VALLETTA, Malta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 19, 2026--
OKX, a leading global fintech company and crypto trading platform, today announced significant growth in everyday use of the OKX Card across Europe, with purchase volume increasing 280% year over year this summer and transactions rising 178%, as customers increasingly use the Card for routine spending including groceries, transport and fuel.
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The growth comes as crypto cards gain momentum across the wider payments industry. Industry-wide crypto card purchase volume reached a record $759 million in July, signalling that digital assets are increasingly moving beyond trading and investment and becoming part of everyday financial life.
OKX's own data shows that this shift is being driven not only by more spending, but by a change in what customers are spending on.
Across Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and France, the number of monthly OKX Card users purchasing groceries increased 65% between February and July. Adoption accelerated further between May and July, when the number of customers using their Card for groceries increased 221%, while users spending on transport and fuel increased 263%.
Purchase volumes in these everyday categories grew even faster. Between May and July, grocery purchase volume increased 482%, while transport and fuel volume rose 530%, suggesting both broader adoption of the OKX Card and deeper usage among existing customers.
Poland provides one of the clearest examples of this emerging behaviour. Groceries, transport and utilities now account for 31.7% of OKX Card spending in Poland, compared with 22.2% in the Netherlands, 20.4% in Germany and 14.1% in France. Groceries are the most consistent everyday category across the four markets, representing between 9.5% and 19.3% of spending.
"The most interesting part of this growth isn't simply that customers are spending more with their OKX Card," saidErald Ghoos, CEO of OKX Europe. "It's what they're spending on. Groceries, transport and fuel are part of everyday life, and we're seeing both the number of customers using their Card for these purchases and the amount they're spending increase rapidly. That's an important signal for where digital assets are heading. The next stage of adoption isn't about asking people to change how they pay. It's about giving them more choice, utility and value within the payment experiences they already use."
The OKX Card is designed to bridge the gap between holding digital assets and using them in everyday life, bringing earning, spending and rewards together within the broader OKX ecosystem.
Customers can fund their OKX Pay account with fiat, eligible stablecoins or crypto, giving them flexibility over the assets behind their everyday spending. Eligible USDG can be put to work through Pay Boost at 3.5% APY, with rewards generated through DeFi, before customers spend.
When they're ready to make a purchase, customers can use the OKX Card through the familiar Mastercard payment network, including via Apple Pay and Google Pay where available.
The experience is designed to provide value beyond the payment itself. Eligible customers can earn 2% to 10% cashback on eligible everyday purchases, while zero added fees can make the Card particularly useful when spending across currencies. Special offers can also provide 50% rebates on eligible subscriptions such as Netflix and ChatGPT, creating additional value from recurring expenses customers may already have.
For OKX VIP customers, higher cashback rates and enhanced Card benefits extend their existing OKX status into everyday spending.
Ghoos added:
"Consumers don't need another card that simply lets them pay. The opportunity is to make the money behind those payments work harder. With OKX, customers can move more naturally between holding, earning and spending while continuing to use the payment experiences they're already familiar with. The more customers engage with OKX, the more value they can unlock, not only when they trade, but when they hold and when they spend."
About OKX
OKX is a fintech company known for its global crypto trading platform and its on-chain wallet and marketplace. The company develops technology and applications to modernize money and markets. OKX is known for being one of the fastest and most reliable crypto and payment apps, having processed trillions of dollars in transactions by more than 120+ million people around the world.
OKX is headquartered in San Jose, California, for the Americas and in Dubai for the Middle East, with regional offices in São Paulo, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Republic of Türkiye, Australia and Europe. Over the past several years, OKX has built one of the world's most comprehensive regulatory compliant, licensed crypto companies. It holds licenses in the United States, the UAE, EEA, Singapore and Australia, as well as in other markets.
OKX is steadfastly committed to transparency and security and publishes Proof of Reserves reports on a monthly basis. To learn more about OKX, download the app or visit: okx.com.
The OKX Card is designed to bridge the gap between holding digital assets and using them in everyday life, bringing earning, spending, and rewards together within the broader OKX ecosystem.
And to think, Kyle Whittingham said he wanted to put an end to all the drama around Michigan.
Nobody could have scripted a more dramatic finish to the former Utah coach’s Michigan debut Saturday night.
No. 16 Michigan beat Western Michigan 13-12 on Saturday only after it was ruled that a second remained following Bryce Underwood’s unsuccessful Hail Mary attempt, even though the scoreboard clock indicated no time was left. Given a second chance, Underwood and JJ Buchanan connected on a remarkable 47-yard touchdown.
Just like that, an opening weekend filled with snoozers and blowouts got a moment worth talking about.
The second-chance Hail Mary led to the incomprehensible scene of the Michigan Stadium crowd storming the field to cheer the winningest program in Bowl Subdivision history eking out a victory over a Mid-American Conference school. It also capped an eventful opening weekend for new coaches.
