HTX Crypto Exchange Review 2025: Liquidity, Fees, and Why It’s Not for Beginners

HTX, once known as Huobi, is one of the oldest crypto exchanges still operating today-but it’s not the same platform it was five years ago. If you’re looking for a simple way to buy Bitcoin or stake Ethereum, HTX might frustrate you. But if you’re trading high volumes, especially in Asian markets like KRW or JPY, it could be one of the best tools you’ve ever used. This isn’t a review for casual users. It’s for traders who care about speed, liquidity, and institutional-grade infrastructure.

What HTX Actually Is in 2025

HTX isn’t just a rebrand. It’s a complete strategic reset. The exchange dropped the name Huobi in August 2023 after China cracked down on crypto firms. It moved its legal base from Singapore to Seychelles and shut down operations in the U.S. and U.K. as of early 2025. Today, HTX serves over 10 million active users, mostly from Asia (62%), with Europe making up 23% and the rest scattered globally.

It supports 700+ cryptocurrencies for spot trading, which is more than most competitors. Its trading engine can handle 1 million orders per second with an average latency of just 7.2 milliseconds-faster than Coinbase, though not quite as fast as Binance. That kind of speed matters when you’re scalping or trading large positions.

The platform’s core strength isn’t its user interface. It’s its liquidity. On pairs like BTC/KRW or ETH/JPY, HTX offers spreads that are 15-25 basis points tighter than other exchanges. That means you pay less in hidden costs when you buy or sell. For professional traders, that’s money in the bank.

Fees That Actually Reward High Volume

HTX’s fee structure is one of the most aggressive in the industry. Maker fees start at 0%, and taker fees can even go negative-meaning the exchange pays you to add liquidity. Here’s how it breaks down:

• Maker fees: 0% to 0.0218%
• Taker fees: -0.0001% to 0.2%

The negative fee tier applies to top-tier market makers who consistently provide liquidity. If you’re trading over $1 million per month, you’ll likely qualify. For most users, the standard taker fee is 0.1%-which is competitive, but not the lowest. What sets HTX apart is its HT token discount system. Holding HT reduces your trading fees by up to 25%. The token has a max supply of 500 million, with about 406.6 million in circulation as of early 2025. It’s available on Ethereum, Tron, and HTX’s own blockchain.

Compare that to Binance, where BNB discounts are similar, but HTX’s fee structure is more transparent. You don’t need to guess how much you’ll save. The calculator on their site updates in real time based on your HT balance and trading volume.

Security: Institutional-Grade, But Not Perfect

HTX claims 98% of assets are stored in cold wallets. That’s standard for top-tier exchanges. What’s unusual is their $500 million insurance fund, backed by FireBlocks and BitGo. That’s more than Kraken and on par with Coinbase. They also use multi-signature wallets and a 24/7 AI-powered security center that flags suspicious activity.

But here’s the catch: HTX operates without a major financial license in most countries. They have a provisional license in Dubai’s VARA and are applying for one in Hong Kong’s SFC. They lost their license in Japan in late 2024 and pulled out of the U.S. and U.K. markets entirely. That’s not a red flag by itself-but it means you’re trusting a company that’s betting on regulatory gray zones.

In January 2025, CoinTelegraph flagged HTX’s inconsistent compliance across jurisdictions as a risk. If a major regulator like the SEC or FCA takes action, HTX could freeze withdrawals overnight. That’s happened before with other offshore exchanges.

Trading Experience: Powerful, But Overwhelming

The desktop platform is packed with features: limit orders, stop-limit, OCO, trailing stops, margin trading, and futures. It’s designed for professionals. But if you’ve never traded before, you’ll feel lost.

The interface doesn’t explain what any of these tools do. There are no beginner tutorials. No walkthroughs. No video guides. Compare that to Coinbase, which walks you through buying your first Bitcoin in under five minutes. HTX assumes you already know how to trade.

The mobile app is worse. On the iOS App Store, it has a 3.8/5 rating from over 12,000 reviews. Users complain it’s cluttered, slow, and feels like it was built by engineers who don’t care about usability. One Reddit user summed it up: “The mobile app feels like it was designed by engineers for engineers, not regular humans.”

