OKX has officially resumed distributed exchange (DEX) operations with a new real-time abuse detection and blocking system designed to combat illegal activities.
In the X post, the CEO of OKX Star Xu, also known as Mingxing Xu, said, “OKX Dex will restart today with a real-time abuse detection and blocking system.”
He describes OKX Web3 as “the chrome and search engine of blockchain,” highlighting that a deep understanding of on-chain data allows users to access real-time information on hundreds of blockchains, manage assets across multiple networks, and interact with millions of distributed applications (DAPPS).
OKX Dex restarts after the Lazarus Group scandal
The renewal follows months of strengthened scrutiny after the platform was linked to a $100 million laundry operation that allegedly linked to North Korea’s Lazarus Group.
Currently, OKX Dex has real-time tools to identify and block suspicious activities. Abuse detection systems actively monitor behavior on the chain across hundreds of supported blockchains, providing dynamic protection against washing attempts and malicious smart contracts.
OKX’s DEX promoted one of the largest money laundering cases in cryptography history in March 2025. Hackers associated with the North Korean Lazarus group used DEX to wash around $100 million worth of ether. This was one of the $1.5 billion thefts aimed at targeting rival crypto exchange Bybit.
Bybit CEO Ben Zhou said about 8% of the codes fired were transferred in a decentralized exchange of OKX. The laundry process was done using OKX’s Web3 proxy agreement. This allows for anonymous transactions in the blockchain service.
Once regulators around Europe began investigating, the exchange suspended its DEX service overnight on March 18, 2025. We then worked with compliance experts to work together through vulnerabilities and updated the system.
Now, the company claims that the upgraded Dex Aggregator has added online abuse protection, an immediate IP ban, and real-time blacklist checks. Suspicious activity is monitored and closed in seconds, but wallet addresses connected to the hack are automatically blacklisted. The platform is also integrated with AML software outside of Japan.
Authorities target OKX for various compliance failures
It’s not just the Lazaro Group incident thing That’s there Deep rooted OKX this year. In April 2025, the Maltese Financial Information Analysis Unit (FIAU) fined Okcoin Europe, OKX’s European branch, EUR 1.1 million.
The fines discovered inadequate checks of privacy coins, stubcoins and transactions with foreign virtual asset service providers following a 2013 quarterly audit. Regulatory Authorities I said OKX is a failure to identify and mitigate the risks of funds outside the European Union.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) began action in February 2025. OKX agreed to pay $555 million to resolve accusations that it had carried out an unlicensed money transfer business. US officials said billions of dollars are flowing without adequate checks.
These consecutive infringement We’ll overhaul the system and put more heat on OKX to rethink the global AML process.
During the discussion, the words came to be that the company would more closely follow the EU’s MICA regulations. The exchange secured a regulatory license in Malta and planned to register there. This is an important stop on the road to becoming legally operated in Europe.
Experts praise OKX’s real-time detection system as a major advance
OKX’s renewal is being vetted in the crypto industry. However, many experts believe that the introduction of real-time detection systems marks a major advance. They note that this move sets up a new bar for a decentralized exchange platform, demonstrating that exchanges can continue to provide Web3 services while keeping criminals out.
However, some experts warn that there is more work to do. Lazarus and other hacking groups focus on distributed tools, avoiding the ease of monitoring associated with centralized exchange. Others fear that even the best detection systems are not enough to prevent future abuse.
Meanwhile, OKX is moving forward. The exchange recently deployed new US services, including a unified trading platform and Web3 wallets. He also established a West Coast office in San Jose, California, and appointed former Barclays CEO Roshan Robert as CEO of the US unit.
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