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What is a cryptocurrency trading pair?

OKX LearnOKX Learn
Published on Jul 06, 2023
Updated on Feb 19, 2025
2 min read
2

A cryptocurrency trading pair consists of two cryptocurrencies, such as BTC/USDT, where BTC is the base currency and USDT is the quote currency.

Using BTC/USDT as an example, you can:

  • Buy BTC with USDT (also known as a buy order in spot trading)

  • Sell BTC and receive USDT (also known as a sell order in spot trading)

Stablecoins

Stablecoins such as USDT, USDC, DAI and USDK are commonly used as the quote currency for trading pairs found on OKX. This is because these stablecoins are typically pegged to fiat currency such as USD, so it's convenient for the user to easily benchmark the price of the base currency. For example, the price of BTC/USDT could be easily interpreted as how much a single BTC is valued in terms of USD.

How to find cryptocurrency trading pairs on the OKX app

There are multiple methods to find the cryptocurrency trading pair you're looking for. You could use the following:

  • The search bar

  • The discover page

  • The trading pair drop-down found on all charts and trading pages

Disclaimer
This content is provided for informational purposes only and may cover products that are not available in your region. It is not intended to provide (i) investment advice or an investment recommendation; (ii) an offer or solicitation to buy, sell, or hold crypto/digital assets, or (iii) financial, accounting, legal, or tax advice. Crypto/digital asset holdings, including stablecoins and NFTs, involve a high degree of risk and can fluctuate greatly. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding crypto/digital assets is suitable for you in light of your financial condition. Please consult your legal/tax/investment professional for questions about your specific circumstances. Information (including market data and statistical information, if any) appearing in this post is for general information purposes only. While all reasonable care has been taken in preparing this data and graphs, no responsibility or liability is accepted for any errors of fact or omission expressed herein.

© 2025 OKX. This article may be reproduced or distributed in its entirety, or excerpts of 100 words or less of this article may be used, provided such use is non-commercial. Any reproduction or distribution of the entire article must also prominently state: “This article is © 2025 OKX and is used with permission.” Permitted excerpts must cite to the name of the article and include attribution, for example “Article Name, [author name if applicable], © 2025 OKX.” No derivative works or other uses of this article are permitted.

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