OKX Bridges DeFi and Centralized Trading with Trio of Financial Tools

OKX, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges, has announced the launch of three new financial products: BARD leveraged trading, simple earning, and flexible borrowing. These updates are part of the platform’s ongoing efforts to diversify its offerings and cater to a broader range of trading and investment strategies. The new features are expected to enhance liquidity and accessibility for users, particularly in the DeFi and staking markets.

BARD (Lombard), a DeFi project focused on liquid staked Bitcoin (LBTC), will debut on OKX’s spot markets on September 18, 2025, following a call auction mechanism to determine its opening price. Deposits for BARD will open on September 15, 2025, with withdrawals enabled on the same day. To mitigate volatility risks during the initial trading period, OKX has implemented strict order limits, including a maximum $10,000 per limit order and a $10,000 net position cap for the first five minutes of trading. Price limit rules will transition from closing price-based calculations to index-based rules after a stable index price is established, ensuring orderly market conditions OKX to list BARD (Lombard) for spot trading^[1].

The exchange has also introduced BARDUSDT perpetual contracts, offering users leveraged exposure to the asset. These contracts, available via web, mobile app, and API, allow trading with up to 20x leverage and settlement in USDT. Financing rates are capped between 1.50% and -1.50%, with fees charged every four hours. The product is designed to appeal to both short-term traders and long-term hedgers, aligning with OKX’s strategy to expand its derivatives market Bitcoin Exchange OKX Announces Listing of This …^[2].

Flexible borrowing, a feature allowing users to collateralize crypto assets for loans, has been updated to improve risk management. Starting January 20, 2025, OKX will refine its potential and actual borrowing calculation rules in multi-currency and portfolio margin modes. These changes aim to optimize margin utilization and reduce liquidation risks. Users are advised to monitor their margin levels closely, as adjustments could impact collateral requirements and borrowing limits OKX will update potential borrow and actual borrow calculation rules^[3].

The platform’s simple earning product, which allows users to stake crypto for passive income, has also been expanded. OKX’s flexible loan system supports up to ten crypto assets as collateral, with interest calculated hourly. Borrowers can repay loans in full or part without penalties, and VIP users gain access to specialized lending pools with tiered interest rates. For instance, the Market Borrow Pool requires a minimum reserve of 500 USDT for certain leveraged trades, while the VIP Loans Pool offers alternative liquidity solutions OKX Loans Review 2025: Crypto Loans Made Easy!^[4].

OKX emphasizes risk management across all its services. The platform warns users about the volatility inherent in crypto markets and advises thorough research before engaging in leveraged or margin trading. For example, the delisting of several margin trading pairs, including CATI/USDT and MEME/USDT, underscores OKX’s commitment to maintaining liquidity and user safety by focusing on high-liquidity assets .

The integration of BARD into OKX’s ecosystem highlights the growing intersection of DeFi and centralized exchanges. Lombard’s LBTC token, which enables Bitcoin holders to earn yield while retaining exposure to Bitcoin’s price action, aligns with OKX’s strategy to support innovative projects. By listing BARD, OKX aims to attract DeFi participants seeking diversified earning opportunities and traders interested in leveraged positions OKX to list BARD (Lombard) for spot trading^[1].