HTX, the crypto exchange formerly called Huobi, scores 3.0 out of 5 on our six-dimension scorecard as of September 2026, competitive on derivatives and on BTC and ETH order-book depth and behind on entry-tier fees, incident history and support; it suits large-ticket BTC and ETH traders who already sit at a Prime tier, and it is the wrong pick for entry-tier spot traders and for anyone in the UK or the EU, where sanctions measures now apply.
Key Takeaways
HTX scores 3.0 out of 5 overall, with a 3.5 on derivatives and a 2.5 on fees and costs, its lowest mark and the lowest fee score in this series.
Spot fees are 0.20% maker and 0.20% taker at Prime 0, or 0.15% paid in HTX or TRX, so $1,000 of monthly taker volume costs $24 a year against $6 at MEXC's 0.05% standard rate, and $50,000 a month at Prime 1's 0.17% costs $1,020 against $300.
HTX confirmed hot-wallet incidents in September 2023, about $8 million later returned, and November 2023, about $30 million plus about $87 million on the HECO bridge, with full compensation pledged and withdrawals resumed within days.
HTX self-publishes a monthly Merkle-tree proof of reserves covering eight assets with a 44-month streak as of June 2026, and names no third-party auditor on it.
The UK designated Huobi Global S.A., listed with the HTX name, under its Russia sanctions regime on 26 May 2026, and an EU transaction ban on HTX took effect on 23 August 2026; HTX disputes the UK listing's reach.
Readers who want a 0.05% taker rate from the first trade and an audited reserve report will find both on MEXC; readers who trade six-figure BTC and ETH tickets at a Prime tier may find HTX's depth worth more than the fee gap.
HTX is the crypto exchange that rebranded from Huobi in September 2023 and is operated by Huobi Global S.A., not the tyre or audio brands that share the letters, and its users are re-checking three things in 2026: what each trade costs at their tier, what the exchange publishes about its reserves, and how the UK and EU sanctions measures of May and July 2026 affect transfers that touch it.
The fee question has always been there.
HTX's Prime 0 tier charges 0.20% on both sides of a spot trade, four times MEXC's taker rate and double the ordinary 0.1% that most offshore platforms charge at entry.
The reserves question got sharper after the hot-wallet incidents of September and November 2023.
The sanctions question arrived on 26 May 2026, when the UK added Huobi Global S.A. to its Russia sanctions list, and it deepened on 23 August 2026, when an EU transaction ban on HTX took effect.
None of that is scored, because availability and regulatory standing sit outside our rubric, but all of it is disclosed below with dates and sources.
The rest of this review scores what can be scored, dimension by dimension.
This review scores HTX from 0 to 5 on six equally weighted dimensions: fees and costs, asset coverage, derivatives, security and custody, deposits and withdrawals, and customer support.
Every figure comes from HTX's own fee schedule, help centre, trading rules or user agreement, from a regulator, from CoinGecko exchange data, or from an established news organisation, and each carries a retrieval date.
Regional availability and regulatory standing are disclosed but never scored, because a platform is either usable where you live or it is not.
MEXC operates a competing exchange, and the full scoring rules, source hierarchy and conflict-of-interest policy are published in our exchange review methodology. The support score is based on published channels only; our timed-ticket test for this platform is scheduled for the next review cycle.
HTX earns 3.0 out of 5 overall, with a 3.5 on derivatives, 3.0 on asset coverage, security, deposits and support, and 2.5 on fees and costs, a profile that rewards Prime-tier BTC and ETH traders and penalises everyone who trades at the entry tier.
