, complete [Identity Verification] in the App as soon as possible.
Follow the prompts to upload front and back photos of your identification document (such as passport or ID card) and complete facial recognition.
Accounts that have not completed real-name authentication cannot perform core operations such as deposits, withdrawals, and trading.
When is it complete: The account identity verification status shows "Verified".
Step 4 (Recommended): Bind Google Authenticator (2FA) in Advance
What to do: Before changing your phone number, set up Google Authenticator in advance as a second layer of security.
How to do it:
Go to [Security Settings], find and bind [Google Authenticator].
During binding, a "recovery key" or "backup code" will be generated; make sure to write it down and store it offline in a safe place.
This authenticator serves as an important tool to prove your identity after your phone number is deactivated, and also provides an additional verification channel when changing your phone number.
When is it complete: Google Authenticator is successfully bound, and the recovery key has been securely backed up.
Common Reasons for Failure
Phone number is not under your real name: This leads to failure in risk control verification, and even account restrictions.
The number used has not been real-name registered: Some countries/regions' platform risk controls require the number to be real-name registered.
Relying only on the phone number and ignoring the importance of email: When changing the phone number, without a backup email or Google Authenticator, you can only reset through a complex manual review process.
Risk Reminder
After changing your phone number, withdrawals and C2C selling will be unavailable for 24 hours; this is a mandatory restriction set by the platform to protect asset security.
Once the phone number is changed, a security freeze period will be triggered, during which you can trade normally but cannot transfer assets out. Please plan your withdrawal needs in advance.
The phone number cannot be "unbound", only "changed"; the account must always be bound to an available phone number.
How to Confirm You Are Ready
After registration and completing the above preparations, log into your OKX account, go to the [Security Settings] page, and confirm:
Email is bound and can receive emails normally.
Google Authenticator is bound, and the recovery key has been saved offline.
Phone number is bound and is under your own name.
This way, when you need to change your phone number, you can smoothly complete verification through your email and Google Authenticator, without relying on receiving SMS on your old phone number.
