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HTX Referral Code ku5k5 — Up to $600 Signup Bonus

Verified activeLast checked June 2026

Up to $600 welcome bonus — code ku5k5, 0.02% maker / 0.06% taker futures, 200x leverage, founded 2013

Claim Bonus

HTX referral code ku5k5 provides new users access to HTX's welcome bonus program. HTX — formerly known as Huobi — is one of the oldest major cryptocurrency exchanges in operation, founded in 2013, and remains one of the largest by trading volume globally. With 200x leverage on select pairs, 900+ trading pairs, and a decade of operational history, it brings an institutional-scale track record that few platforms can match.

HTX welcome bonus — what to expect

HTX's welcome program for new users is milestone-based: completing verification, making an initial deposit, and hitting trading activity thresholds each unlock credit vouchers. The vouchers apply against trading fees and are non-withdrawable, making them most useful for active traders who will trade through the credit value quickly.

We confirmed that referral code ku5k5 was active and linking correctly in March 2026. The referral link above pre-applies the code, so no manual entry is needed during signup.

HTX futures fees and 200x leverage

HTX charges 0.02% maker and 0.06% taker on perpetual futures contracts. These rates sit in the standard competitive range for large CEXes. VIP tiers, based on rolling 30-day trading volume, provide meaningful fee reductions at higher levels.

The 200x leverage ceiling on HTX is among the highest available on any major centralized exchange. This exceeds the 150x offered by BloFin and the 100x that is standard on most platforms. Maximum leverage is pair-dependent: major pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT are more likely to support the higher ceiling. Exotic or lower-liquidity pairs will have lower maximum leverage.

Higher leverage ratios reduce the margin required per position but increase liquidation sensitivity proportionally. The 200x ceiling exists for sophisticated traders who understand and actively manage liquidation risk.

HTX exchange overview — the 2013 origin and rebrand

HTX was founded in 2013 as Huobi by Leon Li in Beijing. It grew to become one of the three largest exchanges in the world during the 2017-2018 bull market, alongside Binance and OKX (then OKCoin). In 2023, following Tron founder Justin Sun's acquisition of a significant stake, the exchange rebranded from Huobi to HTX.

Today HTX supports over 900 trading pairs and operates one of the deeper liquidity books in the industry for major pairs. The exchange offers spot, perpetual futures, coin-margined contracts, options, and OTC trading across a comprehensive product suite.

HTX holds a digital asset service provider license in the Seychelles, which is the primary regulatory jurisdiction for its offshore operations.

How to claim the HTX referral bonus

Visit the referral link above with invite code ku5k5 pre-applied. Register an account, complete identity verification (processing time varies but is typically minutes for standard documents), deposit funds, and the bonus milestone tracker activates in your account dashboard. Each milestone credits vouchers automatically — no manual claim process.

HTX security and track record

HTX has been operating since 2013, giving it one of the longest continuous track records in the industry. The exchange employs a cold storage-first architecture, with the majority of user assets held offline. It publishes Proof of Reserves data and maintains a dedicated reserve fund for emergency user protection.

The 2023 rebrand brought governance changes, and the exchange has continued to operate at scale through multiple market cycles without a significant security breach. For traders who value operational longevity as a proxy for institutional robustness, HTX's 12-year history is a genuine differentiator.

Terms & Conditions Apply

Welcome bonuses on HTX are distributed as fee vouchers and trading credits unlocked through deposit and activity milestones. Vouchers are non-withdrawable but apply directly against trading fees. KYC verification required. Bonus amounts and thresholds are subject to change; check the HTX promotional page for current details. HTX is regulated under a Seychelles license.

How to Claim

  1. 1

    Click the Claim Bonus button to open HTX with the deposit bonus offer pre-linked.

  2. 2

    Connect your wallet and complete account registration. Review the minimum deposit requirements.

  3. 3

    Make a qualifying deposit to your account. The bonus will be credited automatically.

  4. 4

    Begin trading to meet any volume requirements. Monitor your bonus status in the rewards dashboard.

