Huobi Exchange Review 2025: Features, Fees & Security

In-depth Details: What's to Like and What You Should Know

HTX is an established cryptocurrency exchange, ranking consistently among the top 10 platforms globally by trading volume. They provide comprehensive access to spot, margin, futures, and derivatives markets alongside features like copy trading, automated bots, and yield farming through HTX Earn. The platform caters to newcomers and institutional traders through its intuitive interface options and advanced analytical tools, supported by deep liquidity across major trading pairs.

The provider’s competitive edge lies in its comprehensive ecosystem approach, integrating traditional trading with DeFi protocols, NFT marketplaces, and the native Huobi Eco Chain (HECO) for reduced transaction costs.

Their Prime membership system offers graduated benefits, including fee reductions up to 94%, dedicated account managers for high-tier users, and exclusive access to new token launches. Advanced security infrastructure provides institutional-grade protection for digital assets.

The platform is available in 170+ countries with multilingual support and localized services, while maintaining regulatory compliance through licenses in key jurisdictions including Lithuania, Dubai, and Australia.

While recent upgrades have improved transaction efficiency by 20%, regulatory restrictions limit access for US users and certain other jurisdictions. It’s also important to note in this Huobi exchange review, that the platform’s complexity may be confusing for absolute beginners.

History and Background

Before starting this Huobi review, let’s jump into their background. Founded in 2013 by Leon Li, a graduate of Tsinghua University and a former Oracle engineer, HTX quickly established itself as a major force in the cryptocurrency exchange landscape. Originally based in Beijing, China, the company expanded internationally following regulatory changes in China and rebranded from Huobi Global to HTX in September 2022 to mark its 10th anniversary.

The exchange has navigated various regulatory challenges while maintaining its position among the world’s top 10 crypto exchanges. They currently operate without formal headquarters but maintain licenses and registrations in multiple jurisdictions, including Lithuania, Dubai, the British Virgin Islands, and Australia.

Safety and Security

This provider has faced some major security challenges. In September 2023, they suffered a $7.9 million hack when attackers exploited a private key leak, stealing 4,999 ETH from the company’s hot wallet.

The exchange responded by identifying the attacker and offering a unique “white hat bonus” arrangement, promising to let the hacker keep 5% of stolen funds ($400,000) if they returned the remaining 95% within seven days. The attacker complied on October 7, 2023, returning all stolen funds and receiving the promised white hat bonus of 250 ETH.

In November 2023, they experienced a $30 million hack alongside attacks on related platforms, including the HECO Chain bridge ($86.6 million) and Poloniex ($100 million). The coordinated attacks resulted in over $200 million in combined losses. Following this incident, HTX temporarily suspended deposits and withdrawals but resumed operations within days and fully compensated affected users.

A 2021-2023 data breach found that they had accidentally exposed AWS credentials in 2021, potentially compromising user data, including information on nearly 5,000 high-value “whale” traders. The breach remained unaddressed for nearly two years before being fixed in 2023.

Despite these incidents, they have consistently honored their commitment to user protection, fully compensating all affected users and implementing improved security measures following each breach. Their transparent communication and prompt resolution of security incidents have helped maintain user confidence, though the frequency of attacks has raised questions about the overall security of Justin Sun-affiliated platforms.

HTX uses a multi-layered security approach designed to protect user funds and data. They maintain 98% of user assets in cold storage, keeping funds offline and away from potential cyber threats. A dedicated 20,000 BTC Security Reserve Fund is used to compensate members in case of security breaches.

Key security features include:

• Two-factor authentication (2FA) for all accounts
• Address whitelisting for withdrawal destinations
• Anti-DDoS protection against service disruption attacks
• Multi-signature wallets for enhanced fund security
• Proof of Reserves regular audits to verify asset backing
• Real-time monitoring with 24/7 threat detection

My Overview: What I love most about HTX is the copy trading feature. I can automatically follow experienced traders and learn from their strategies while they do the hard work for me.

Special Features

No Huobi review would be complete without a breakdown of features. HTX provides a comprehensive suite of trading and investment tools tailored for different user levels. They also support spot trading, margin trading with up to 200x leverage, futures contracts, and derivatives trading. Additional features include copy trading for beginners, automated trading bots, and yield-generating products through HTX Earn.

The platform operates an extensive P2P marketplace supporting 27 fiat currencies and enabling direct peer-to-peer transactions with zero fees. They also offer staking services with competitive

APY rates, letting users earn passive income on various cryptocurrencies.

Usability

I find the interface surprisingly user-friendly once you get past the initial learning curve. The platform does pack a lot of features, which can feel overwhelming at first, but the recent redesign has made everything much more streamlined. I appreciate how they’ve improved transaction efficiency. I like that I can choose the day and night modes and organize the dashboard to keep my most-used trading pairs front and center.

Another bonus is the educational resources, which helped me understand the more complex features, like futures and margin trading, without feeling lost. While it’s definitely more complex than some exchanges, my overall experience feels comprehensive and professional once you know your way around.

Customer Support

This Huobi cryptocurrency exchange review wouldn’t be complete without covering support options. Customer support is available through multiple channels, including live chat, email, and an in-depth help center. They use an AI-powered chatbot for quick responses to common queries, with escalation to human agents for complex issues. Help is available 24/7 with multilingual assistance.

People with Prime 6 or higher accounts receive dedicated account manager services. For general inquiries, support can be reached via email or through the live chat system.

Mobile App

There is an app for iOS and Android with over 10 million downloads. The apps provide full trading functionality, including spot, futures, and margin trading capabilities. Recent updates have improved transaction efficiency by 20% and introduced enhanced user interfaces with customizable themes. Other benefits include real-time price alerts, advanced charting tools, portfolio management features, and full access to staking and P2P trading services.

HTX Standard vs Prime Membership

The unified platform provides different levels of service through its Prime membership system rather than separate app versions. Everyone has access to the same trading platform, but Prime members get enhanced tools, reduced fees, and premium services based on their membership tier.

Standard accounts provide full access to the trading ecosystem with competitive features for casual and moderate traders. Prime membership (levels 1-11) offers progressively enhanced benefits for active traders and high-net-worth users, with the most exclusive services reserved for Prime 6+ members who gain dedicated account managers and institutional-level support.

How to Set Up an HTX Account

Setting up an account is straightforward:

1. Visit the official website or download the mobile application
2. Click “Sign Up” and enter your email address or phone number
3. Create a secure password and verify your email/phone with the confirmation code
4. Complete basic profile information, including full name and country of residence
5. For higher withdrawal limits, complete KYC verification by uploading government-issued ID and proof of address
6. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for enhanced security
7. Add payment methods or deposit cryptocurrency to begin trading

The verification process typically takes minutes to hours, depending on your region and the completeness of submitted documentation.

Final Thoughts: Is HTX Worth It?

HTX is a robust cryptocurrency exchange platform with extensive features suitable for beginners and advanced traders. Their strength lies in their vast cryptocurrency selection, advanced trading tools, competitive fee structure, and comprehensive security measures. The recent app overhaul and ongoing platform improvements demonstrate a commitment to user experience.

Before using this provider, you should consider the regulatory limitations in certain jurisdictions and mixed customer support reviews.  They have also experienced significant security incidents in the past, though its current security infrastructure and user compensation policies provide reasonable protection for traders.

For experienced cryptocurrency traders seeking a feature-rich platform with deep liquidity and extensive trading options, HTX offers significant value. New users may benefit from starting with smaller positions while familiarizing themselves with the platform’s extensive capabilities.