In a significant move within the European trading landscape, OKX has introduced 13 new X-Perps markets, enhancing its offerings for retail traders across the European Economic Area. This launch includes perpetual futures on the widely recognized “Magnificent 7” stocks—Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla—as well as futures for gold, silver, and key oil benchmarks like WTI and Brent Crude. Traders can now access these markets 24/7 with the ability to leverage their positions up to 10 times.
The announcement, made on Tuesday, revealed that the new contracts, which became available on Monday, aim to fill a significant gap for European investors who are increasingly interested in trading both equities and commodities. Erald Ghoos, CEO of OKX Europe, emphasized the need for a cohesive trading platform in Europe, highlighting that many traders have previously struggled to find an all-encompassing, around-the-clock access point. “X-Perps fix that. One account, every market, 24/7. And because we’re fully regulated, our customers get the protections that come with that,” Ghoos stated.
X-Perps, which are structured as five-year expiry futures, utilize a funding rate mechanism to ensure they accurately reflect the underlying spot price. This innovative product combines traditional aspects of perpetual swaps with a fixed maturity date. Initially introduced in Europe in April, these instruments started with major cryptocurrencies before branching out to include conventional market assets in this latest expansion.
OKX has reported a remarkable increase in X-Perps trading activity, with volumes surging over 447% since May 1. The platform addresses the notable difference in asset figures between U.S. and European index products, where the SPY ETF boasts around $700 billion in assets, compared to a mere $20 billion managed by Europe’s leading ETF.
This launch also comes on the heels of Coinbase’s recent introduction of perpetual equity index futures for U.S. customers. OKX’s European operations are backed by its MiCA and MiFID II licenses, allowing it to target retail brokerage flows as the EU’s transition period for MiCA legislation concludes on July 1, 2026. Following this deadline, exchanges lacking the necessary licenses will be unable to offer crypto services throughout the European Economic Area.
Currently, OKX Europe Markets Ltd is authorized by the Malta Financial Services Authority under the Investment Services Act, signifying its compliance with MiFID II regulations. The platform began its operations in April with a focus on crypto-only products before extending its offerings to include traditional assets today. As these developments unfold, OKX appears poised to strengthen its position in the competitive European market, catering to a growing demand among retail traders for a more diversified trading experience.
