OKX CEO Reveals Why $40K in Stablecoins Got Frozen After User Bought KYC Accounts

Another day, another crypto compliance showdown—this time with a user's funds locked in regulatory limbo.

The Compliance Hammer Drops

Centralized exchanges wield ultimate control over your assets, a stark reality when anti-money laundering protocols trigger automatic freezes. The system flags purchased identity verifications instantly, leaving traders scrambling.

Playing By The Rules—Or Not

Platforms face immense pressure from global regulators to police their gates. Attempting to bypass know-your-customer checks isn't a clever hack—it's a fast track to getting your entire balance suspended. The fine print always wins.

The Custody Conundrum

This incident underscores the fundamental trade-off in crypto: convenience versus sovereignty. Handing over private keys for slick trading interfaces means accepting their rules—and their right to seize funds. Some call it security; others call it a beautifully branded cage.

Next time you consider shortcutting verification, remember: in traditional finance, they'd just deny your account. In crypto, they'll take your money and explain why later—a delightful innovation in customer service.

Identity Rules Over On-Chain Records in OKX Account Freeze Case

The user noted that these accounts remained idle for two years, with no other activity besides his transfers of USDG from his main account.

The funds were intended to earn yield through a promotion offering 10% annual interest, and the user described the frozen assets as crucial for covering a family member’s urgent medical expenses.

In a detailed post on X, Captain Bunny recounted his history with OKX, dating back to the platform’s early days as OKCoin in 2014. He emphasized his loyalty, explaining that he had consistently trusted the platform through multiple bull and bear markets.

https://t.co/aSW6zFwWGk

He described transferring $10,000 USDG at a time from his main account into the four purchased accounts in late 2025, only to find them frozen when he attempted to withdraw the funds.

The user provided on-chain transfer records, email correspondence, and other proofs of account control to support his claim and appealed for the platform to consider his situation sympathetically, noting the urgency of a family member’s medical needs.

OKX founder and CEO Star Xu responded directly to the situation, defending the exchange’s policies. Xu emphasized that account ownership is determined by registered identity information, not personal statements or social media posts.

试想这样一种情况：如果你购买了他人的账户，而原账户持有人随后能够提供身份证明等有效、完整的身份信息，并明确主张该账户归其所有，同时要求平台重置账户登录、提币等权限——在这种情况下，OKX应当相信能够证明账户身份的一方，还是无法提供任何身份信息、仅凭个人主张的一方？… https://t.co/ICIbV9mPPT

He explained that allowing access to an account based on a secondary party’s claim, even one backed by on-chain transaction records, WOULD compromise user asset security and violate regulatory obligations, including anti-money laundering and anti-fraud measures.

Xu added that the accounts involved in buying and selling behavior trigger risk control mechanisms such as facial recognition and identity verification, and funds can only be released if the registered account holder explicitly disclaims ownership, no legal restrictions are present, and the claimant can provide verifiable proof of fund sources.

Buying KYC Accounts? OKX Says Not on Its Watch

OKX’s help desk reinforced this stance, stating that the platform’s services are exclusively for the real-name verified individual associated with each account.

The exchange referenced Section 4.6 of its terms of use, noting that users must be the legal and beneficial owner of any digital assets on the platform and cannot act as an agent for another party.

您好，非常抱歉。经核实，平台服务仅针对账户实名本人。您此前表示账户实名信息属于他人，目前因触发人脸识别，导致无法登录账户，相关操作仍需由实名本人进行验证，感谢您的理解与支持。…

The user appeal was emotional, but the platform argued that there were no exceptions, and the situation concerns the larger context of KYC in crypto.

The introduction of backdoors to additional use of the accounts would put the integrity of the platforms and regulatory obligations at risk, establishing the possibility of fraud and abuse.

The CEO pointed out that such obligations cannot be defeated by social media pressure or any other appeal by the masses.

The event has led to a broader debate in the crypto community regarding the dangers of buying third-party KYC accounts. The publicly voiced support of the policies of OKX by many investors was based on the necessity to keep the verification of identity and potential abuse prevention.

One user observed that those backdoors might be tempting to commit fraud and disrupt the security of the platform, which highlights the difficulty of the exchanges in reconciling the needs of the users with the requirements of compliance.