HTX logoAbout HTX

## What HTX is Huobi was founded in 2013 and by the mid-2010s was one of the three largest cryptocurrency exchanges globally. It held dominant market share in Asian derivatives markets and ran one of the deepest BTC/ETH order books of any exchange outside the US. In 2022, About Capital Management — a fund associated with Tron founder Justin Sun — acquired the exchange. In September 2023, it rebranded to HTX (a combination of Huobi, Tron, and eXchange). That ownership transition is the central fact any current due diligence must address before opening a position. Current volume and open interest data for HTX are on [PerpFinder](/exchanges). The trading infrastructure built under Huobi still exists and runs. What has not recovered is the competitive position. Volume that migrated to Binance, Bybit, and OKX during the ownership uncertainty of 2022 and 2023 has not returned. HTX's liquidity on BTC and ETH perpetuals is adequate for retail-size positions. It no longer competes for institutional-size flow on those pairs. ## Fees in detail HTX's [USDT-margined futures fee schedule](https://www.htx.com/support/900000089923) starts at 0.02% maker and 0.06% taker. The 0.06% taker rate is 1 basis point above [Binance](/exchanges) and [OKX](/exchanges), and matches [Bitget](/exchanges) at base level. VIP tiers based on 30-day trading volume compress fees for active traders. The HT legacy platform token still provides fee discounts post-rebrand. For a $10,000 round-trip at market: HTX taker cost is $12.00 vs Binance's $10.00 and OKX's $10.00. Over 100 trades at $10k, the extra 2 basis points per round-trip vs Binance adds up to $200 in additional fees. Use the [PerpFinder fee calculator](/tools/fee-calculator) to model this for your trading frequency. Coin-margined (inverse) contracts let you post BTC or ETH directly as collateral without converting to USDT. For traders who hold BTC long-term and want a leveraged short hedge without touching stablecoins, inverse contracts are the mechanism. HTX supports both USDT-margined linear and coin-margined inverse across its pair catalogue. ## Security and proof of reserves HTX has published [Merkle tree Proof of Reserves for 43 consecutive months](https://square.htx.com/htx-releases-may-2026-merkle-tree-proof-of-reserves/) through May 2026, with all major assets showing ratios above 100% in every report. The May 2026 snapshot confirmed BTC, ETH, USDT, and USDC all fully backed above 100%. That 43-month streak covers the entire post-acquisition period under the current ownership — whatever the governance concerns at the entity level, user assets have been consistently covered at every monthly snapshot. HTX is registered in the Seychelles as its primary entity. A Lithuanian VASP covers EU users. A VARA license in Dubai was added after the rebrand. No FCA, CFTC, or MAS licenses. US and UK residents are not served. Justin Sun's other ventures — Tron (TRX), BitTorrent Token (BTT), and HTX DAO — have faced public scrutiny over token distribution practices. The SEC filed charges in March 2023 alleging unregistered securities offerings and market manipulation related to these projects. Those charges are legally separate from HTX's exchange operations but share the same corporate owner. Institutional risk frameworks that score governance transparency separately from reserve ratios will weight the ownership association materially. Retail traders in Asian markets who used Huobi for years may reasonably continue using HTX given the infrastructure continuity and the clean PoR record. ## Leverage and pairs 300-plus perpetual pairs with 200x maximum leverage on select assets. The 200x ceiling puts HTX alongside [MEXC](/exchanges) at the top of the leverage range on this list. Both USDT-margined linear and coin-margined inverse contracts are available. Grid trading bots and copy trading run natively. The Primelist IEO launchpad provides early-access token distributions. Liquidity depth on long-tail altcoin pairs is thinner than on [Gate.io](/exchanges) (1,700+ pairs) or MEXC (600+ pairs) despite a comparable pair count to MEXC. BTC and ETH perpetual orders at retail sizes execute without notable slippage. For mid-cap altcoins with $50k+ notional, verify open interest before entering — HTX's mid-cap depth has declined since the pre-rebrand Huobi era. ## Who HTX is for Traders in Asian markets with existing Huobi accounts who find the current HTX platform functional: the infrastructure persists, withdrawal processes work, and the PoR record is clean. Traders who want 200x leverage with coin-margined inverse contracts and a longer platform track record than [MEXC](/exchanges): HTX's 2013 founding and 43 consecutive PoR reports address that specific need. MEXC launched in 2018 and offers a zero maker fee but does not match HTX's history. Traders evaluating HTX fresh, without prior Huobi history: the governance opacity and Justin Sun association represent counterparty risk factors that 43 months of reserves and a 2013 founding year do not neutralize on their own. [Binance](/exchanges), [Bybit](/exchanges), and [OKX](/exchanges) offer comparable or better liquidity with substantially cleaner governance histories. ## Trading experience HTX's interface has been updated since the rebrand but retains the structural layout from the Huobi era. Futures traders who used Huobi pre-2022 will find the navigation familiar. TradingView charting integration, standard order types (limit, market, stop-limit, conditional), and a configurable order panel are all present. The Primelist IEO launchpad provides early token distributions through staking allocations. Historical data shows that tokens from Primelist listings often receive HTX futures contracts within days of the IEO completion — giving early participants both a spot allocation and a futures market to hedge against. That tight integration between launchpad and futures listing is more developed at HTX than at MEXC, and on par with Gate.io's Startup program. ## How it compares HTX vs [MEXC](/exchanges): both offer 200x leverage and 300+ pairs at the base tier. MEXC has a zero maker fee vs HTX's 0.02%, and more total pairs (600+). HTX has a longer operational record (2013 vs 2018) and better BTC/ETH order book depth at current volume levels. On governance, MEXC is meaningfully cleaner. HTX vs [Gate.io](/exchanges): Gate.io has a similar founding year, broader pair count (1,700+), and better overall regulatory registration depth. HTX's coin-margined (inverse) contract range is stronger than Gate.io's. Use the [cost comparison tool](/tools/cost-comparison) to compare execution costs directly, and weigh the governance differential based on your balance size and intended holding period.

Max Leverage

200x

Maker Fee

0.020%

Taker Fee

0.060%

Trading Pairs

300+

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the HTX referral code in 2026?

The HTX referral code is ku5k5. It unlocks HTX's welcome bonus program for new users, including fee vouchers and trading credits distributed through deposit and activity milestones.

What was HTX formerly called?

HTX was previously known as Huobi, one of the largest exchanges in the world since 2013. It rebranded to HTX in 2023 following a change in ownership structure.

What are HTX perpetual futures fees?

HTX charges 0.02% for maker orders and 0.06% for taker orders on perpetual futures contracts. Higher-volume traders can access reduced rates through HTX's VIP tier program.

Does HTX support 200x leverage?

Yes. HTX supports up to 200x leverage on select high-liquidity perpetual futures pairs, making it one of the highest leverage ceilings among major CEXes. Maximum leverage is lower on less liquid pairs.

How many trading pairs does HTX offer?

HTX lists over 900 trading pairs across spot, perpetual futures, coin-margined contracts, and options. It has one of the broadest product offerings of any major exchange.

Is HTX regulated?

HTX holds a digital asset service provider license in the Seychelles. The exchange has operated continuously since 2013 and publishes Proof of Reserves data regularly.

Is HTX safe to use?

HTX has operated since 2013 without a major security breach under its current architecture. It holds the majority of funds in cold storage, maintains a user protection reserve fund, and publishes regular Proof of Reserves reports.

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