Htx vs Ascendex: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Htx and Ascendex This side-by-side comparison reveals total cost (fees + spreads), security & licenses, coins/derivatives, deposits/withdrawals, and app quality. In 2 minutes you’ll see who wins for beginners, active traders, and long-term holders. Clear pros/cons, a quick verdict, and safe links to get started.

Last updated on August 16, 2025

Htx

Ascendex

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Available Countries

United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Canada

United Kingdom

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Yes

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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Htx is ideal if:

A wide trading toolkit for all levels – HTX serves both beginner and advanced users with spot, margin, futures, copy-trading, automated bots, and staking features, offering real flexibility for growth.
Consistently deep liquidity and broad token access – With over 700 cryptocurrencies and hundreds of trading pairs—including fiat support and various passive income options—it’s great if you want choice and market depth.
Security and transparency at its core – Offering live cold storage, proof-of-reserve commitments, 2FA, withdrawal controls, and regulatory alignment across key regions ensures a secure trading environment you can trust.

Ascendex is ideal if:

Versatile trader tools – Offers both beginner-friendly and pro-grade interfaces for spot, margin, futures, staking, copy trading, and yield farming.
Passive-earning focus – Multiple earning paths available (staking, DeFi yield, OTC, Invest programs), ideal if you want crypto to work for you passively.
Robust performance engine – High-throughput tech, advanced analytics, and mobile support make it ideal for active or institutional traders needing speed and reliability.

Htx isn’t ideal if:

Limited regional access – HTX is unavailable in key markets like the United States, Canada, UK, China, and others, restricting access for traders in many major territories.
Not beginner-friendly – The platform’s advanced interface and rich feature set can overwhelm newcomers who prefer a more intuitive, streamlined onboarding experience.
Customer support delays – Some users report slow response times and limited fiat withdrawal options, which can impact trading during urgent situations.

Ascendex isn’t ideal if:

Regulatory uncertainty – Lacks formal licensing in many regions, meaning oversight and user protections may be limited.
Customer service concerns – Some users report slow or unhelpful support, particularly for withdrawals or issue resolution.
Past security breach – A significant hack occurred, which may worry users who prioritize platforms with a flawless security record.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

HTX uses a tiered “Prime” structure where both maker and taker fees start around 0.20 % at the entry tier and progressively fall to near zero (maker) and a few hundredths of a percent (taker) at the top tiers; holding the native HT token offers an extra discount on spot taker fees via applied HT deduction.

Spot trading fees follow a tiered VIP structure based on your 30-day trade volume and holdings of the native ASD token; larger volume or ASD holdings unlock lower maker and taker rates, especially for major market-cap pairs.

Futures/Derivatives

Futures contracts (USDT- or coin-margined) begin with maker fees around 0.02 % and takers around 0.05–0.06 %, improving with higher-tier status—even offering negative maker fees at top levels—while funding isn’t a direct HTX charge but rather settled among traders according to position and the prevailing funding rate.

Futures (perpetual) trading uses its own VIP-based fee tiers—maker fees can be as low as around 0.02%, takers around 0.05%—and funding payments occur every eight hours to align perpetual contract prices with spot.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

HTX reports tight spreads on major pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT; spreads tend to remain narrow thanks to deep liquidity, though exact percentages aren’t published—indicative of competitive conditions.

Liquid pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT exhibit tight spreads thanks to deep order books and efficient matching, making execution cost minimal beyond standard fees.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

Fiat can be deposited or withdrawn via common methods (like bank transfers or cards) with fees and processing times varying by method and region; details are available in the platform’s fiat interface, but HTX tends to streamline these operations for ease of use.

You can fund via credit/debit card or bank transfers through third-party processors; while deposits are quick, they may include a dynamic processing fee; withdrawal options and speeds depend on your local banking rails and chosen method.

