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Who is the Founder of OKB? [2024 Leadership Guide]

OKB was founded by Mingxing “Star” Xu, the visionary entrepreneur behind Okcoin, OKEx (now OKX), and the OKB project. As the okb founder, Star Xu is renowned for pioneering transparent, user-focused crypto exchanges that shaped the industry. In this article, you'll learn about Star Xu's background, the origins of the OKB token, the key figures driving OKX today, and how OKB stands out among global exchange tokens. Whether you're a crypto beginner or curious researcher, discover how the okb founder and his leadership team have steered OKX to global recognition.

Who Founded OKB? Meet Star Xu

The okb founder is Mingxing "Star" Xu, a Chinese tech entrepreneur who made a profound impact on the cryptocurrency industry. Star Xu is also the okx founder, and his journey began in 2013 with Okcoin, one of China's earliest Bitcoin trading platforms. After achieving success with Okcoin, he expanded his vision globally by launching OKEx (now OKX) in 2017.

Star Xu spearheaded the development and launch of OKB, the utility token for the broader OKX platform. The OKB token was announced in late 2017 and officially launched for the public in 2018, with major adoption milestones throughout 2019. As both the okb founder and a relentless innovator, Star Xu has guided the project to become one of the most significant digital assets for exchange users worldwide.

About Mingxing 'Star' Xu

Star Xu was born in China and emerged as a tech leader in the rapidly evolving blockchain sector. With an engineering background, he first made his mark by founding Okcoin in 2013—a pivotal move that helped shape China’s early crypto landscape. As an entrepreneur, Xu is known for advocating for security, transparency, and powerful user-focused services. His major milestones include launching OKEx, introducing OKB, and pushing OKX into the ranks of top global crypto exchanges.

💡 Pro Tip: When researching crypto founders, always look for leaders with a proven track record of transparency and platform resilience.

History of the OKB Token

The OKB token launched in 2018, initially as an ERC-20 asset on the Ethereum blockchain. The driving reason for its introduction was to create deep integration between OKEx/OKX and its growing global user ecosystem. OKB’s core mission was to offer real value to platform users, such as trading fee discounts, access to exclusive features, and governance participation.

As the OKB origin story shows, the team migrated OKB to OKChain (now OKX Chain), OKX’s proprietary blockchain, in 2020. This transition increased token security, improved on-chain performance, and enabled decentralized applications to flourish alongside centralized services. Since its inception, OKB has consistently evolved, supporting features like staking, passive income through OKX Earn, and voting for new token listings.

Among exchange tokens, OKB is notable for:

  • Its integration with a robust trading ecosystem
  • Diverse use-cases across DeFi, staking, and CEX loyalty programs
  • A transparent burn mechanism to strengthen long-term value

For a deeper look at OKB’s day-to-day benefits, see How OKB works.

The Leadership Team Behind OKX and OKB

While Star Xu remains a guiding figure, OKX benefits from a world-class executive team. The okb team and okx leadership have evolved to include:

  • Jay Hao – CEO (2017–2023): Jay Hao championed product development, risk management, and expanding OKX’s global user base. His vision focused on security and long-term reliability.
  • Hong Fang – President (2023–present): Previously of Coinbase, Hong Fang brings Wall Street experience and sharp regulatory insight to OKX. She emphasizes transparency, user education, and sustainable innovation.

Together, these leaders foster an open company culture dedicated to empowering users worldwide. Their transparent management style is a key reason OKX maintains trust among millions of crypto traders.

Company Structure and Vision

OKX’s leadership team operates on principles of security, transparency, and user empowerment. The company is structured to foster rapid innovation while ensuring robust risk controls. According to Hong Fang, "Our mission is to build the world’s most trusted and innovative digital asset platform for everyone.”

💡 Pro Tip: Check executive team bios on official platforms for the most up-to-date information on company leadership.

To learn more about the company, visit About OKX exchange.

OKB vs Other Exchange Tokens

When comparing okb vs bnb (Binance Coin) or other major exchange tokens like CRO (Crypto.com), several differences emerge:

Feature BNB CRO OKB
Discounted Fees Yes Yes Yes
Governance Partial Yes Yes
On-Chain Uses BSC DeFi Cronos OKX Chain DeFi
Token Burns Quarterly Ongoing Quarterly
Security High High Excellent
User Base Global Global Global

Key OKB differentiators:

  • Deep platform integration on both centralized and decentralized services
  • Strong transparency with regular token burns
  • Powerful DeFi and staking opportunities on OKX Chain

By combining centralized reliability with DeFi flexibility, OKB stands out as a best-in-class, security-first exchange token.

Frequently Asked Questions about OKB and Its Founders

Who is the founder of OKB?

Mingxing “Star” Xu, the okb founder, is the entrepreneur who launched Okcoin, OKEx (now OKX), and initiated the OKB token project.

When was OKB launched?

OKB was launched publicly in 2018 as an ERC-20 token on Ethereum, with major adoption by 2019.

What is Star Xu’s background?

Star Xu began as an engineer and became a key figure in China’s early crypto sector by launching Okcoin in 2013. He is recognized for transparent leadership and a focus on secure, user-driven exchanges.

Who runs OKX today?

OKX was founded by Star Xu. Recent leadership includes Jay Hao as CEO (2017-2023) and Hong Fang as President, guiding the company's direction.

What makes OKB unique among exchange tokens?

OKB offers broad platform integration, robust security, and real utility through staking, governance, and regular, transparent token burns.

Conclusion

OKB and OKX owe their global reputation to a visionary founder—Star Xu—and a transparent, experienced leadership team. The okb founder’s entrepreneurial drive enabled OKX to evolve into a trusted, innovative crypto exchange. With clear executive oversight, robust security practices, and a commitment to user value, both OKB and OKX continue to set industry standards. To learn more about the OKB token or get involved with OKX, explore their transparent platform today.

Disclaimer
This content is provided for informational purposes only and may cover products that are not available in your region. It is not intended to provide (i) investment advice or an investment recommendation; (ii) an offer or solicitation to buy, sell, or hold crypto/digital assets, or (iii) financial, accounting, legal, or tax advice. Crypto/digital asset holdings, including stablecoins, involve a high degree of risk and can fluctuate greatly. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding crypto/digital assets is suitable for you in light of your financial condition. Please consult your legal/tax/investment professional for questions about your specific circumstances. Information (including market data and statistical information, if any) appearing in this post is for general information purposes only. While all reasonable care has been taken in preparing this data and graphs, no responsibility or liability is accepted for any errors of fact or omission expressed herein.

© 2025 OKX. This article may be reproduced or distributed in its entirety, or excerpts of 100 words or less of this article may be used, provided such use is non-commercial. Any reproduction or distribution of the entire article must also prominently state: “This article is © 2025 OKX and is used with permission.” Permitted excerpts must cite to the name of the article and include attribution, for example “Article Name, [author name if applicable], © 2025 OKX.” Some content may be generated or assisted by artificial intelligence (AI) tools. No derivative works or other uses of this article are permitted.

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