Michigan brought Whittingham in to stabilize a program following the firing and arrest of Sherrone Moore, who lasted just two seasons. That followed the tumultuous tenure of Jim Harbaugh that included a 2023 national title as well as a spying scandal and NCAA sanctions for recruiting violations.
Whittingham spoke on multiple occasions this offseason about ending all that off-field drama. On the field, it appears he still has work to do.
Michigan committed three turnovers without forcing any, and the Wolverines allowed Western Michigan to have possession for over two-thirds of the game. Perhaps the spectacular finish will spark Underwood, who struggled for much of the night and had an inconsistent freshman season after arriving at Michigan as the nation’s No. 1 prospect in his class.
At least Whittingham won his debut. Oklahoma State's Eric Morris wasn't so fortunate.
Oklahoma State is coming off a 1-11 season but seemed a likely candidate for improvement after Morris added 91 newcomers, including 21 who had played for him at North Texas. The headliner was Drew Mestemaker, who threw for a Bowl Subdivision-leading 4,379 yards at North Texas last season.
But the Cowboys lost 24-10 to Tulsa, an indication Morris' rebuild could take some time. Mestemaker went 29 of 49 for 241 yards with two interceptions and one touchdown.
One coach who did have a successful debut at his new school was LSU's Lane Kiffin, who had been the center of attention throughout the offseason. When the NCAA’s new eligibility rules blew up in courtrooms all over the country, LSU made no secret of its interest in bringing back not just fifth-year players who went to court but players who had signed professional contracts.
This issue lingered late into the week, including the surreal spectacle of the SEC battling LSU in multiple courtrooms. LSU eventually decided against placing onetime pros Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris on its roster in advance of its season opener.
No. 11 LSU didn't need the extra help as it steamrolled Clemson 51-10, handing Dabo Swinney the most lopsided loss of his head coaching career.
It's the latest setback for Swinney as Clemson attempts to bounce back from its 7-6 finish last year. Those 2016 and 2018 national titles seem so long ago now.
No. 2 Oregon faced an early 10-point deficit before rallying to beat Boise State 34-27. Dante Moore threw a tiebreaking 62-yard TD to Dakorien Moore with 8:45 left.
The game was reminiscent of their 2024 matchup, when Oregon needed a field goal as time expired for a 37-34 home victory over a Boise State team featuring Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty.
That Broncos team went on to reach the College Football Playoff, and Oregon remained unbeaten until a Rose Bowl quarterfinal loss to eventual national champion Ohio State.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if both teams are back in the playoff this year.
Boise State's early-season schedule could go a long way toward sorting out which team has the best shot at earning the Group of Six's playoff berth.
Memphis (2-0) had a notable season-opening win at UNLV last week and will travel to Boise State next weekend. Defending MAC champion Western Michigan, which made quite an impression in its narrow loss to Michigan, will host Boise State on Sept. 26.
No. 6 Indiana’s new faces helped the defending national champions roll to a 52-16 victory over North Texas in their opener.
Former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover went 13 of 16 for 231 yards with four touchdowns in his first game stepping in for Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza. Boston College transfer Turbo Richard scored twice and Michigan State transfer Nick Marsh got the Hoosiers’ first touchdown with a one-handed grab.
One sign of concern for Indiana is that a defense that allowed the second-fewest points per game of any FBS team last year struggled to slow down North Texas.
Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Miami’s Malachi Toney have wasted no time launching their respective Heisman Trophy campaigns.
Smith caught eight passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone as No. 1 Ohio State opened its season with a 56-3 blowout of Ball State on Saturday. Smith celebrated his second touchdown by doing a Heisman pose.
One night earlier, Toney performed a similar celebration during his three-touchdown performance in the seventh-ranked Hurricanes’ 45-6 victory at Stanford. Toney set a school single-game record with 234 yards receiving.
They're not the only Heisman contenders from their own teams.
Ohio State's Julian Sayin, who finished fourth in the Heisman voting last season, went 21 of 25 for 320 yards with three touchdowns. He also ran for a touchdown.
Miami's Darian Mensah, who led Duke to an Atlantic Coast Conference title last year, threw five touchdown passes in his first game with his new team..
Sunday's lineup includes an early Apple Cup between No. 17 Washington and Washington State before prime-time showdowns: No. 4 Notre Dame against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and No. 9 Mississippi faces No. 24 Louisville in Nashville, Tennessee. The Labor Day capper sees Mike Norvell and Florida State hosting No. 19 SMU and dynamic quarterback Kevin Jennings.
The next AP Top 25 rankings to sort it all out will be released Tuesday.
Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college football coverage here
Oregon wide receivers Evan Stewart (7) and Dakorien Moore (1) celebrate Moore's touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Lydia Ely)
Oregon wide receiver Dakorien Moore (1) celebrates his touchdown run during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Boise State, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Lydia Ely)
Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover (10) hands off to running back Turbo Richard (1) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against North Texas, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Missouri wide receiver Cayden Lee, left, scores past Arkansas-Pine Bluff defensive back Na'il Johnson (38) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
The Colorado team celebrates a win over Georgia Tech after an NCAA college football game, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
