OKX's RPI (Retail Price Improvement Program) is enabled by default for app and web users — you don't need to turn it on manually. It works by adding an extra layer of market-maker liquidity that is only available to retail orders, on top of the regular order book you normally see. When this liquidity exists and offers a better price, your order will be matched against it first, letting you get a better price than what the regular order book shows.
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Where RPI Liquidity Comes From
Orders in the regular order book come from all users. RPI is different: only market makers designated by OKX can submit RPI orders through the API, and these orders only match with "non-algo orders" submitted from the app or web. This means API program orders and grid strategy orders will not consume RPI liquidity — this depth is reserved for manual traders.
Market makers are willing to place RPI orders because there is a clear trade-off: RPI orders have lower matching priority than regular orders at the same price. When prices are equal, the system matches regular orders first, and only after all regular orders are filled will RPI orders be matched. Market makers accept being "further back in the queue" in exchange for protection from being front-run by program orders.
How It Improves Your Execution Price
Improvement happens on two levels.
First, it adds more fillable depth. After the sell orders in the regular order book are consumed, only more expensive sell orders may remain. If RPI sell orders are still available at that point, your market order or taker limit order can continue to fill at better prices, reducing slippage. This RPI depth is shown in the app and web order book, merged together with regular depth — the total amount you see already includes the available RPI quantity.
Second, you may get a better price. The price of RPI orders is determined by market makers, and their quotes may be more aggressive than the best price in the regular order book (for example, a lower sell price). As long as your order qualifies, the system will execute it directly at that better price.
When Your Order Can Use RPI
App and web users: RPI taker access is enabled by default for all supported order types, with no extra settings needed.
OpenAPI users: You must actively pass rpiTakerAccess: true when placing or amending an order, otherwise the order will only match against regular liquidity. One common pitfall: if you forget to pass this parameter again when amending an order, your RPI access will silently expire, and the system will not give you any notice — the amended order will only be able to take from the regular order book.
When RPI Will Not Take Effect
When RPI liquidity does not exist. Market makers do not place RPI orders on every trading pair at all times. The official documentation also clearly states that a coin being "RPI-enabled" does not mean "there is currently RPI liquidity."
When RPI orders are hidden. When a regular order crosses the price of an RPI order, that RPI order is hidden from the order book display, but it remains valid in the matching engine — it is just no longer shown. The order book depth you see may decrease as a result, but that does not mean RPI is completely gone.
When your order is an API program order or grid strategy order. These order types are outside the scope of RPI matching. Even if an API user passes rpiTakerAccess: true, grid strategy orders cannot match with RPI.
One Detail Worth Knowing
The amount of RPI improvement is not guaranteed. How good a price market makers are willing to quote, and how much volume they provide, depends on their pricing strategy and market conditions. RPI's role is to add a potentially better source of execution, not to promise that every trade will be cheaper than the regular order book.
For most manual traders, RPI is enabled by default, and all you need to do is place orders as usual. If you use the API, remember to pass rpiTakerAccess: true again every time you amend an order.
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References
- OKX·散户价格优化计划, page published or updated: 2026-07-23; verified: 2026-09-26.
- OKX·Retail Price Improvement Program, page published or updated: 2026-07-23; verified: 2026-09-26.
