What Is HTX?
HTX is a centralized cryptocurrency exchange originally founded in 2013 under the name Huobi. Over the course of more than a decade, it has served over 10 million users worldwide and established itself as one of the longest-running platforms in the crypto industry. In 2023, the exchange rebranded from Huobi Global to HTX, marking a new chapter under different ownership and a refreshed strategic direction.
As of 2026, HTX offers a comprehensive suite of trading products, including spot trading, futures contracts (both USDT-margined and coin-margined), copy trading, automated trading bots, and passive income earning products. The platform supports over 700 digital assets and maintains operations across multiple regions globally.
In this HTX review, we will examine the platform's features, fee structure, security measures, and overall value proposition to help you decide whether it deserves a spot in your trading toolkit.
1. The Huobi to HTX Rebrand
Understanding the rebrand is essential context for evaluating HTX today. Huobi was founded in Beijing in 2013 by Leon Li and quickly became one of the dominant cryptocurrency exchanges in Asia. At its peak, Huobi was processing billions of dollars in daily volume and was widely regarded as one of the "Big Three" Chinese exchanges alongside Binance and OKX.
The landscape shifted in 2021 when China enacted a comprehensive ban on cryptocurrency trading. Huobi ceased operations for mainland Chinese users and began repositioning as a global platform. In late 2022, Leon Li sold his controlling stake to About Capital Management, an investment firm associated with Justin Sun, the founder of the TRON blockchain.
Following the acquisition, the exchange rebranded in September 2023 from Huobi Global to HTX, with "H" representing Huobi's heritage, "T" standing for TRON, and "X" symbolizing the exchange. The rebrand included a new logo, updated platform design, and a commitment to expanding global operations.
The transition raised concerns among long-time users about close ties to Justin Sun and the TRON ecosystem, with some questioning whether the new leadership could manage a platform of this scale. Despite these concerns, HTX has continued operating and has invested heavily in security, compliance, and product development since the rebrand.
For traders evaluating HTX in 2026, the rebrand is now nearly three years old. The platform has had time to prove itself, and the results are what matter most.
2. Key Features of HTX
HTX offers a broad set of trading and investment products. Below is a detailed look at the platform's core features.
Spot Trading
HTX's spot trading engine supports over 700 digital assets across hundreds of trading pairs. Major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana are available alongside a wide selection of altcoins and newer tokens. The trading interface provides standard and advanced views, with TradingView-powered charting that includes technical indicators and drawing tools.
Order types include market orders, limit orders, stop-limit orders, and trigger orders. The platform also supports grid trading directly from the spot interface.
Futures Trading
HTX provides both USDT-margined (USDT-M) and coin-margined (Coin-M) perpetual and delivery futures contracts. Leverage options vary by trading pair, with up to 200x available on select major pairs. The futures platform includes advanced risk management tools such as take-profit/stop-loss orders, trailing stops, and position margin adjustments. Real-time funding rates, open interest data, and liquidation feeds are all accessible from the trading interface.
Copy Trading
HTX's copy trading feature allows users to follow experienced traders and automatically replicate their positions. The platform provides detailed performance metrics for each trader, including win rate, ROI, maximum drawdown, and total followers. Users can set custom parameters such as investment amount per trade and maximum position limits.
Copy trading supports both spot and futures markets. While HTX's copy trading ecosystem is not as large as some competitors, it offers a functional system for users who prefer a hands-off approach.
Trading Bots
HTX offers several automated trading bot options directly within the platform:
- Grid Trading Bot: Places buy and sell orders at preset intervals within a price range, profiting from market oscillations.
- DCA (Dollar-Cost Averaging) Bot: Invests fixed amounts at regular intervals, reducing the impact of volatility on long-term purchases.
- Infinity Grid Bot: A variation of grid trading with no upper price limit, designed for long-term uptrend strategies.
These bots are configurable without coding knowledge and can be set up in minutes.
AI Trading Integration
HTX has integrated AI-powered trading tools into its platform, offering AI-assisted market analysis, trade signal generation, and portfolio optimization suggestions. The AI integration is still evolving, but it signals that HTX is investing in next-generation trading technology to differentiate itself from competitors.
Earn Products
HTX's Earn section offers multiple passive income options:
- Flexible Earning: Deposit and withdraw at any time with variable APY rates, ideal for users who want yield without locking funds.
- Fixed Earning: Lock assets for a set period in exchange for higher yields. Some products advertise APY rates exceeding 100% for select tokens, though high rates typically apply to smaller-cap assets with higher risk.
