The cryptocurrency exchange OKX has announced a significant tightening of compliance procedures regarding incoming transactions related to gambling. The platform's CEO, Star Xu, confirmed that transfers from wallets classified as high-risk can now automatically trigger an in-depth anti-money laundering (AML) review, lasting 15 days or more. This decision is not merely a formality but part of a large-scale strategy to clean up its reputation in the eyes of global regulators.
Mechanism of the new restrictions
During the review period, the exchange reserves the right to significantly restrict account functionality, including freezing funds. If the AML investigation confirms the illegal origin of deposits, the user risks losing access to their account entirely. Particular attention is paid to transfers initiated through so-called "guarantee" escrow services in Telegram groups and via the Huione Guarantee network. In my assessment, these channels have long remained a "gray area" for crypto exchanges, and now OKX is striking a preemptive blow against them.
Xu directly pointed to the heightened risks associated with funding sources such as transactions with a guarantor on Telegram, Huione, and similar platforms. Notably, before regulatory intervention in 2025, over $27 billion in operations passed through this Telegram marketplace. After the blocks, a significant portion of these money flows migrated to other platforms, including Tudou Guarantee, creating new challenges for the entire industry.
Context: regulatory pressure and past mistakes
The tightening of rules coincides with reports from CertiK analysts, who note that AML risks now outpace securities disputes and have become the main source of regulatory pressure on the crypto market. Over the past year, OKX has already paid fines exceeding $500 million for violations in this area. Moreover, the exchange began screening wallets linked to Huione Guarantee as early as last year—after intervention by U.S. authorities—and in October 2025, the U.S. Treasury's FinCEN officially banned this platform from accessing the country's financial system.
However, the new policy also carries risks for legitimate users. Xu himself acknowledged that the platform sometimes mistakenly flags transfers from honest clients. A wave of criticism hit OKX in July 2025 when some accounts were blocked due to false suspicions of fraud. Whether the new system with 15-day reviews can effectively filter out illegal flows without harming the legitimate interests of depositors will become clear in the near future.
My view: this is the inevitable price of institutionalization. OKX is demonstrating that it is willing to sacrifice part of the user experience to survive under strict regulation. However, the key question lies in the accuracy of scoring models. If the exchange cannot minimize false positives, it risks losing the trust of retail traders, which in the long run will hit liquidity harder than any fines.