What Is OKB?
OKB is the exchange token issued by crypto exchange OKX and the gas token of OKX's X Layer blockchain.
OKB began not as the base coin of a blockchain but as a utility token for use within the OKX exchange ecosystem. OKB holders can receive in-exchange benefits such as trading-fee discounts and access to various events and products.
OKB is easiest to understand as similar in nature to Binance's BNB. Both tokens started with exchange perks and later expanded into paying fees on their issuer's own blockchain.
What Is OKB's Supply and How Do Burns Work?
OKB has a long history of reducing supply through burns. OKX regularly bought OKB back from the market and destroyed it, shrinking the circulating supply over time.
OKB's total supply was fixed at 21 million tokens after a one-time burn of about 65.26 million OKB, according to OKX's official announcement in August 2025. OKX said it also upgraded the smart contract to permanently remove minting and burning functions.
OKB therefore moved from a periodic buyback-and-burn model to a fixed, capped supply. Details can change, so the latest policy is best checked in OKX's official announcements.
What Role Does OKB Play on X Layer?
OKB has taken on roles beyond the exchange, in the blockchain OKX operates. According to OKX's August 2025 announcement, OKB became the sole native and gas token of X Layer, an Ethereum layer-2 network built on zero-knowledge (zkEVM) technology.
Alongside the OKB changes, OKX said it aims to grow X Layer into a public chain focused on DeFi, payments, and real-world assets (RWA). The older OKTChain and its OKT token were set to be retired and consolidated into OKB.
OKB's expansion fits a broader trend of exchange tokens trying to become the base asset of their own chains. Plans and actual adoption by users and developers can move at different speeds, so progress is worth watching.
What Are the Risks of OKB?
OKB's value is closely tied to OKX's user base, trading volume, and business expansion, as well as to activity on X Layer. When OKX and X Layer grow, OKB's uses and demand tend to grow as well.
OKB carries a risk common to exchange tokens: regulatory, security, or reputational problems at the exchange affect the token directly. According to a February 2025 US Department of Justice announcement, OKX pleaded guilty to operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business and agreed to pay over 500 million dollars in penalties and forfeiture.
OKB depends heavily on a single company, which also makes key decisions such as supply policy. This overview is for information only and is not investment advice.