If you’re serious about trading, you’ll adapt. But if you’re just trying to hold Bitcoin long-term, HTX is overkill-and possibly dangerous because of its complexity. Mistakes are easy to make, and there’s no safety net.

Staking and Earning: A Major Weakness

HTX’s “earn” section is painfully limited. As of April 2025, they offer staking for only 18 cryptocurrencies. Compare that to Binance (50) and Coinbase (65). The APYs are average-usually between 2% and 8%-and often lower than competitors.

There’s no flexible staking. No auto-compounding. No yield farming. No liquidity pools. If you want to earn passive income, HTX isn’t the place. You’ll get better returns on Kraken, Binance, or even decentralized platforms like Lido.

This is a strategic gap. While HTX focuses on institutional trading, they’ve ignored the retail earning market entirely. That’s a mistake. In 2025, users expect to earn interest on their crypto. HTX doesn’t meet that expectation.

Customer Support: Slow When You Need It Most

HTX’s support system is a mixed bag. If you’re a VIP Level 3 user or higher, live chat responds in under 10 minutes. But for everyone else? You’re stuck with email.

According to HTX’s own Q1 2025 transparency report, email tickets take an average of 18.7 hours to resolve. During market crashes, delays stretch to 72 hours. One Trustpilot user reported waiting three days for withdrawal approval during the March 2025 crypto sell-off.

Community support isn’t much better. Their Telegram group has 127,000 members, but most questions go unanswered. Their Discord has 85,000 members and is even quieter than Binance’s. If you need help fast, you’re on your own.

Who Should Use HTX?

HTX isn’t for everyone. Here’s who it’s actually good for:

• High-volume traders who need tight spreads and low fees, especially on Asian fiat pairs
• Institutional investors managing over $1 million in assets who need segregated accounts and custom APIs
• Advanced traders who understand order types and don’t need hand-holding

Here’s who should avoid it:

• Beginners-the interface is too complex, and there’s no education
• Stakers and yield farmers-the earning options are outdated and limited
• U.S. and U.K. residents-you can’t sign up
• Anyone who values fast support-response times are slow during volatility

Final Verdict: A Tool, Not a Platform

HTX isn’t trying to be the easiest exchange. It’s trying to be the most powerful one for serious traders. It delivers on liquidity, speed, and institutional tools. But it fails at onboarding, education, and customer care.

If you’re a professional trader with experience and capital, HTX is worth considering. Its fee structure and Asian market depth are unmatched. But if you’re new to crypto or just want to hold Bitcoin and earn interest, look elsewhere. HTX won’t help you learn. It won’t hold your hand. And if things go wrong, you might be waiting days for help.

The $500 million investment from Dubai’s Raptor Capital in May 2025 suggests HTX is betting big on regulatory compliance in the Middle East. If they succeed, they might regain global trust. But until then, they’re a high-risk, high-reward tool for a narrow audience.

Getting Started on HTX

If you decide to use HTX, here’s how to begin:

1. Go to htx.com and create an account with your email.
2. Complete basic KYC if you plan to trade over $5,000 daily or withdraw more than $2,000.
3. For full access (up to $1 million daily trading), submit government ID and facial recognition.
4. Deposit funds via SEPA (EUR), bank transfer, or crypto.
5. Start trading-use the “Spot” tab for simple buys and sells.

Don’t touch the margin or futures tabs unless you’ve studied them first. One wrong click can wipe out your account.

What’s Next for HTX?

HTX announced two major updates in early 2025:

• HTX Prime-a new institutional trading platform with advanced risk controls, launched April 10, 2025.
• Chainlink CCIP integration-allows seamless cross-chain transfers, launched May 1, 2025.

Their roadmap includes a regulated spot ETF trading platform in Hong Kong (targeting Q3 2025) and a possible U.S. entry via a partnership with a registered money services business by Q1 2026. If either happens, HTX could make a major comeback.

But for now, it’s still an offshore exchange with a reputation for volatility-not just in markets, but in regulation.