OKX vs Relai Comparison

In short: OKX is one of the large international crypto exchanges and serves investors in the EU through OKX Europe, licensed under MiCA in Malta. You can trade more than 280 crypto-assets, from 0.10% maker and 0.20% taker on a spot-only account, or from 0.08% and 0.10% with a spot and derivatives account. Add futures up to 10x, trading bots, tokenised stocks, a recurring-buy savings plan and the OKX Card. If you want a regulated exchange with a wide range of features and low fees, OKX is a strong choice.

Is OKX safe and licensed in the EU?

Yes, OKX may serve customers across the EU. OKX Europe Limited, based in Sliema, Malta, has been authorised as a crypto-asset service provider under MiCA since 27 January 2025, granted by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA). Through the EU passport the licence covers 29 EEA countries, including Germany, France and Spain (ESMA register, file of 30 October 2026). It covers, among other things, custody, operating a trading platform, exchanging crypto-assets for funds and for other crypto-assets, executing orders, portfolio management and transfers. According to OKX, it also holds MiFID II and payment institution authorisations.

Reserves: OKX regularly publishes a proof of reserves, most recently its 46th report as of 3 October 2026: coverage of 110% for Bitcoin, 100% for Ether, 105% for USDT and 101% for USDC (OKX proof of reserves).

What you can do yourself: the anti-phishing code you set in your account protects you against scams with fake emails, because it appears in every genuine email from OKX. Add two-factor authentication or a passkey, a withdrawal address whitelist and, for larger amounts, your own hardware wallet.

Who is OKX for?

OKX suits investors in the EU who want to trade actively on a licensed exchange: spot, futures, bots and tokenised stocks on one platform, with low order book fees. If you mainly want a savings plan in a lean app, take a look at Bitvavo or Bitpanda; Kraken is another large exchange with a MiCA licence. All licensed providers are listed in our comparison of regulated crypto exchanges.

Relai has established itself in the DACH region as one of the best-known Bitcoin-only apps and is especially appreciated by the Bitcoin community. The Swiss company follows a consistent self-custody approach: Bitcoin is held directly in the in-app wallet, and transfers to external wallets, including hardware wallets, are possible. Customers in the EU are served by Relai EU SASU, which has held a MiCA authorisation from the French financial markets authority AMF since 23 October 2025 and, according to the ESMA register, may operate in all 27 member states via the EU passport; in Switzerland, Relai AG is a member of the self-regulatory organisation VQF. Relai is therefore considered to be on solid regulatory footing.

The savings plan functionality is particularly valued, enabling automatic Bitcoin purchases with direct transfer to your own wallet or a hardware wallet. For investors who see Bitcoin as a long-term store of value and place importance on self-custody, Relai is regarded as one of the most accessible solutions. The fee is 1 % per purchase, or 0.9 % with an invite code; the first monthly auto-invest plan up to €100 remains fee-free. Paying by credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay adds 3.0 %.

Since only Bitcoin can be traded, Relai is not suitable for investors interested in altcoins, something occasionally criticized by some users. The minimum amount of 50 € and the setup of external wallet transfers are also seen as room for improvement. Relai is therefore especially suited to Bitcoin-focused investors who want to combine self-custody and automated saving with a regulated provider.