HTX Exchange Review 2025

Eric Huffman

Verified by Ilija Rankovic

Last updated

December 17, 2025 07:14 EST

20min read

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HTX (formerly Huobi) is an established exchange that lists hundreds of cryptocurrencies. Platform users trade digital assets through spot markets and have access to perpetual futures with leverage facilities. Our HTX review covers everything traders need to know.

We opened and funded an HTX account to explore the platform’s pros, cons, and core features. Discover how the exchange ranks in terms of available markets, trading commissions, supported payment methods, security, and usability.

What is HTX?

Created by Tron (TRX) founder Justin Sun in 2013, HTX is a global crypto exchange that serves over 47 million traders. Originally called Huobi, the platform rebranded to HTX in 2023. The rebrand combines three concepts: Huobi (H), Tron (T), and Exchange (X).

HTX offers a broad selection of trading products, which include over 700 listed cryptocurrencies. It provides access to major markets, including Bitcoin (BTC) and BNB (BNB), as well as Fartcoin (FARTCOIN), Bonk (BONK), and other top meme coins. Alongside traditional spot markets, users trade perpetual futures with leverage of up to 200x.

The exchange unlocks DeFi opportunities from a unified account, and products include collateralized loans, staking, and savings accounts with fixed and flexible terms. A rewards hub, automated trading bots, and launchpad events are other notable features.

According to exchange data, HTX ranks among the top 10 crypto exchanges for daily trading volume. It averages $1-3 billion per 24 hours, which provides platform users with deep liquidity on most trading pairs.

HTX Exchange Overview

The following table outlines HTX’s key exchange factors:

Is HTX Secure and Legitimate?

Our HTX exchange review evaluated the platform’s safety framework, including client fund management, account security controls, and licensing.

We found that the exchange stores at least 90% of client-owned cryptocurrencies in cold wallets. These wallets combine offline storage with YubiKey authentication. HTX stores the remaining client funds across hot and warm wallets.

Exchange traders can set up two-factor authentication to protect their accounts, and mobile app users log in with fingerprint or facial biometrics. Anti-phishing codes help users identify fake emails from crypto scammers.

Proof of reserves remains a core safety feature, which HTX publishes daily (with a 1–2 day lag). Audits show that the exchange holds 1:1 reserves against client deposits. However, some asset ratios are low; HTX holds 100% and 101% in BTC and ETH, respectively.

Regarding regulation, HTX claims to have licenses or registrations in Europe, America, Asia, and the Middle East. The platform specifically mentions Lithuania and South America, but it provides no concrete evidence of any existing licenses.

The biggest concern is that the HTX exchange has experienced several hacks since its inception. In late 2023, hackers stole $30 million in exchange assets as part of a broader HECO Chain attack.

In a separate 2023 incident, cybercriminals breached HTX servers to steal $8 million in ETH. As the platform covered client losses, no HTX customers lost money because of the hacks.

The key takeaway is that HTX lacks the same regulatory structure as Tier 1 exchanges like Coinbase, Gemini, Kraken, and OKX. Traders must consider these risks before they open an HTX account.

HTX Supported Coins and Trading Pairs

While HTX falls short in top-tier licensing, it is one of the best crypto exchanges for supported markets.

Users invest in over 700 cryptocurrencies, which include most top-100 assets by market capitalization. An extensive selection of meme coins covers Popcat (POPCAT), OFFICIAL TRUMP (TRUMP), Sundog (SUNDOG), and Shiba Inu (SHIB).

On the “Markets” page, users explore assets by crypto category, such as Solana/Tron ecosystem, Layer 1, GameFi, Restaking, and DeFi.

Most spot pairs contain the (Tether) USDT stablecoin, similar to other exchanges. Select crypto cross pairs like ETH/BTC, SOL/BTC, and DOGE/BTC are also available.

HTX Trading and Investing

HTX’s spot markets support traditional asset ownership, while its derivative platform lets users amplify trading positions with leverage. Other investment features include DeFi products and decentralized loans.

Learn about the most popular trading and yield features on the HTX platform.

