Deep Dive
1. X Layer PP Upgrade (5 August 2025)
Overview: This was a major technical overhaul of OKB's native X Layer blockchain. It integrated the latest Polygon CDK (Chain Development Kit), which drastically improved performance and cost for everyday users.
The upgrade focused on boosting scalability and developer experience. It increased the network's throughput to 5,000 transactions per second (TPS) and reduced gas costs to negligible levels, often below $0.01. This was achieved by fully leveraging zkEVM (Zero-Knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine) technology, which also enhanced security and compatibility with the broader Ethereum ecosystem. The update positioned X Layer for applications in DeFi, global payments, and real-world assets (RWAs).
What this means: This is bullish for OKB because it makes the underlying network much faster and cheaper to use, which can attract more developers and users to its ecosystem. A more vibrant ecosystem increases the utility and demand for OKB as its native gas token.
(OKX)
2. OKB Smart Contract Upgrade (18 August 2025)
Overview: This update permanently altered OKB's tokenomics by modifying its core smart contract on the blockchain. It followed a historic, one-time burn of over 65 million OKB tokens.
The smart contract code was upgraded to remove the functions that allowed new tokens to be created (minted) or destroyed (burned). This action made the total supply permanently fixed at 21 million, mirroring Bitcoin's scarcity model. The change was executed on-chain and is irreversible, fundamentally shifting OKB from an inflationary to a strictly deflationary asset.
What this means: This is bullish for OKB because it introduces permanent digital scarcity. A fixed and reduced supply, coupled with steady demand from ecosystem use, can create upward pressure on the token's value over the long term.
(OKX)
3. OKTChain Decommissioning & Migration (August–December 2025)
Overview: This was a strategic consolidation of OKX's blockchain infrastructure. The older OKTChain was phased out, and all associated assets were migrated to the upgraded X Layer, simplifying the ecosystem.
Trading for the legacy OKT token ceased on 13 August 2025. From 15 August, OKT held on the OKX exchange was automatically converted to OKB at a predetermined average price. OKTChain remained operational for asset migration until 1 January 2026, after which it was fully decommissioned. This move eliminated overlap and focused all development resources and network effects on X Layer.
What this means: This is neutral to bullish for OKB. It streamlines the ecosystem, reducing confusion and concentrating liquidity and developer activity on a single, more advanced chain where OKB is the essential utility token.
(OKX)
Conclusion
The latest major codebase developments for OKB, centered around the August 2025 upgrades, strategically enhanced its underlying network's performance while cementing a scarce tokenomic model. How will developer adoption on the faster, cheaper X Layer translate into tangible utility and demand for OKB in 2026?