OKX Australia CEO Weighs in Country’s Institutional Landscape, Pensions Evolution, and How the Company is Building Trust

In an exclusive interview with BlockchainReporter, we sat down with Kate Cooper, CEO of OKX Australia to discuss the growing role of cryptocurrency in Australian superannuation funds, institutional adoption across the APAC region.

We also discussed what the latest Fed decision means for crypto markets.  From $3.2 billion in SMSF digital asset holdings to the rising demand for regulatory clarity, the conversation with Kate Cooper, covered the key forces shaping Australia’s digital asset landscape and what lies ahead for investors and institutions alike.

Interview Section

How will the new Fed rate move influence crypto markets within Australia and the wider APAC region?

A Fed hold was the expected outcome, so it is perhaps no surprise that markets didn’t move dramatically in either direction. But that lack of immediate reaction shouldn’t obscure what has actually been a tentative structural recovery over the past eight weeks. US spot Bitcoin ETFs pulled in roughly US$3.7 billion between late February and late April, the first sustained inflow period of 2026 after four consecutive months of outflows. And despite real macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds, Bitcoin recently tested the $80,000 level. Volatility remains a fact of life in these markets, but the direction of travel is worth noting.

In Australia, the sophisticated allocators I speak with are not watching single Fed decisions in isolation. They are watching ETF inflows as a signal of whether this recovery has structural sustainability. There is genuine interest in high-beta assets like Bitcoin, particularly given the ongoing progress toward regulatory clarity in the US through the CLARITY Act, though its ultimate passage remains uncertain. The caveat is that many still feel the geopolitical macro situation is too unsettled to call a broad-based recovery with confidence.

Are investors in Australia including crypto assets in retirement pension portfolios?

The data tells a very clear story here. OKX Australia commissioned independent research through CoreData, surveying more than 800 investors, and what we found reflects a structural shift that is already well underway.

Digital assets now account for $3.2 billion in SMSF holdings, up from $240 million just four years ago. That is a compound annual growth rate of 44%, making digital assets the fastest-growing asset class tracked by the ATO within the SMSF system. The SMSF sector itself recorded its strongest ever annual growth in 2024-25, with 33,224 net new funds established, a 91% increase year on year.

Perhaps the most telling finding is this: 46% of trustees who hold crypto in their SMSF say the ability to invest in digital assets was a key driver in establishing their fund in the first place. APRA-regulated funds currently offer limited or no meaningful pathway to digital asset exposure, so a growing cohort of Australians are building their own structures to access it. The data suggests a growing cohort of Australians are actively choosing to build their own structures to access the asset classes available within the superannuation framework.

The generational dimension matters too. Among SMSF trustees under 40, 80% who don’t currently hold digital assets say they would consider doing so. And with approximately $2.3 trillion set to transfer to Australians under 50 by 2040, this is not a fringe trend. It is where the market is heading.

What are the crucial risks and benefits of adding cryptocurrencies to retirement strategies?

Volatility is the most important factor for any investor to understand before including digital assets in a retirement portfolio. This applies whether you are a retail investor or an SMSF trustee managing significant savings. Digital assets can move substantially in short periods, and that needs to be taken seriously, especially in the context of long-term retirement planning.

Many investors have indicated an interest in some exposure to digital assets, citing factors including portfolio diversification and the characteristics of the asset class relative to traditional equities and fixed income. The growth figures we see in SMSF allocations reflect genuine conviction, not speculation for its own sake. For some investors, it is also about portfolio diversification and accessing an asset class that behaves differently to traditional equities or fixed income.

The research we published also shows a meaningful gap between advised and unadvised trustees holding digital assets. Advised trustees reported a median return of 25% compared to 20% for their unadvised peers, and a confidence score of 6.0 out of 7.0 versus 5.3. That gap matters. The right starting point for anyone considering this is to understand their own goals and risk tolerance, and to seek independent professional advice about the specific legal, tax and compliance obligations involved in holding digital assets within an SMSF structure.

How is the institutional-scale investment sphere shaping crypto within the APAC region in 2026?

Institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals are increasingly comfortable allocating meaningful capital to digital assets, both for portfolio diversification and for the high-beta upside the asset class can offer. What we are seeing in 2026 is not exploratory interest. It is considered allocation.

In Australia in particular, we are in a relatively strong position because of the regulatory clarity we have built up. Institutions need prerequisites before they can enter any new market: third-party custody, banking partnerships, a compliance framework they can map their own obligations against, and a supporting technology ecosystem. Australia has made genuine progress on all of those fronts. That foundation is what makes the transition from interest to actual investment possible.

I think institutional appetite here will only grow. The question is whether our regulatory and infrastructure development keeps pace with that demand.

What is the role of OKX Australia in backing institutional investors amid the broader evolution in the macro environment?

I would frame it less as “backing” and more as providing the right conditions for institutional investors to participate with confidence. OKX Australia operates as a trading venue for institutional clients, and what we bring to that relationship is a combination of deep liquidity, a robust local regulatory framework, strong compliance standards, and a security track record they can rely on.

