The largest cryptocurrency exchange, OKX, has announced a significant tightening of its anti-money laundering (AML) policy. Now, any incoming transfers originating from addresses associated with gambling or so-called "guaranteed" escrow services will be automatically flagged as suspicious. This decision is not merely a formality but part of a large-scale strategy to purge illegal schemes from capital flows.
According to my information, the platform's CEO, Star Xu, has confirmed that AML checks may be initiated for deposits from high-risk addresses. The procedure can take 15 days or longer. During this period, the exchange reserves the right to restrict account functionality and freeze access to funds. If the illegal origin of transactions is confirmed, the user risks losing complete control over their account.
Focus on Telegram Marketplaces and the Huione Network
Special attention in the new policy is given to transfers through "guaranteed" escrow services in Telegram groups, as well as through the infamous Huione Guarantee network. Before regulatory intervention in 2025, this marketplace, by my estimates, processed transactions worth over $27 billion. After being blocked by U.S. authorities, its turnover partially shifted to similar platforms, including Tudou Guarantee, making the fight against them particularly relevant.
"Funds received through channels such as guarantor transactions in Telegram groups, Huione, and similar services may carry elevated risks," said OKX CEO Star Xu.
Notably, OKX began checking wallets linked to Huione as early as last year—immediately after sanctions from FinCEN (a division of the U.S. Treasury Department), which in October 2025 banned this network from accessing the U.S. financial system.
Response to Regulatory Pressure
The tightening of controls coincides with a report from CertiK analysts, who note that AML risks now outpace disputes over stablecoins and have become the main source of regulatory pressure on the crypto market. Over the past year, OKX has already paid fines for AML violations exceeding $500 million. At the same time, Xu acknowledges the flip side of the coin: the platform sometimes mistakenly blocks legitimate users. The wave of criticism in July 2025 showed that false positives in the system are a real problem.
Whether the new rule with its 15-day review can effectively cut off illegal flows without affecting honest depositors will become clear in the near future. In my understanding, this is a tightrope walk: overly strict control will scare off retail traders, while overly lenient measures will lead to new billion-dollar fines. A balance will only be found through iterative tuning of algorithms.