Dimension | Score (out of 5) | What we measured | Verified against |
Fees and costs | 2.5 | 0.20% spot maker and taker at Prime 0, 0.15% paid in HTX or TRX, 0.16% and 0.17% at Prime 1, 0.020% maker and 0.060% taker on USDT-margined futures at Prime 0 | Fee schedule and Prime programme pages |
Asset coverage | 3 | 563 coins and 576 spot pairs tracked on CoinGecko, no published listing count, perpetuals on index, gold and oil references | CoinGecko exchange page |
Derivatives | 3.5 | 336 perpetual pairs on CoinGecko, USDT-margined leverage of 1x to 200x under HTX's trading rules, some pairs cut to 10x in April 2026, TradFi perpetuals on S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, gold and oil references | Contract rules and CoinGecko |
Security and custody | 3 | Two 2023 hot-wallet incidents with funds returned or compensation pledged, a self-published monthly proof of reserves across eight assets with no auditor named, a DDoS attack in August 2026 with no asset impact reported | Mainstream reporting and platform reserve pages |
Deposits and withdrawals | 3 | Fiat channels in USD, GBP, TRY and EUR on its CoinGecko profile, daily withdrawal limits of 0.06 BTC unverified, 5 BTC at L1 and 200 BTC at L2 and L3 published in notices dated 2021 and 2022, L1 verification unlocking deposits and withdrawals with no document upload | Help centre notices and CoinGecko |
Customer support | 3 | Help centre and online support; timed ticket test not yet run | Platform support pages |
Overall | 3 | Average of the six dimensions | Methodology page |
Fees and costs: 2.5 out of 5.
HTX charges 0.20% maker and 0.20% taker on spot at Prime 0, its entry tier, which drops to 0.15% when fees are paid in HTX or TRX, and 0.020% maker and 0.060% taker on USDT-margined futures, with Prime 1 lowering spot to 0.16% maker and 0.17% taker and futures to 0.018% and 0.055%.
Prime 0 applies below $30,000 of 30-day spot volume, $300,000 of futures volume, $5,000 in assets or $1,000 in HTX tokens, so most retail accounts sit there.
The ladder does reach negative maker rates at Prime 9 and above, but those thresholds sit in the hundreds of millions of dollars, and the entry rate on the same page is nearly sixteen times the top-tier rate, a spread we set out in our guide to HTX fees. Our methodology prices the same monthly volume on every platform at the tier a new account actually reaches, so the table below runs two volumes as spot taker orders for a full year and states where HTX's rate for the third volume was not verified.
Monthly spot taker volume | HTX at the tier reached | HTX paying fees in HTX or TRX | MEXC at 0.05% | MEXC with MX deduction at 0.04% |
$1,000 | $24 a year at Prime 0, 0.20% | $18 a year at 0.15% | $6 a year | $4.80 a year |
$50,000 | $1,020 a year at Prime 1, 0.17% | Not verified in this review | $300 a year | $240 a year |
$500,000 | Prime 2 or higher; rate not verified in this review | Not verified in this review | $3,000 a year | $2,400 a year |
Annual cost at each platform's published tier, verified as of 3 September 2026; the Prime tier reached at each volume follows HTX's published 30-day thresholds; spreads, funding, card fees and network fees are excluded.
On futures the gap narrows but does not close at the entry tier.
A trader filling $500,000 of monthly notional evenly split between maker and taker pays $200 a month at HTX's Prime 0 rates and $125 on a standard MEXC pair, or $50 on BTCUSDT at MEXC's 0.020% taker rate.
MEXC's futures figures apply to web and app orders, because API-routed futures orders on MEXC carry a separate schedule of 0.060% maker and 0.080% taker, which works out to $350 on that same volume, so an API-driven futures desk pays less on HTX at Prime 0.
Asset coverage: 3.0 out of 5.
CoinGecko tracked 563 coins and 576 spot pairs on HTX as of 3 September 2026, a catalogue smaller than the large offshore platforms and than MEXC's 1,641 tracked coins, and HTX publishes no periodic listing count, so the size of its live pipeline cannot be checked from outside.
We do not score platforms on self-reported coin totals, and HTX's own catalogue figures are not comparable to a tracked count.
Third-party reviews often describe HTX as listing small-cap tokens early, and that claim has no public timestamp record behind it, so it is noted rather than scored.
