OKX - Crypto Exchange & Web3 Wallet
Role
Product Marketing Manager
Timeline
2021 - 2024
Location
San Jose, CA
The Challenge
After launching Passfolio, I decided to focus my career on crypto and blockchain technology, which I consider the “frontier of fintech”. In 2021, I joined the crypto exchange Okcoin, which was OKX’s US branch.
During my time at Okcoin, I helped market features like recurring crypto purchases and "sats mode", which allowed users to stack BTC and view their holdings in satoshis, the smallest unit of Bitcoin. I also revamped communication around Okcoin’s affiliate program.
However, due to the uncertain and somewhat hostile regulatory environment for crypto in the United States at the time, I was soon reallocated to international projects.
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 bugs and incorporating feedback, we worked with regional marketing managers to announce OKX Lite's availability globally.
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 convenient — we were in the wake of the FTX collapse and education around self-custody and onchain products resonated well with audiences.
Having a wallet where users could custody and manage their own funds was a great way to overcome objections around trust. OKX users could trade on the centralized exchange and conveniently withdraw funds to their wallets when they were done. Moreover, switching between the OKX Exchange and Wallet was exceptionally easy because both products were available on the same app.
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, gas-free token swaps.
Concentrated Liquidity Pools: The OKX Wallet's integration with Uniswap V3 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.
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
Overall, I am deeply grateful for my time at OKX. I had the opportunity to work with world-class talent, market cutting-edge products, travel the world and attend amazing events, including two F1 GPs as the lead sponsor for McLaren.
I love the scrappiness and high stakes involved in launching a company from the ground up though, which eventually led me to leave OKX and join a promising startup involved in tokenizing private assets. The company's name and additional details are still confidential until its launch in 2025.
I can't wait to tell you more about it!