Spot and Margin Trading

We recommend the regular spot exchange for investors who want to buy and sell cryptocurrencies without leverage. Spot traders place market or limit orders, and once the platform executes them, it transfers those assets to the user’s account wallet.

If you require additional purchasing power, HTX offers one of the best crypto margin trading exchanges. It allows users to increase market exposure by up to 5x without trading derivative products.

Note that margin accounts invest in real assets from the spot exchange, yet traders cannot withdraw borrowed cryptocurrencies from HTX.

Futures Trading

Our HTX exchange review confirms that platform users access about 350 futures pairs. The provider specializes in perpetual contracts, which support long and short trading without expiration dates. The vast majority of perpetual markets require traders to add margin in USDT. The contracts also settle in the same stablecoin.

Traders also gain exposure to a small number of inverse futures markets. These contracts are margined and settled in the underlying asset, such as BTC, Ethereum (ETH), and XRP (XRP).

The maximum leverage available is 200x, although higher-risk pairs provide lower limits. If you need higher multipliers, CoinFutures is one of the best crypto leverage trading platforms to amplify position sizes. It offers up to 1000x leverage on all listed markets, including mid-range altcoins.

HTX Earn

HTX Earn is the exchange’s DeFi ecosystem. It supports crypto savings accounts with flexible and fixed withdrawal terms. Flexible USDT accounts offer 10% APYs, which outperforms many exchange competitors. XRP and Doge are less competitive with 1% APYs.

Account holders can also stake tokens to generate passive income. Cardano (ADA), Cosmos (ATOM), and TRX offer variable staking yields of 3%, 15%, and 3.36%, respectively.

Since HTX’s DeFi products use an off-chain mechanism, investors must consider counterparty risks. Non-custodial wallets like Best Wallet and MetaMask mitigate those risks, as decentralized protocols store client assets via smart contracts.

Loans

HTX provides an in-house loan facility that uses a collateralized mechanism. Users deposit USDT, BTC, or other major cryptocurrencies to receive an initial maximum loan-to-value (LTV) of 70%. This high LTV model lets traders borrow up to $700 for every $1,000 they deposit.

The loan facility credits funds instantly, and borrowers pay variable interest rates depending on the collateral and term. Flexible USDT loans provide a 4.25% APY, while a fixed 90-day term increases the APY to 10%. Note that borrowers receive a margin call if the LTV rises to 80%. HTX liquidates the collateral if the LTV hits 90%.

The best practice is to use stablecoins as collateral, since they eliminate traditional crypto volatility. If you deposit a non-stablecoin asset, use a low LTV to reduce liquidation risks.

HTX Activity Center

The activity center hosts advanced trading tools that enhance the platform experience.

Here is an overview of the most popular features:

• Launchpool: Lock USDT for a certain timeframe to earn free airdrop contributions. The launchpool team typically partners with new cryptocurrencies, and existing campaigns include Snek (SNEK) and Switchboard (SWTCH).
• Trading Competitions: Users enter trading competitions to accumulate points, and top leaderboard participants earn a share of the 1 million USDT prize pool. The daily draw allows all entrants to earn USDT irrespective of leaderboard position.
• Earn HTX: The exchange lets users earn HTX (HTX) when they complete simple tasks, such as making deposits and meeting minimum trading volumes. As HTX has a market capitalization of over $1 billion, holders may cash out their earnings easily.
• Mystery Boxes: Account holders who refer new HTX customers receive a free mystery box. Each box contains a cash prize worth up to 1,500 USDT.
• Trading Carnival: HTX hand-picks specific cryptocurrencies, and users who trade them earn free tokens in the same asset. Participants increase their points multiplier by 3x when they trade crypto via perpetual futures.

HECO Chain and HTX Token

HTX created a native Layer 2 network called HECO Chain, and it enabled Ethereum-based projects to improve scalability and reduce fees. A sophisticated network exploit enabled hackers to steal $87 million from the HECO Chain in November 2023. The hack caused significant reputational damage to the project, and HTX discontinued the network in January 2025.