HTX is not among the eight platforms in our listing disclosure index, so its delisting notice periods and withdrawal windows have not been measured by us, and that gap is stated rather than filled with an estimate. Where HTX reaches beyond most peers is on traditional-asset references, with perpetuals on S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, gold and oil, which is scored under derivatives below.
Derivatives: 3.5 out of 5.
HTX lists 336 perpetual pairs on CoinGecko, publishes a USDT-margined leverage range of 1x to 200x in its contract rules, cut ZENUSDT and SPACEUSDT from 20x to 10x on 30 April 2026 for risk-management reasons per its own announcement, and adds perpetuals on S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, gold and oil references, a range that macro traders will value and an entry-tier taker rate of 0.060% that is the highest among the offshore platforms in this series.
The published range and the documented leverage cuts are the reason the score stays at 3.5 rather than lower, because a platform that lowers leverage on thin contracts and says so is behaving the way a rule book should.
A leverage number without its position band is marketing rather than a specification, so we do not quote a single maximum figure beyond the range HTX itself publishes.
Cost is where the score cannot climb, since a maker on a standard MEXC pair pays 0.010% against HTX's 0.020%, and a taker pays 0.040% against 0.060%, with BTCUSDT on MEXC at 0% maker and 0.020% taker.
Depth is HTX's real advantage on this dimension, and it is covered in the section on where HTX is stronger below.
Security and custody: 3.0 out of 5.
HTX has two confirmed hot-wallet incidents in 2023, both resolved with funds returned or compensation pledged, it self-publishes a monthly Merkle-tree proof of reserves across eight assets with a 44-month streak and no third-party auditor named, and it reported a DDoS attack in August 2026 with no effect on user assets, which places it in the workable band rather than the competitive one.
The timeline below is built from mainstream reporting, with the resolution stated alongside each event.
DefiLlama data cited by Bloomberg showed net outflows of about $258 million from HTX between 25 November and 10 December 2023.
On 31 August 2026 Justin Sun wrote on X that HTX had been hit by a DDoS attack, that user assets were not affected, and that services had resumed.
On reserves, HTX's June 2026 report shows BTC at 103%, ETH at 100%, TRX at 105%, USD stablecoins at 104%, HTX at 101%, XRP at 104%, DOGE at 100% and SOL at 100%, per HTX's own release dated 11 June 2026.
Eight assets is twice the number MEXC discloses, and the 44-month streak is longer than MEXC's, both of which count in HTX's favour.
The auditor's name is the item that is missing, and our rule for this dimension is consistent across the series: multiple incidents inside three years, resolved, on a platform whose reserves are self-published rather than independently attested, scores 3.0.
Deposits and withdrawals: 3.0 out of 5.
HTX lists fiat channels in USD, GBP, TRY and EUR on its CoinGecko profile, its L1 verification asks for nationality, name, date of birth and an ID number with no document upload and unlocks deposits and withdrawals, and its published daily withdrawal limits are 0.06 BTC with no verification, 5 BTC at L1 and 200 BTC at L2 and L3, in notices dated August 2021 and October 2022.
The limitation is the age of the disclosure, because the limit notices predate the rebrand and the 2023 incidents, and readers should confirm the current figure inside the account before relying on it.
The second limitation is legal rather than technical: since 23 August 2026 EU persons are barred from transacting with HTX under the transaction ban, and UK persons are subject to asset-freeze obligations toward Huobi Global S.A., so for readers in those markets the rails are closed whatever the help centre says.
Customer support: 3.0 out of 5.
HTX publishes a help centre and an online support channel, and we have capped the score below 4.0 until our own timed ticket test runs, because a published channel is a promise and a timed reply is a measurement.
Our rule is one non-urgent ticket per platform per review cycle, timed from submission to a reply that answers the question, and HTX's test is scheduled for the next cycle.
Third-party review sites carry a heavy volume of complaints about withdrawals and response times, and our methodology does not count aggregate star ratings, so those complaints are noted here rather than scored.