Beyond the platform itself, we also see our role as contributing to the broader evolution of the industry. That means participating in regulatory consultation, advocating for the frameworks that make institutional participation possible, and holding ourselves to the standards we want to see across the sector.

How is regulation significant in slowing or advancing crypto adoption across Australia?

The regulatory progress Australia has made to date has been a genuine enabler of adoption. Operating within a clear Australian regulatory framework gives investors and institutions a level of confidence they simply would not have on an unregulated platform. That matters.

But I am a strong advocate for going further. We need better support for digital assets within the SMSF context, where the compliance and reporting infrastructure is still catching up to demand. The research we commissioned found that 46% of crypto-SMSF trustees report difficulty meeting ATO compliance requirements, and fewer than one in ten financial advisers currently have digital assets on their Approved Product List. Those are structural gaps.

I also believe the licensing framework needs to create stronger incentives for crypto companies to get properly licensed and to place genuine emphasis on user protection. The goal is not regulation for its own sake. It is building a system where trust is proven through structure, not just promised through marketing.

What are the key trends you consider in significant demand when it comes to cryptocurrency products among superannuation funds in Australia?

The CoreData research we commissioned makes the picture very clear. Digital asset allocations within SMSFs have grown 333% over five years, and this is being driven by a cohort of trustees who are not making marginal, experimental allocations. Among those holding digital assets in their SMSF, 47% allocate more than half the fund to this asset class. The median allocation of $80,966 exceeds the median allocation to overseas shares and unlisted equities. These are significant allocations that reflect each trustee’s individual assessment of the role digital assets play within their broader portfolio strategy.

The demand is concentrated among younger trustees, with 66% of those under 40 saying they trust digital assets as an investment. But the infrastructure to support them has not kept pace. Trustees want purpose-built compliance tools, proper EOFY reporting for auditors, and platforms that understand how SMSFs actually work. That gap between demand and infrastructure is exactly what OKX Australia has focused on closing with our SMSF-compatible platform.

Looking further ahead, tokenisation of real-world assets, including real estate, private credit, and infrastructure, is emerging as the next structural force for self-directed retirement. The flexibility of the SMSF structure positions it well for that next wave.

How can OKX and other exchanges solidify trust with institutional clients and regulators within the Australian jurisdiction?

Consistent, substantive dialogue is the foundation. That means engaging with regulators not just on the topics where we agree, but on the harder ones too. Trust is built by engaging in conversation over time, not through a single policy submission or public statement.

Beyond dialogue, it requires contributing meaningfully to industry discourse and advocating for the interests of local users. Institutions and regulators both need to see that exchanges are invested in the long-term health of the ecosystem, not just their own commercial position.

And ultimately, it comes back to standards. We need to insist on compliance practices and user protections that set a high bar across the industry. At OKX Australia we hold ourselves to that standard through our regulatory standing, our Proof of Reserves programme, and our Australian Responsibility Report. Those are not marketing claims. They are verifiable commitments, and that distinction matters when you are trying to earn institutional trust in a market where credibility is critical.

What are Australia’s competitive advantages in the worldwide crypto network today?

Australia has all the fundamentals to punch well above its weight in digital assets. We have sophisticated market infrastructure, deep financial services expertise, and a superannuation system that is the fourth largest in the world. Australian trustees running SMSFs are among the most astute self-directed investors anywhere.

We also have a tech-savvy retail investor base that has moved well beyond early adoption, with more than one in three Australians having owned crypto. And we have a thriving fintech ecosystem that has attracted genuine global interest.

The platforms and institutions that understand this market, that offer AUD trading pairs, local compliance, local support and products tailored to Australian needs, are the ones that will define how this advantage is realised. Australia’s opportunity is real. The work now is making sure the regulatory and infrastructure frameworks keep pace with the ambition.

How does the intersection of institutional adoption, regulation, and macroeconomics shape the crypto sector’s future in APAC?

These three forces are converging in a way that makes the next few years genuinely consequential for APAC. Institutional adoption is accelerating as the prerequisites for participation fall into place. Regulatory frameworks, while uneven across the region, are maturing and giving institutions the certainty they need to allocate. And the macro environment, despite its current volatility, is pushing investors toward assets that offer diversification and asymmetric upside.

What I find most interesting is the S-curve dynamic at play. Digital finance globally is moving from pilot phase into acceleration. Once infrastructure and regulatory clarity align, the progress can compound quickly. Countries that build the right foundations now will move into that steep middle section. Countries that hesitate will find themselves playing catch-up in a market that is no longer waiting.

For Australia and the broader APAC region, the question is not whether digital assets will be a significant part of institutional portfolios. That is already being settled. The question is which jurisdictions build the infrastructure and policy architecture to capture the full value of that shift. I believe Australia, with the right policy decisions, is genuinely well placed to be one of them.

Concluding Remarks

OKX Australia is giving a clear picture of a crypto market that is moving fast. Australian investors are putting serious money into crypto through SMSFs and institutions are stepping in with confidence. Basically, the regulatory framework is slowly catching up with modern financial needs.

With $3.2 billion already in SMSF crypto holdings and institutional interest only growing, the foundation is being laid for something significant. What lies ahead is making sure the right policies and infrastructure are in the right place to support it.