OKX has a specific process for handling cases where a user loses mental capacity, but you cannot directly log in to or operate the account as a family member. What you need to do is contact OKX customer support, submit a set of certified legal documents, and have OKX review them before helping you transfer funds or close the account. The core challenge of the whole process is not on the platform side, but in whether you can obtain legally valid authorization documents (such as a court order or power of attorney). Without such documents, OKX will not release the account based solely on family relationship.
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What is the OKX process like
OKX's Help Center has a guide specifically for users who have passed away or lost mental capacity, which applies to the situation you described. The process has two steps:
Step one, contact customer support and wait for the account to be frozen. You submit a request through the Support Center. After OKX confirms account ownership, it will start the freezing process. Note the official wording: "We may not freeze the relevant account at the time we receive your inquiry." This means there may be a time gap between when you contact them and when the account is actually frozen. If you are worried the account might be accessed by someone else during this period, you should explicitly request that it be frozen as soon as possible when you contact them.
Step two, submit documents and wait for review. OKX will assign a specialist to follow up on your case. After the review is approved, the platform will transfer funds or close the account according to your instructions as the authorized person.
Documents you need to prepare
The official document list is based on the "lost mental capacity" scenario. The following items are directly relevant to this situation:
- Documents proving the user has lost mental capacity (such as medical diagnosis or court declaration)
- Your identification document as the applicant
- Identification document of the user (family member)
- Proof of relationship (such as marriage certificate or birth certificate)
- Power of Attorney, if applicable
- Documents issued by the competent authority proving you have the right to handle the user's finances (for example, a court order)
- A letter signed by an authorized person or a government document instructing OKX on how to handle the account and balance
- Other documents OKX may require
Two hard requirements you should know in advance: all documents need to be in English, and they need to be certified and/or notarized as true copies. If the documents you hold are in Chinese, you need to get them translated and notarized first. This is not OKX deliberately making things difficult, but a common requirement for cross-border platforms when handling legal documents.
The most critical step is not on OKX's side
OKX's list repeatedly mentions "documents issued by the competent authority" and "court order." These are not optional. You need to first obtain legal authority over your family member's financial affairs in your own jurisdiction, and only then can you take that authorization to OKX.
The specific path depends on the country or region you are in. Common forms include: court-appointed guardianship/conservatorship, durable power of attorney (if the family member signed one before losing capacity), or a specific court order issued for that account. In the United States, each state has its own version of legislation similar to the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (UFADAA), and court orders are the standard credential recognized by brokerages and exchanges. Rules in other regions differ, and you should consult a local lawyer.
OKX's own guide also states: "The required documents and procedures may vary depending on your region, place of residence, and personal circumstances," and recommends seeking legal counsel. This is not a disclaimer cliché, but a reminder that the platform will not judge for you whether the legal documents from your region are valid. You need to get this sorted out legally on your own first.
One boundary regarding "OKX US account"
Your title mentions "OKX US account." It is important to distinguish: OKX's entity in the United States is OKX US, which is regulated in the US and has different service scope and compliance requirements from the global OKX platform. The official guide quoted above comes from the OKX global Help Center and does not explicitly state whether it fully applies to OKX US accounts. In practice, estate or guardianship handling for US accounts may involve additional state law requirements and internal platform compliance procedures. When you contact customer support, you should confirm which entity's account they are handling and prepare documents according to the corresponding requirements. If the account is under OKX US, part of the process may need to go through OKX US support channels rather than the global Support Center.
What you can do now
If you have not yet obtained a court order or a valid power of attorney, find a local lawyer first. This is the most time-consuming and unavoidable part of the entire process. Contacting OKX without legal authorization will only get you a "please provide authorization documents" reply, and nothing can move forward beyond freezing the account.
If you already have the relevant legal documents, submit a request through the OKX Support Center, explain that "the user has lost mental capacity and you are applying to handle the account," and attach certified English copies. After submitting, track progress through the ticket status. Do not submit multiple duplicate applications, as that will only slow down processing.
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