HTX's user agreement prohibits residents of the United States, the United Kingdom, every EU member state, Singapore, Hong Kong, mainland China and Myanmar, among others, the UK designated its operating entity under Russia sanctions on 26 May 2026, an EU transaction ban took effect on 23 August 2026, and MEXC is unavailable in the United States, the United Kingdom and the EEA, so readers in those markets should use a locally licensed platform whichever review they are reading.
HTX
HTX's platform user agreement prohibits all services for residents of mainland China, the United States, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Myanmar, the occupied regions of Ukraine and every EU member state, and bars derivatives trading for Taiwan, Israel, Iraq, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Ecuador, Kyrgyzstan and New Zealand.
On 21 October 2025 the UK Financial Conduct Authority issued High Court proceedings against Huobi Global S.A. and persons unknown behind HTX over financial promotions to UK consumers, which the FCA announced on 10 February 2026, and Reuters reported settlement talks in August 2026 with no outcome published when we checked on 3 September 2026. The same day HTX stated that the listed entity is distinct from the online exchange, that the designation arrived without prior notice or supporting evidence, and that user funds are safe.
On 29 May 2026 the UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation added FAQ 186 stating that it considers the HTX exchange itself subject to the designation because Huobi Global S.A. holds more than 50% of it.
On 23 July 2026 the Council of the EU adopted its 21st Russia sanctions package, which lists HTX among crypto platforms subject to a transaction ban from 23 August 2026, a measure that stops short of a full designation, carries no asset freeze, and lets eligible EU, EEA and Swiss residents seek authorisation to withdraw funds or close accounts. We found no US designation of HTX when we checked on 3 September 2026.
Sanctions obligations are a matter of law in your own jurisdiction, and nothing on this page is legal advice or a suggestion to route around them.
MEXC
MEXC does not serve residents of the United States or the United Kingdom, and readers there should use a platform licensed by their local regulator.
Benefits
BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT order books that were deeper within 2% of mid than MEXC's on 3 September 2026, at $13.57 million of bids and $8.62 million of asks on BTC/USDT against $8.23 million and $7.32 million.
A monthly proof of reserves covering eight assets, including XRP, DOGE, SOL and TRX, with a 44-month publication streak as of June 2026.
Thirteen years of operating history since 2013, and a Prime programme that reaches maker rebates at the top tiers.
Perpetuals on S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, gold and oil references, and fiat channels in USD, GBP, TRY and EUR on its CoinGecko profile.
Limitations
Entry-tier spot pricing of 0.20% per side, the highest in this series, and 0.17% taker even at Prime 1.
Two hot-wallet incidents in 2023 and a self-published reserve report with no third-party auditor named.
A UK sanctions designation of its operating entity since 26 May 2026 and an EU transaction ban since 23 August 2026, which close the platform to UK and EU persons and add screening friction to HTX-origin funds elsewhere.
A tracked catalogue of 563 coins with no published listing count, and withdrawal-limit notices that date from 2021 and 2022.
HTX is the right pick for traders outside its prohibited regions who move six-figure BTC and ETH tickets at a Prime tier, who hold assets like XRP and DOGE whose reserve ratios HTX discloses, or who want index and commodity perpetuals, and it is the wrong pick for entry-tier spot traders, for altcoin hunters, and for anyone in the UK or the EU.
HTX is the right pick if:
Your volume sits in BTC, ETH and TRX and order-book depth is worth more to you than the fee on a single trade.
You already qualify for a Prime tier that brings your spot rate under 0.10%.
You hold XRP, DOGE, SOL or TRX and want a reserve report that covers them.
Look elsewhere if:
You trade at the entry tier, where 0.20% per side is double the market norm and four times MEXC's taker rate.
You want a reserve report with an auditor's name on it.
You live in the UK or the EU, where sanctions measures close the platform whatever the user agreement says.
Readers in the second group who are outside the United States, the United Kingdom, the EEA, Singapore and Hong Kong can compare MEXC's published rates in the section below, and our comparison of HTX alternatives covers six exchanges on fees and reserves.
