How safe is HTX,
really?
Instead of a vague 'trusted' badge, we grade HTX on five concrete, checkable criteria — each with sources. Here's exactly how it scores.
Criterion by criterion, with sources
- ✗
Regulation
No licence from a financial regulator found. The UK FCA lists htx.com as an unauthorised firm (warning since October 2023, updated February 2026) and took HTX to the High Court in October 2025 over illegal financial promotions. On 26 May 2026 the UK sanctioned the operating company, Huobi Global S.A., and in July 2026 the EU added it to its 21st sanctions package, with a transaction ban from 23 August 2026. Source 1 → Source 2 → Source 3 → Source 4 →
- ✓
Proof-of-Reserves
Publishes a monthly Merkle-tree proof of reserves. The June 2026 report shows BTC 103%, ETH 100%, TRX 105%, XRP 104% and SOL 100%. It is published by HTX itself; we have not verified the independence of the checker. Source 1 → Source 2 →
- ✓
Flexible withdrawal
Flexible Simple Earn can be redeemed at any time without a penalty, per HTX's own product pages. Most headline flexible rates carry an "APY Boost", "New User" or "SVIP" tag; we publish only flexible rates without such tags. Source 1 → Source 2 →
- ✓
Insurance Fund
HTX Security Reserve of 20,000 BTC for emergency incidents, per HTX. It is self-funded, not third-party insurance — the same standard we apply to other exchanges' SAFU-type funds. Source →
- ✗
Track record (2+ years incident-free)
Two hot-wallet hacks in autumn 2023: about $8M of ETH on 24 September (covered by HTX) and about $30M in November, the same week as the HECO Chain bridge hack; $258M left the exchange in the following days. Since then: the FCA lawsuit (2025) and UK and EU sanctions (2026). Source 1 → Source 2 → Source 3 →
Incidents we count
Known incidents
5- September 2023 Hot-wallet hack, about $8M of ETH; HTX covered the loss. Source →
- November 2023 Hot-wallet hack of about $30M, the same week as the HECO Chain bridge hack; $258M withdrawn in the following days. Source →
- October 2025 The UK FCA sued HTX in the High Court over illegal financial promotions. Source →
- May 2026 UK sanctions on Huobi Global S.A. (OFSI). Source →
- July 2026 EU 21st sanctions package: transaction ban with HTX from 23 August 2026. Source →
Current earn rates on HTX
| Asset | Rate | Type |
|---|---|---|
| HYPE | 10 % | flexible |
| BCH | 5.0 % | flexible |
| BNB | 5.0 % | flexible |
| BTW | 5.0 % | flexible |
| M | 5.0 % | flexible |