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HTX Crypto Exchange Review 2025: Is It Worth Using for Spot?

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GNCrypto editors review services independently. If you click on affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.  The goal of our reviews is to provide our readers with the most objective and unbiased overviews of available platforms for spot crypto trading.

HTX

We liked HTX’s deep liquidity, fast execution, and early access to new altcoins. However, regulatory overhang, prior security incidents, and limited human support are hard to ignore.

The Bottom Line

HTX
4.1
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Overview

HTX (formerly Huobi) is a global centralized exchange aimed at active crypto traders who need a professional-grade terminal with deep order books. Our testing confirmed that execution speeds are blazing fast, and the integrated TradingView tools make technical analysis seamless. However, the steep learning curve and “bot-heavy” customer service make it a poor choice for beginners or passive investors.

Strengths:
  • Deep liquidity, tight spreads
  • Early access to small-cap altcoins
  • TradingView charts and advanced orders
Weaknesses:
  • Higher base spot trading fees
  • Offshore status 
  • Chatbot-heavy support
0.20% maker fee
0.20% taker fee
25% trading fee discount when paying with HTX

Key Features

HTX Crypto Exchange Review 2025: Is It Worth Using for Spot?
We carried out a mystery-shopping test on HTX to see how well it works for beginner spot traders

HTX (formerly Huobi) offers rock-bottom fees and a massive menu of crypto assets, making it attractive for active traders. However, past security breaches and a complex regulatory status cast a long shadow. We investigate whether the platform has done enough in 2025 to regain user trust.

To build a comprehensive outlook, we approached the platform as mystery shoppers, running a $200 spot trade to evaluate the post-rebrand experience. HTX is the direct successor to Huobi Global, a 2013-founded giant that helped architect the early crypto market across Asia.

What Is HTX (Formerly Huobi Global)?

The platform underwent a major identity shift in September 2023, rebranding to “HTX” (representing Huobi, Tron, and the eXchange). In 2025, it remains a massive offshore venue, reporting over 50 million users worldwide. Unlike conservative onshore exchanges, HTX plays the “high-coverage” role: it lists over 700 assets, often providing liquidity for new memecoins and altcoins long before they reach regulated Western platforms.

For the active trader, the value proposition of HTX review is clear: the exchange combines a professional trading terminal with an aggressive listing strategy, effectively serving as a bridge for those seeking “early gem” opportunities that aren’t available on, for example, Coinbase.

Key Features and Trading Options on HTX Exchange

We placed a $200 BTC/USDT trade in the Spot trading interface to test the execution speed and cost. The dashboard is dense but professional, integrating the order book, TradingView charts, and asset menu into a single pane. For a standard user without HT token discounts, the base maker/taker fee was 0.20%, resulting in a fee of roughly $0.40 for our transaction.

Despite the fee being slightly higher than some competitors, the liquidity was exceptional. During our test, the spread on the BTC/USDT pair stayed incredibly tight – hovering between 0.01% and 0.03% – which meant our orders filled instantly without slippage. The minimum order size is approximately $5–$10 (depending on the asset), ensuring the platform remains accessible for smaller retail entries. When we moved to withdraw for HTX review, dynamic network fees were clearly calculated before the final confirmation step.

The peculiarities are as follows:

  • Advanced Order Types: Includes Limit, Market, Stop-Limit, and Trigger orders for precise entry/exit.
  • Pro-Level Charting: Native integration with TradingView, offering full indicator sets and drawing tools alongside depth charts.
  • Grid Trading Bots: Built-in automated trading strategies directly accessible from the spot interface.
  • API Support: Robust REST and WebSocket API documentation for algorithmic traders.
  • Mobile Experience: A fully-featured app (iOS/Android) that mirrors desktop functionality, including margin and futures access.

User Experience and Customer Support on HTX

In our testing, HTX functioned less like a retail banking app and more like an institutional trading terminal. It prioritizes information density and execution speed over hand-holding, which creates a distinct divide in the user experience.

The interface: utility over aesthetics. We found the desktop dashboard to be a “cockpit” for active traders. The default layout is dense, simultaneously displaying the L2 order book, recent trade history, asset selection, and TradingView charts on a single screen.

  • Desktop. For our $200 test trade, this density was an advantage – we could analyze depth and execute a Limit order without navigating through multiple sub-menus. However, newcomers may find the sheer volume of flashing data points intimidating.
  • Mobile App. The mobile experience (tested on iOS and Android) is significantly more approachable. We appreciated the ability to toggle between a simplified “Lite” interface for checking balances and the “Pro” mode for accessing futures and margin tools.

Customer support: the “bot wall”. The Huobi review of the support system revealed a functional but frustrating reality for standard users.