- Staking: Participate in proof-of-stake network validation and earn staking rewards without running your own node.
Traders should carefully evaluate the risk profile of high-APY offerings before committing significant capital.
3. HTX Fee Structure
Understanding trading costs is critical when choosing an exchange. Here is how HTX's fee system works.
Trading Fees
HTX's standard trading fees for regular users are:
Spot Trading:
- Maker fee: 0.2%
- Taker fee: 0.2%
Futures Trading (USDT-M):
- Maker fee: 0.02%
- Taker fee: 0.05%
Futures Trading (Coin-M):
- Maker fee: 0.02%
- Taker fee: 0.05%
These base spot fees are higher than the industry average of 0.1%. However, HTX offers several mechanisms to reduce costs.
Prime Membership Tiers
HTX operates a tiered "Prime" membership system based on 30-day trading volume and asset holdings. As users move up through tiers, they unlock progressively lower fees. At the highest Prime levels, spot maker fees drop significantly, and futures maker fees can become extremely competitive.
TRX Fee Deduction
Users can opt to pay trading fees using TRX (TRON's native token), which provides a 25% discount on standard rates. This brings the effective spot trading fee down to 0.15% for both makers and takers at the base tier, which is more competitive but still slightly above what some rivals charge.
Deposit and Withdrawal Fees
Cryptocurrency deposits are free on HTX. Withdrawal fees vary by asset and blockchain network. Selecting a lower-cost network (such as TRC-20 for USDT instead of ERC-20) can substantially reduce withdrawal costs.
Fee Comparison
Compared to competitors, HTX's base spot fees (0.2%) are on the higher side. Binance (0.1%), Bitget (0.1%), and OKX (0.08% maker / 0.1% taker) all offer lower starting rates. However, HTX's futures fees are competitive, and the TRX deduction and Prime tier discounts can bring costs in line with rivals for active traders.
4. Security and Trust
Security is arguably the most important factor when choosing an exchange, and HTX has made significant investments in this area.
Security Infrastructure
HTX employs bank-grade security measures including:
- Hot/Cold Wallet Separation: The majority of user funds are stored in offline cold wallets, with only a small percentage kept in hot wallets for daily liquidity.
- Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Required for account access and withdrawals, adding an essential layer of protection.
- 24/7 Risk Monitoring: Dedicated security teams monitor the platform around the clock for suspicious activity and potential threats.
- Multi-Signature Wallets: Critical asset transfers require multiple authorized signatures, preventing any single point of failure.
Proof of Reserves
HTX publishes regular Proof of Reserves (PoR) reports, demonstrating that user deposits are fully backed on a 1:1 basis. These reports allow users to verify that the exchange holds sufficient assets to cover all customer balances. In the post-FTX era, Proof of Reserves has become a baseline expectation, and HTX's commitment to this standard is a positive signal.
Track Record and Awards
HTX's 12-year operational history provides a long track record to evaluate. The exchange experienced a security incident in September 2023 involving approximately $8 million in hot wallet losses, but the funds were fully covered and no user was affected. HTX has since strengthened its security protocols.
The platform has received industry awards including "Most Trustworthy Crypto Exchanges 2025" and "Best Centralized Exchange 2024," indicating that industry observers view HTX as a credible platform.
Regulatory Status
HTX holds regulatory licenses and registrations in multiple jurisdictions and has been expanding its compliance framework. However, like many offshore exchanges, HTX is not available in all regions. Users in jurisdictions with strict crypto regulations should verify local availability before creating an account.
5. Pros and Cons of HTX
After examining the platform's features, fees, and security, here is a balanced summary.
Pros:
- One of the longest-running crypto exchanges with 12+ years of operational history
- Over 700 digital assets and extensive trading pair selection
- Competitive futures trading fees (0.02% maker / 0.05% taker)
- Comprehensive product suite: spot, futures, copy trading, bots, and earning products
- Strong security infrastructure with hot/cold wallet separation and 24/7 monitoring
- 1:1 Proof of Reserves with regular public reports
- TRX fee deduction provides 25% discount on trading costs
- AI trading integration showing forward-looking innovation
- Multiple Earn products including staking and flexible savings
- 10 million+ user base providing solid trading liquidity
Cons:
- Base spot trading fees (0.2%) are higher than most major competitors
- Close association with Justin Sun and TRON ecosystem may concern some users
- Post-rebrand reputation is still being rebuilt among long-time Huobi users
- Copy trading ecosystem is smaller compared to platforms like Bitget or BingX
- High-APY Earn products carry elevated risk for inexperienced users
- Not available in all jurisdictions, including restrictions in certain major markets
- Some users report that the platform interface feels cluttered with too many features
- Customer support response times can vary during high-traffic periods
6. Is HTX Still Worth It in 2026?
The answer depends on what you need. HTX offers a comprehensive trading platform with a 12-year track record, strong security measures, and a product suite that rivals the biggest names in the industry. For futures traders, the fee structure is competitive, and the USDT-M and Coin-M contract options are robust.
