On January 24, 2026, OKX founder and CEO Star Xu joined the OKX 'New Year's Eve Dinner' event via video link, sharing his latest thoughts with industry builders. He stressed that the crypto industry is moving from the fringe to the mainstream, urging practitioners to stick with long-termism and safeguard the sector's reputation. He also outlined three core business directions for OKX in 2026.
Three Macro Trends: Technology, Demographics, Regulation
Xu identified three major shifts. On technology: from Bitcoin's simple token issuance to Ethereum's DApp ecosystem and now to real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. On demographics: younger generations (90s, 00s) grew up with Bitcoin stories and increasingly trust self-custody over traditional banks. On regulation: major economies—the U.S., EU, Japan, Singapore—are moving toward systematic acceptance, even turning it into national competition. "What hurts you is not opportunity, but noise," Xu said, urging attendees to build a long-term strategy based on these trends and then 'shut off' distractions—ignore short-term volatility and FOMO.
Defend Industry Reputation: No More '100x' Hype
Xu took a strong stance against harmful narratives. He warned that terms like 'all-in' or '100x' mislead the public and damage the industry's credibility. "If you define your career by get-rich-quick fantasies, regulators will see you as a gambling den," he argued. He pointed to real progress—stablecoin legislation, crypto firms listing on the NYSE, industry leaders signing bills at the White House—as the path to respect. "Wealth without social recognition and institutional support is fragile," he added, calling on exchanges, KOLs, and platforms to share responsibility for building long-term, sustainable trust.
OKX 2026: Three Business Pillars
Xu disclosed the company's 2026 focus. First, compliant trading services: expand exchange offerings (crypto, stocks) within licensed jurisdictions. Second, multi-asset onchain infrastructure: through products like xBTC and other 'X' series, covering cross-chain assets, RWAs, and even equities, with X Layer and the Web3 wallet as unified gateways. Third, OKX Pay: already connected to bank systems in Brazil, Europe, and Singapore, aiming to let ordinary users manage assets and make payments directly via wallet without a traditional bank card.
X Layer and OKB: Long-Term Strategic Core
Addressing doubts about X Layer and OKB, Xu reaffirmed their importance. X Layer currently has only a few hundred million dollars in TVL, but the target is $5-10 billion. OKB remains the ecosystem and gas token. "Whether we go public or not, technology and long-term value are always our core." He also promised closer ties with partners, improved KOL programs, and better customer service SLAs.