OKB Jumps 160% on 65M Token Burn and X Layer Upgrade

OKB, the native token of crypto exchange OKX, gained nearly 160% on Wednesday after the platform revealed an overhaul to its blockchain ecosystem and tokenomics, including a major burn.

The rally, which briefly pushed OKB (OKB) prices as high as $135 from a daily low of $45, came as OKX confirmed it will conduct a one-time burn of 65,256,712.097 OKB from historical repurchases and treasury reserves. After the burn, the total OKB supply will be fixed at 21 million.

OKX also revealed that it would upgrade its zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine (zkEVM)-based public chain, X Layer, “to build it into a leading public chain with a dedicated focus on DeFi, payments, and real-world asset (RWA) applications.”

According to OKX, the “PP upgrade,” completed on Aug. 5, integrates the latest Polygon CDK technology, boosting transaction throughput to 5,000 transactions per second, cutting gas fees to negligible levels and improving Ethereum compatibility for developers.

Related: Circle and OKX launch zero-fee USDC conversions to US dollar

OKX expands X Layer ecosystem

The exchange plans to establish an ecosystem fund and offer liquidity incentives to attract developers. OKX Wallet, OKX Exchange and OKX Pay will be fully integrated with X Layer, with OKX Pay adopting it as its default chain.

As part of the transition, OKTChain will be phased out. Trading of its native OKT token will halt on Aug. 13, with periodic conversions of OKT into OKB at an average closing price until Jan. 1, 2026. OKTChain is an EVM and IBC-compatible layer 1 built on Cosmos.

The Ethereum L1 version of OKB will also be phased out, with holders asked to migrate to X Layer. Following the burn, OKX will upgrade the OKB smart contract to remove minting and burning capabilities entirely.

Related: OKX joins Paxos’ USDG network as stablecoin push intensifies

OKX explores US IPO

OKX is reportedly exploring a potential public listing in the United States following its April relaunch in the country. According to a June report by The Information, the exchange is considering an IPO on a US exchange, though OKX declined to comment on the matter.

Notably, OKX has been facing regulatory headwinds in Asia. Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission announced in late May that it would block the exchange’s operations in the country, alongside four other platforms, including Bybit and CoinEx. The regulator urged Thai users to secure their assets before the shutdown date.