MEXC operates a competing exchange, and this section is where our own position is stated rather than implied.
HTX beats MEXC on BTC and ETH depth within 2% of mid, on thirteen years of operating history, on the number of assets its reserve report covers, and on index and commodity perpetuals, and a large-ticket BTC trader at a Prime tier has a defensible reason to stay.
Where MEXC is the answer is the entry-tier fee line and the audit line.
A spot taker moving $50,000 a month pays $1,020 a year at HTX's Prime 1 rate of 0.17% and $300 at MEXC's 0.05% standard taker rate, or $240 with the MX deduction, and a spot maker at the same volume pays $960 a year at HTX's 0.16% and $0 at MEXC's published maker rate. At $1,000 a month the gap is $24 against $6, which is small in dollars and large in proportion, because the entry-tier ratio is four to one.
On reserves, MEXC's monthly proof of reserves covers four assets and names Hacken as the auditor on every report, and HTX's covers eight assets and names no auditor, which is the trade a reader has to weigh for themselves. Two boundaries keep the fee claim honest.
The zero applies to spot maker orders and to web and app futures orders, not to API-routed futures, which MEXC prices at 0.06% maker and 0.08% taker and which cost more than HTX's Prime 0 futures rate.
And MEXC does not serve the United States, the United Kingdom, the EEA, Canada, Singapore or Hong Kong, so the saving is available to readers outside those markets.
Our review desk's verdict is that HTX is priced for the trader who has already climbed its ladder, and MEXC is priced for the trader who has not started climbing.
Is HTX the same as Huobi?
Yes, Huobi rebranded as HTX in September 2023, and the operating entity is Huobi Global S.A.
This review is about the crypto exchange, not the tyre or audio brands that share the letters.
Is HTX safe to use in 2026?
HTX had two confirmed hot-wallet incidents in 2023, both resolved with funds returned or compensation pledged, and it self-publishes a monthly proof of reserves with no auditor named.
It scores 3.0 out of 5 on security and custody in our review.
Was HTX hacked?
Yes, about $8 million of ETH left a hot wallet in September 2023 and was returned, and a November 2023 breach of about $30 million coincided with an $87 million HECO bridge loss.
Withdrawals resumed on 25 November 2023 and full compensation was pledged.
Is HTX sanctioned?
The UK designated Huobi Global S.A. under its Russia sanctions regime on 26 May 2026, and an EU transaction ban on HTX took effect on 23 August 2026 without an asset freeze.
HTX disputes the UK listing's reach, and we found no US designation when we checked on 3 September 2026.
What are HTX's trading fees?
Spot is 0.20% maker and 0.20% taker at Prime 0, or 0.15% paid in HTX or TRX, and 0.16% and 0.17% at Prime 1.
USDT-margined futures are 0.020% maker and 0.060% taker at Prime 0.
Does HTX require KYC?
L1 verification asks for nationality, name, date of birth and an ID number with no document upload and unlocks deposits and withdrawals.
Published daily limits are 0.06 BTC unverified, 5 BTC at L1 and 200 BTC at L2 and L3, in notices dated 2021 and 2022.
How does HTX compare with MEXC?
HTX leads on BTC and ETH depth, operating history and reserve coverage, while MEXC publishes 0% maker and 0.05% taker on spot and an audited monthly reserve report.
Trading cryptocurrencies involves substantial risk, and derivatives and leveraged products can produce losses greater than the amount deposited.
Nothing on this page is financial, investment, legal or tax advice, and sanctions obligations are a matter of law in your own jurisdiction.
MEXC operates a competing exchange; no platform can buy a score or a ranking position on MEXC Learn.
MEXC is not available in every jurisdiction and is not authorised under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation; readers in the European Union, the European Economic Area, the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Hong Kong should use a platform authorised by their local regulator.
Always confirm current terms on a platform's own official pages before opening an account or placing a trade.