Should Canadian Users Choose Mobile Number or Email When Signing Up on OKX?

OKX

02 August 2026

When registering on OKX, Canadian users do not face a "phone or email" choice—the sign-up process requires you to bind both a mobile number and an email address. Both are mandatory. So just have these two things ready and follow the steps in sequence.

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Why can't I choose just one?

OKX's registration system requires users to bind both an email and a phone number. This is done to verify account ownership, enhance security, and prevent unauthorized access. During registration you first receive a verification code by email, then bind your phone number and enter an SMS code. Both must be verified to complete the process.

Steps

Prerequisites:

An email address that can send and receive mail normally (Gmail, Outlook and other international providers are recommended)
A Canadian mobile number that can receive SMS (starts with +1, 10 digits)

App:

Open the OKX app and tap [Sign Up].
Select "Canada" as your country/region, read and agree to the Terms of Service and related disclosures, then tap [Create Account].
Enter your email address in the email field, optionally enter a referral code, and tap [Sign Up].
Check your email for a 6-digit verification code (valid for 10 minutes), enter it and tap [Next].
You'll land on the phone binding page. The system automatically fills in the "+1" country code based on your selection. Enter the last 10 digits of your Canadian mobile number and tap [Verify Now].
Enter the SMS verification code sent to your phone and tap [Next].
Set a login password (it's recommended to include upper- and lower-case letters, numbers and special characters) and tap [Done].

Web:

Visit the official OKX website (www.okx.com) and click [Sign Up].
Select "Canada" as your country/region, agree to the terms, and click [Create Account].
Enter your email address and a referral code (optional), then click [Sign Up].
Enter the verification code received by email.
Add your phone number (the country code will automatically match +1) and click [Verify Now].
Enter the SMS verification code, set your password, and complete registration.

How to know you're done: The page will show "Registration successful", and after logging in you will see both "Email verified" and "Phone verified" statuses in [Security Settings].

Each phone number and email address can only be used for one OKX account. If the system says "This phone number is already registered", it means that number is already bound to another account.

Key steps after registration

Once registration is complete, it is recommended to do the following two things right away:

Identity verification (KYC): Unverified accounts cannot buy or sell crypto, deposit or withdraw, borrow, or transfer funds. Canadian users need to upload a passport or driver's licence for verification.
Bind Google Authenticator: Go to [Security Settings] - [Authenticator App] and link Google Authenticator. This is more secure than SMS verification, and withdrawals no longer rely solely on SMS codes.

Common failure reasons

Not receiving the verification code: Check your email spam folder; check whether SMS blocking is enabled on your phone; remember that the verification code is valid for 10 minutes—request a new one if it expires.
Country code and phone number mismatch: The system matches the +1 code automatically; do not change it manually. The phone number you enter should be exactly 10 digits after removing the country code.

Risk reminders

Changing your phone number is costly: If you need to replace the mobile number you registered with, you must go through a security verification process to unbind the old number.
Mismatch between registration location and IP may trigger risk control: It is recommended to register using a Canadian local network environment. A large discrepancy between your IP address and the selected country may trigger a risk review.
Restrictions without identity verification: Accounts that have not completed KYC have limited functionality and cannot use trading, deposit or withdrawal features normally.