Circle and Ripple have joined a strategic investment round in OKX that values the cryptocurrency exchange at $25 billion pre-money, according to an announcement highlighted by OKX. The investment group also includes Qube Research and Technologies and Standard Chartered’s venture arm, SC Ventures, extending an earlier funding round led by Intercontinental Exchange, the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange.
OKX did not disclose the total amount raised or individual contribution figures. Founder and CEO Star Xu explained that the exchange sought strategic partners rather than passive investors, targeting expertise in stablecoins, payments, institutional markets, and broader financial infrastructure. Xu described trading as “the starting point for a broader business supporting how customers hold, spend, and invest assets.”
Circle’s participation underscores its position as a stablecoin leader, while Ripple’s involvement builds on an existing operational relationship with OKX: Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin is already integrated into OKX’s unified order book. Jack McDonald, Ripple’s senior vice president of stablecoins, said large platforms like OKX are “important participants in the growing role of stablecoins within financial infrastructure.”
The move could strengthen OKX’s competitive position as it expands beyond crypto trading into a broader financial technology platform. With major players aligning on on-chain markets, the investment may drive further institutional interest and collaborative developments across the crypto ecosystem.
