HTX Review 2027

Start with the warning. On 26 May 2026 the United Kingdom sanctioned Huobi Global S.A., the operator of HTX, under its Russia sanctions regulations, according to The Block. That designation is the most important fact in this HTX review, and it should shape how you read everything else.

What the UK action means

The sanctions came on top of earlier trouble. In February 2026 the UK's FCA brought legal proceedings over unlawful financial promotions by the exchange.

HTX is not available in the UK. For users elsewhere, a sanctions designation is a major compliance red flag. It can affect banking relationships and raises questions about how the business is run.

CoinGecko lists a VASP registration in Australia. That entry is AI-sourced and we could not verify it. The operator is based in Mahé, Seychelles.

From Huobi to HTX

The exchange has operated since 2013 under the Huobi name and rebranded as HTX in 2023. Justin Sun sits on its advisory board. That long history is one of its few clear strengths. A decade of operation means the platform has survived several market cycles, but age alone says little about how well it is run today, as the events below show.

HTX review of fees and coins

Spot fees are higher than at most large rivals. At the Prime 0 level, makers and takers both pay 0.20%. Paying with the HTX token or TRX cuts that by about 25%.

Many peers in this group start at 0.10%, so HTX costs roughly twice as much before discounts. On a $1,000 trade, a 0.20% fee is $2. With the roughly 25% token discount it falls to about $1.50. At an exchange charging 0.10%, the same trade costs $1.

The coin list is broad. CoinGecko tracks 557 coins and 570 pairs as of November 2026, which gives altcoin traders plenty of options.

Products

• Spot trading
• Futures
• Margin
• Earn products
• A P2P marketplace

The range is narrower than at the biggest exchanges. There are no copy-trading or bot tools listed in our research.

A troubled 2023

HTX suffered several security losses in a single year:

• September 2023: a hot-wallet loss of about $8 million
• November 2023: a hot-wallet hack of about $30 million, alongside an exploit of the HECO bridge, with combined losses of around $115 million

HTX said it covered user losses in both cases. Even so, repeated hot-wallet breaches in a short period point to weak operational security at the time. Our research shows no newer incidents, but the UK action has since become the bigger concern.

Opening an account

Registration follows the usual steps: sign up, verify your identity and deposit funds. UK residents cannot use the service. Anyone else should check local rules first, given the sanctions.

Questions to ask before depositing

• Is HTX lawful to use where you live, given the UK designation?
• Will your bank process transfers linked to a sanctioned operator?
• Is the token you want missing from better-regulated exchanges?
• How quickly could you move funds off the platform if needed?

Our assessment

HTX offers a wide altcoin list and token discounts, backed by more than a decade of operation. Those positives are outweighed by a UK sanctions designation, ongoing FCA action, a run of 2023 hacks and base fees that sit above most peers.

We would not recommend HTX as a primary exchange. If you need a specific token that only HTX lists, keep balances small and move funds off the platform quickly.

How HTX compares

Before you sign up, compare HTX with the other exchanges in our top 20 crypto exchanges ranking, where trust score and 24-hour volume update live. Two useful comparisons are the KuCoin review and the MEXC review. You can also follow prices on our live crypto charts. Fees, licences and coin lists change often, so check the current terms on the official site at htx.com before you deposit.