HTX Review 2027 Fees, Features and Safety

This HTX review for 2027 looks at the Seychelles-based crypto exchange, founded in 2013, and covers trading fees, security record, the HT / HTX token and regulation, so you can decide whether it fits the way you trade.

What is HTX? (2027)

HTX is the current name of Huobi, one of the original giants of Asian cryptocurrency trading. Leon Li founded Huobi in Beijing in 2013, and for several years it competed with Binance and OKX for the title of largest exchange in the world. After China banned crypto trading, the business moved offshore and is now registered in Seychelles. In September 2023, on its tenth anniversary, Huobi rebranded as HTX.

The exchange is smaller than at its peak but remains a top-fifteen venue by volume, with a loyal user base across Asia, Russia and the Middle East.

Ownership and the Justin Sun connection

In late 2022 Leon Li sold his controlling stake to a Hong Kong investment firm, About Capital. Justin Sun, the founder of the TRON blockchain, joined as a global adviser and has acted as the public face of the exchange ever since. Under his influence HTX has become closely tied to the TRON ecosystem. TRX, the USDD stablecoin and related assets feature prominently in its promotions and reserves.

That link is worth understanding. Supporters see an energetic owner who brought the exchange back to growth. Critics point to concentration risk, because a meaningful share of platform activity and reserves relates to assets associated with one person.

Trading products

• Spot: around 700 tokens with USDT as the main quote currency.
• Margin: cross and isolated margin trading.
• Futures: USDT-margined and coin-margined perpetual contracts, plus dated futures.
• Copy trading and bots: including grid strategies.
• Earn: flexible and fixed savings, often with promotional rates on stablecoins.
• PrimeVote and launch events for new listings.

HTX has been especially quick to list meme coins and trending tokens since the rebrand, which helped restore trading volumes.

Tokens: HT and HTX

The original Huobi Token (HT) offered fee discounts and voting rights. In 2024 the exchange introduced the HTX DAO and a new token, also called HTX, and encouraged holders to convert. The new token is tied to a community governance model and regular burns funded by exchange revenue. If you still hold HT, check the conversion terms on the official site.

Fees

The base spot fee is 0.2% for makers and takers, which is higher than the 0.1% charged by most large rivals, though discounts apply for token holders and higher-volume tiers. Futures fees are competitive, starting around 0.02% for makers and 0.06% for takers. Deposits are free, and withdrawal fees depend on the network. TRON-based transfers of USDT are usually the cheapest route in and out.

Security record

For most of its history Huobi had a clean security record. That changed in late 2023. In September of that year a hot wallet lost about $8 million, and in November attackers took roughly $30 million from HTX hot wallets while the related HECO bridge lost a further sum of around $86 million. HTX stated that it covered all losses and customer balances were unaffected.

The exchange publishes monthly Merkle-tree proof-of-reserves reports showing ratios of 100% or more for major assets. Independent analysts have noted that a significant part of the reserves is held in TRON-related tokens. Users have access to two-factor authentication, anti-phishing codes and address whitelisting.

Regulation and availability

HTX has a limited regulatory profile. It holds few major licences, has withdrawn from or been restricted in a number of markets, and has been the subject of warnings from regulators including the UK Financial Conduct Authority. It does not serve the United States, Canada, Japan, Singapore or mainland China, among others. Identity verification is required for full access.

In practice this means you should not expect the kind of consumer protection that comes with an exchange supervised in the EU or the US.

Who is HTX best for?

HTX makes sense for experienced traders who want early access to trending tokens, who are active in the TRON ecosystem, or who want another liquid venue for futures. Stablecoin holders are sometimes drawn by its promotional savings rates.

It is harder to recommend as a main account for beginners or for anyone holding large balances long term.

Pros and cons

• Pros: more than ten years in operation, broad altcoin and meme coin market, liquid futures, monthly reserve reports, cheap TRON transfers.
• Cons: two hacks in 2023, limited licensing, higher base spot fee, reserves and activity concentrated around TRON-linked assets.

How to get started

Register with an email address or phone number, complete verification, and enable an authenticator app. Deposit crypto or use the P2P and card options to buy USDT. Keep trading balances modest and withdraw profits regularly to a wallet you control.

HTX review: verdict for 2027

HTX carries a famous history and still offers a capable trading platform with a wide token list. Its ownership ties, recent security incidents and thin regulatory cover add risk, so treat it as a specialist venue for active trading rather than a place to store wealth.

Compare this HTX review with all 40 crypto exchanges in our 2027 list, and confirm the latest terms on the official HTX website before you open an account.