OKX - Crypto Exchange & Web3 Wallet
Role
Product Marketing Manager
Timeline
2021 - 2024
Location
San Jose, CA
Overview
After launching Passfolio, I shifted my focus to crypto and onchain markets — the true frontier of fintech.
In 2021, I joined OKX, one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges, where I witnessed firsthand pivotal industry events like the collapse of FTX and Bitcoin’s dramatic plunge from $65,000 to $15,000. At OKX, I led product marketing initiatives aimed at broadening access to digital assets, advancing self-custody, and driving Web3 adoption.
OKX Lite: A Beginner-Friendly Crypto Exchange
My first large project at OKX was OKX Lite, a beginner-friendly version of the exchange with a minimal interface and no derivative products. I managed the product’s beta phase and subsequent global release across North America, Europe, Latam, and Asia.
Public Beta: We started with a landing page where users could sign up for early access by providing their email and device type (iOS or Android). Over 10,000 people joined the waitlist in two months.
Rollout and Feedback: iOS users accessed the beta version via TestFlight, while Android users used an APK file. After fixing critical bugs and incorporating feedback, we worked with regional marketing managers to announce OKX Lite's global availability.
Success Metrics: Within 3 months of the release, 20% of daily active users (DAUs) were active on OKX Lite, which later became the default interface in regulated markets like Hong Kong, Brazil, Argentina, and Turkey.
OKX Wallet and Web3 Features
After OKX Lite, I helped market the OKX Wallet and its suite of Web3 features, which include a built-in NFT marketplace, cross-chain DEX, and DeFi protocol aggregator.
The timing was ideal: in the aftermath of the FTX collapse, there was a surge in demand for self-custody and onchain solutions. By offering users a secure, integrated wallet, we addressed trust concerns head-on. OKX users could seamlessly trade on the exchange and instantly transfer funds to their wallet, all within the same app — making the transition between CeFi and DeFi as easy as possible.
Key Feature GTMs
OKX Bridge: Launched the OKX Bridge for cross-chain transactions and integrated the product with Circle’s Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) for converting USDC across chains.
Snap Mode (Powered by UniswapX): Announced support for "Snap Mode" transactions, powered by UniswapX, for instant, low cost token swaps.
Concentrated Liquidity Pools: Announced the OKX Wallet's integration with Uniswap V3, which allowed market makers to allocate funds within custom price ranges, maximizing returns for liquidity providers and mitigating impermanent loss.
DeFi Protocol Integrations: Collaborated with projects like Lido, Scallop, Renzo, Stader, EigenLayer, Babylon, and Venus to offer subsidized yield and drive TVL growth.
CertiK Security Scores: Partnered with CertiK to provide security scores for different DeFi protocols and keep users informed about potential risks when staking.
Metrics (Aug 2022 - Feb 2023)
OKX Wallet staking TVL: Grew by 640%, from 50M to over 320M.
Total OKX Wallet DAUs: Increased from 26K to 55.3K (113% growth).
Overseas OKX Wallet DAUs: Grew from 7.3K to 27.6K (272% growth).
Share of DAUs excluding China: Increased from 28% to 50%.
Marketing Efficiency and Collaboration
OKX’s Web3 team averaged two feature announcements per week and at least one significant product development per month. Keeping up with the product was hard, but we did a great job thanks to OKX’s CMO, Haider Rafique, who implemented a well designed “shared services” model for the marketing org. Marketing efforts were streamlined with request forms and project trackers, covering video production, content creation, events, localization, and campaign performace data requests.
"Will is a hard worker who delivers under tight deadlines and embraces challenges with a 'can-do' attitude. His writing skills are outstanding, crafting clear and compelling content. I wholeheartedly recommend him and hope our paths cross again."
Kristen Wagner, Program Manager at OKX
Reflections and Next Steps
I'm incredibly grateful for my time at OKX, where I worked alongside world-class talent, helped launch amazing products, and traveled the globe. Ultimately, my passion for building companies from the ground up drew me to an exciting new startup focused on tokenizing private assets. The company’s details are still under wraps until its 2025 launch, but I can’t wait to share more soon!