HTX tokens replaced the original Huobi Token (HT) after the hack. Exchange data shows a January 2024 launch and almost 76,000 unique token holders. Despite its market capitalization of over $1 billion, the asset attracts minimal trading volume.

HTX offers two primary use cases. It unlocks access to the HTX decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), which lets holders vote on new ecosystem proposals. HTX also provides exchange traders with reduced trading commissions.

HTX Payment Methods

When collecting data for this HTX exchange review, we found that the provider advertises instant purchases with Visa and MasterCard. However, we tested the quick buy feature, and across all available currencies, no quotes were available. This suggests that HTX lost access to banking partnerships or third-party gateways.

The peer-to-peer (P2P) feature is the only option to buy assets with real money. It supports a long list of currencies and deposit methods, from local bank transfers and mobile payments to e-wallets like Skrill and Neteller. Verified users transfer funds directly to sellers in the same country, and HTX’s escrow tool protects both parties from scams.

HTX also accepts crypto deposits from private wallets. Users may deposit any digital asset that the exchange supports. Ensure you transfer assets on the correct network standard, as mistakes may lead to a loss of funds.

In terms of withdrawals, HTX supports crypto transfers only. The exchange typically processes withdrawal requests within an hour.

HTX Fees

This section reveals HTX fees for spot trading and perpetual futures.

Spot Trading Fees

HTX uses a tiered fee structure that charges commissions based on several metrics, including order type, trading volume, account balances, and whether users hold HTX or TRX.

The entry-level commission for spot trading is 0.2%. Holding HTX or TRX reduces the trading commission by 25%.

Users reach Prime 1 when they trade over $30,000 in the past 30 days or hold at least $5,000 in the prior 24 hours. This VIP level reduces maker and taker commissions to 0.16% and 0.17%, respectively. The platform offers further discounts as traders reach additional Prime tiers.

We compared these fees with other crypto exchanges and found that HTX is more expensive than the industry average. The lowest-fee crypto exchanges like Binance, Bybit, and OKX charge 0.1% on spot trading positions, and less when traders increase their VIP status.

Perpetual Futures Fees

Standard commissions to trade perpetual futures are 0.02% and 0.06% for makers and takers. Prime 1 users get more competitive fees at 0.018% and 0.055%.

The lowest futures commissions for makers and takers are 0% and 0.025%, which requires 30-day trading volumes of over $1.5 billion. HTX applies ongoing interest rates on margin accounts and perpetual funding fees every eight hours. Both fee structures use variable rates based on the market and/or account tier.

HTX Review: Compatibility and User Experience

HTX is available on desktop browsers and iOS and Android apps. We tested each platform version to evaluate the user experience. The account registration process is fast and seamless because HTX only collects an email address or mobile number.

While depositing cryptocurrencies is simple, those who prefer fiat payments must use the P2P dashboard. P2P buyers complete know-your-customer (KYC) verification, and trade timeframes average 10-20 minutes.

Depending on their skill set, users have several options to buy and sell cryptocurrencies. Intermediate-to-advanced traders use the spot exchange or perpetual futures platform. Both offer advanced charting tools and deep order books, so beginners require a steep learning curve.

HTX offers a simple conversion tool for inexperienced investors. The tool, which supports all HTX spot markets, requires only the swap currencies and purchase amount. HTX executes the trade instantly at the next best available price.

Does HTX Require Kyc?

After we opened an account, we checked the withdrawal dashboard to find no-KYC limits. We found that HTX allows unverified account holders to withdraw up to 5 BTC daily. These substantial limits serve most trading profiles.

HTX increases daily withdrawal limits to 200 BTC and 3,000 BTC for KYC Level 2 and 3. These verification steps require personal information and a government-issued ID.

Best HTX Alternatives

We compared our HTX exchange review findings with over 100 platform competitors. Here are some top-rated HTX alternatives that provide a better customer experience.

CoinFutures

CoinFutures is the best HTX alternative to trade perpetual futures. The platform offers leverage of up to 1000x on all available markets, including DOGE, ADA, and XRP. In contrast, HTX caps leverage at 200x on BTC, and less on other trading pairs.