  • Automated First Response. When we attempted to resolve a deposit query via the “24/7 Live Chat,” we were not greeted by a human. Instead, we encountered an aggressive automated triage system that effectively forces you to search the FAQ database before routing you to a queue.
  • The VIP Reality. It is important to note that high-quality support on HTX is volume-gated. Traders who reach higher VIP tiers (Prime levels) are assigned dedicated account managers who bypass the general queue. For the average retail user, however, getting past the chatbot to a real agent often requires persistence and patience.

The trading engine is robust and professional, but the support infrastructure feels designed to automate the masses while reserving personalized help for high-volume clients.

Is HTX Worth Using? Final Thoughts and Recommendations

After thoroughly testing the platform’s capabilities – from account funding to executing complex order types – our conclusion is that HTX is a specialized tool designed for a specific kind of user.

This exchange is not the best starting point for a complete beginner who just wants to buy $200 of Bitcoin; the interface is too dense, and the support is too automated for that purpose. However, for intermediate-to-advanced traders who are hunting for volatility, small-cap gems, or aggressive leverage, HTX is arguably one of the most powerful venues available in 2025.

Strengths:

  • Base spot fee is 0.20%, reducible by 25% when paying with HTX tokens or reaching VIP tiers.
  • Access to 700+ cryptocurrencies, offering early liquidity for altcoins not found on Western exchanges.
  • Integrated TradingView charts, OCO orders, and live depth analysis in a single “cockpit” interface.
  • Our tests confirmed instant matching and negligible slippage on major pairs like BTC/USDT.
  • Seamless, instant transfers between Spot, Futures, and Earn wallets.

Weaknesses:

  • Direct bank deposits are rare; most fiat gateways rely on pricier third-party processors.
  • As an offshore entity, licensing transparency varies, placing the burden of due diligence on the user.
  • The “Live Chat” is heavily automated; reaching a human agent is difficult for non-VIP users.
  • Many advanced features and derivatives are restricted in key regions (including the U.S. and parts of the EU).

Trustworthiness Check 

2021 – China crackdown and Huobi mainland exit: Following PRC bans on crypto transactions, Huobi announced it would offboard mainland users by year-end 2021.

Sept 24–25, 2023 – Hot-wallet hack (~5,000 ETH ≈ $8M): HTX (then Huobi) disclosed a theft from a hot wallet; Justin Sun said back then that user funds would be covered.

Nov 22, 2023 – The “Double Tap” Hack (HECO Bridge & HTX Hot Wallet). In a coordinated attack, hackers compromised the HECO Chain bridge (an ecosystem deeply linked to HTX) for $86.6 million and simultaneously drained $12 million from HTX’s own hot wallets.

Nov 2025 – Dutch court investigation revealed that HTX had hosted wallets for “Kyrrex,” a shell crypto exchange used by fraudsters to launder millions in stolen funds. 

Oct 2025 – UK FCA civil action over unlawful promotions: The FCA filed a High Court claim against HTX (formerly Huobi), alleging breaches of the UK financial promotions regime.

GNсrypto’s Overall HTX Rating

CriteriaRating (out of 5)
Asset Selection & Trading Pairs
Tools & Order Controls
Liquidity & Volume
Fees & Total Cost to Trade
Execution Quality / Market Quality
Fiat Access & Minimum Trade Size
Reliability & Transparency

Methodology – Why You Should Trust Us

We use a weighted, category-based model, collect standardized data from each platform (open data + hands-on testing), and convert that into a 1.0–5.0 star score in 0.1 increments.

Our focus is spot trading quality: real fees, minimum trade size, crypto availability, market quality, and the user-facing experience.

How We Collect Data

– Public data: fee schedules, supported pairs, proof-of-reserves statements, status pages.

– First-hand testing: we place test trades, measure slippage and spreads, check UI features and speed. 

We do not rate solvency or make guarantees about financial stability. Ratings reflect user experience, not a balance-sheet audit.

Categories & Weights

– Liquidity & Volume – 25%
– Fees & Total Cost to Trade – 25%
– Asset Selection & Trading Pairs – 15%
– Execution Quality (Market Quality) – 10%
– Tools & Order Controls – 10%
– Fiat Access & Minimum Trade Size – 5%
– Reliability & Transparency – 10%

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We receive commission from some companies mentioned in our reviews when you make a transition or perform a target action on their platform. However, such referral partnerships do not affect our editorial impartiality in compiling reviews. Our ratings and rankings are formed independently, according to transparent criteria and after real testing. The goal of our reviews is to provide our readers with the most objective and unbiased overviews of available platforms for spot crypto trading. In all cases, do your own research and check whether local rules and regulations apply.