The concerns around the rebrand and new ownership are valid but have become less urgent as time has passed without major incidents. Where HTX falls short is on base spot fees and perception challenges inherited from the ownership transition. Traders focused primarily on spot trading may find better value elsewhere, unless they trade enough volume to unlock Prime tier discounts or use the TRX deduction.
For traders who want to add HTX to a multi-exchange strategy, its strengths in futures depth, extensive asset support, and earning products make it a worthwhile complement to other exchanges.
7. How Altrady Enhances Your HTX Trading
Whether you decide to trade on HTX alone or as part of a broader multi-exchange strategy, managing your activity efficiently is essential. This is where Altrady delivers real value.
Altrady connects to HTX and 15+ other major exchanges through a single unified dashboard. Instead of logging into each exchange separately, you get a comprehensive view of all your holdings, open positions, and order history in one place.
Key advantages of trading HTX through Altrady include:
- Smart Trading Tools: Place advanced order types including laddered orders, take-profit/stop-loss combos, and trailing stops that work consistently across all connected exchanges, including HTX.
- Real-Time Portfolio Tracking: Automatically calculate your gains, losses, and performance across every exchange. No more spreadsheets or manual calculations.
- Quick Scanner: Monitor price movements across all your connected exchanges simultaneously. Spot opportunities on HTX or any other platform the moment they appear.
- Cross-Exchange Price Comparison: Compare prices for the same asset across multiple exchanges and execute where you get the best deal.
Start your free trial of Altrady today and experience what unified multi-exchange trading feels like. Full access to every feature, no credit card required, and you will be trading smarter from day one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HTX safe to use?
HTX employs bank-grade security including hot/cold wallet separation, two-factor authentication, 24/7 risk monitoring, and multi-signature wallet technology. The exchange publishes regular Proof of Reserves reports confirming 1:1 reserve ratios for all user deposits. With over 12 years of operational history, HTX has one of the longest track records in the industry. While no exchange is completely risk-free, HTX's security infrastructure is competitive with other top-tier platforms. Enable all available security features on your account and avoid storing large amounts on any single exchange long-term.
What are HTX's trading fees?
HTX charges 0.2% for both maker and taker on spot trading at the base tier, and 0.02% maker / 0.05% taker on futures. The base spot fees are higher than some competitors, but the Prime membership tier system lowers fees based on trading volume and asset holdings. Opting to pay fees with TRX provides a 25% discount, bringing effective spot fees down to 0.15%. For active futures traders, HTX's derivatives fees are competitive with the industry's best.
Is HTX the same as Huobi?
Yes. HTX is the rebranded version of Huobi Global. The exchange was founded in 2013 as Huobi and operated under that name for a decade. In late 2022, the founding team sold its controlling stake to About Capital Management, and in September 2023 the platform officially rebranded to HTX. The underlying exchange infrastructure carries over from the Huobi era, but ownership, branding, and strategic direction have changed. Existing Huobi accounts transitioned to HTX automatically.
Can I use HTX in the United States?
HTX has restrictions on services available to U.S. users. The exchange does not hold a comprehensive U.S. operating license, and certain features, particularly derivatives and futures trading, may be unavailable. Review HTX's terms of service carefully and verify which products are accessible in your state before creating an account.
How does HTX compare to Binance and OKX?
HTX, Binance, and OKX all offer comprehensive trading platforms with spot, futures, copy trading, and earning products. Binance leads in trading volume and user count. OKX is known for its advanced derivatives and Web3 wallet. HTX differentiates itself with its 12-year operational history, TRX-based fee discounts, and AI trading integration. On fees, Binance and OKX offer lower base spot rates (0.1% and 0.08%/0.1% respectively) compared to HTX's 0.2%, though HTX's futures fees are on par. Many professionals trade across multiple exchanges simultaneously, using tools like Altrady to manage everything from a single dashboard.