CoinFutures’ user-friendly dashboard is built for derivative traders with no prior experience. It requires a small $1 minimum trade size, and simplified stop-loss orders help beginners mitigate risk.

OKX

OKX is our top alternative for U.S. clients, since HTX lacks support for American traders. As OKX holds U.S. regulatory approval, it allows verified users to deposit US dollars with ACH and domestic bank wires. The exchange processes fee-free deposits nearly instantly.

U.S. investors access top cryptocurrencies via USD pairs, which helps them avoid stablecoin exposure.

Coinbase

While HTX requires a significant learning curve, Coinbase is one of the best exchanges for complete beginners. Platform users can buy digital assets instantly using traditional payment methods, including Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, Google Pay, and Apple Pay.

Coinbase also boasts a strong regulatory framework, which includes licensing in the U.S. and Europe. One drawback is that Coinbase charges almost 4% on fiat purchases, and standard trading commissions of 1.5% for instant spot trades.

Binance

Binance is the largest crypto exchange for daily trading volume. It provides an extensive range of markets, including hundreds of spot cryptocurrencies, perpetual and delivery futures, options, and margin accounts.

The exchange targets experienced traders, as it provides world-class charting tools and Tier 1 liquidity. Binance charges entry-level spot fees of just 0.1%.

HTX Customer Support and User Reviews

HTX users access customer support via a 24/7 live chat box. Support languages include English, Vietnamese, Italian, and Spanish, among others. While unregistered account holders can use the live chat feature, they must provide an email address. We found that most chat requests connect with a human agent in seconds.

To evaluate customer feedback in the public domain, we analyzed HTX reviews from reputable sources. On Google Play, the HTX app scores just 3.2/5 across over 42,000 ratings. It scores 4.1/5 on the App Store, yet this is based on just 158 reviews.

Trustpilot users rate HTX 1.4/5. Some reviews mention issues with withdrawals and frozen accounts. The review website also warns users that HTX has received “regulatory attention”, which includes the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

How to Get Started With Htx: Step-by-Step

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to join HTX, deposit funds, and place trading orders.

Step 1: Open an HTX Account

Click the “Register” button on the HTX homepage and provide an email address or mobile number.

Input the six-digit verification code to complete the registration process.

Visit HTX

Step 2: Complete KYC (Optional)

Complete KYC verification to increase daily withdrawal limits from 5 BTC to 200 BTC and to use the P2P feature.

Note that KYC remains optional, so skip this step to deposit and withdraw cryptocurrencies within the stated limits.

Basic verification requires personal information and a government-issued ID. Users must complete video verification if they need the advanced KYC level.

Step 3: Deposit Funds

The easiest way to deposit funds is through crypto wallet transfers. Tap the “Deposit” button and select a cryptocurrency and network. Click “Send Deposit Address” to generate a unique wallet address for incoming payments. Complete the asset transfer from an external wallet.

To deposit fiat money, select “P2P” under the “Buy Crypto” button. Choose a fiat currency and view available payment methods and seller quotes. Wait until the seller funds the HTX escrow wallet before you complete the transfer.

Step 4: Choose a Trading Market

Click “Markets” from the top menu bar and choose between spot or futures trading to explore available cryptocurrencies.

You can search for assets by the project name or ticker, or click on investment categories like GameFi and meme coins.

Once you select a pair, HTX loads its trading market.

Step 5: Place a Trading Order

The final step is to set up and place a trading order.

Select a market or a limit order, and input the trade size. If you use a limit order, enter the target execution price, too.

Perpetual futures traders must also set the leverage multiplier. On HTX, both trading products allow stop-loss and take-profit orders to reduce market risk.

Place the order to confirm the trade. Those who trade on the spot exchange receive the purchased assets in their HTX wallet account. We recommend spot users withdraw cryptocurrencies to a secure non-custodial wallet for safe long-term storage.

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Eric Huffman

Eric Huffman's background includes a decade plus in business management as well as personal finance industry experience in insurance and lending. A strong understanding of consumer finance combined with a consumer advocate stance brought Eric to the crypto industry, where he writes articles and guides aimed at making crypto easier to understand.

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