On-chain Withdrawals

Crypto withdrawals on HTX incur network (mining) fees specific to each blockchain (e.g. BTC, ETH, TRX), dynamically reflecting network conditions rather than fixed, flat charges.

BTC, ETH, TRX, etc.)

Hidden Costs

Beyond trading and network fees, there may be supplemental costs such as currency conversion margins when using non-supported fiat, possible inactivity penalties, or optional express–KYC surcharges, depending on region or promotion—users should review account settings for those.

Implicit costs may arise from conversion markups when buying crypto with fiat, inactivity penalties, or optional fast-track identity verification services, so even if explicit fees are low, these can add to your total cost.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

If you purchase €500 worth of BTC, your total outlay would include a spot taker fee (e.g. ~0.20 %), plus the implied buy-side spread, and on-chain withdrawal would add the relevant network fee—so the net BTC received would reflect those combined, though precise numbers depend on market and network conditions at execution.

When you convert €500 into BTC, costs include the processing spread from fiat to crypto, the trading fee on your spot purchase, and any withdrawal network fee—so the net BTC received will be noticeably less than the €500 equivalent due to layered transaction components.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

HTX lists over 700 digital assets (some sources suggest over 1,000, though officially it’s 700+) and supports hundreds of trading pairs; the top 20 by volume typically include heavily traded pairs like BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, XRP/USDT, and other high-liquidity altcoin-USDT combinations, reflecting mainstream market interest.

AscendEX supports over 200 to 300 cryptocurrencies across more than 200 trading pairs, with the most liquid top 20 pairs typically dominated by BTC, ETH, USDT, and popular large-cap and DeFi tokens if ranked by volume.

Product Range

HTX delivers a robust suite

The platform offers spot, margin, and perpetual futures, flexible staking and yield programs, copy-trading for futures, and supports automated strategies such as grid bots and DCA through its API and third-party tools—though options and crypto ETFs are not part of the current offering.

Liquidity

HTX maintains high liquidity with daily volumes in the multi-billion-dollar range (for example, around $5.4 billion in one snapshot), offering strong order-book depth in BTC and ETH pairs—meaning large trades face minimal slippage—though depth metrics fluctuate with market behavior.

With a reported 24-hour trading volume ranging from hundreds of millions to a couple of billion dollars, BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT markets offer strong depth and tight order books, enabling efficient execution even for substantial orders.

Tools

Traders can access advanced tools such as limit orders, stop-limit, OCO orders, along with real-time alerts, sophisticated charting (including TradingView-style analysis), and full API/WebSocket support—ideal for both hands-on and automated strategies.

AscendEX features a full suite of order types (limit, market, stop, OCO), advanced charting with customizable indicators, real-time alerts, and robust API/WebSocket access—although it relies on its proprietary charting tools rather than native TradingView integration.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Derivatives, such as futures and options, are not available in certain jurisdictions—examples include the UK (retail users), Spain, Taiwan, China, and others—so availability varies significantly by country and regulation.

Certain regions face limitations such as no access to futures or derivatives features—specifically, users in jurisdictions like the United States and China are restricted from using these products due to compliance considerations.

Innovation

HTX embraces innovation with mechanisms like Launchpool (dual rewards for staking HTX tokens) and both flexible and fixed-term staking options, enabling creative earning paths for users engaging with new tokens or tapping liquidity.

AscendEX delivers early access to new token projects via its launchpool platform, and its Earn suite includes both flexible staking options—as well as programs with lock-up periods—giving users choice in how they deploy assets to generate yield.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

HTX originated in China in 2013 but is now legally based in the Republic of Seychelles, with additional offices or operations in locations like Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and previously the U.S., reflecting its international setup reshaped by evolving regulatory environments.

AscendEX operates under AscendEX Technology S.R.L., legally established in Romania, while the broader group includes BMXDM Technology Pte. Ltd. founded in 2018, with headquarters primarily in Singapore.

Licenses/Registration

HTX holds multiple regulatory approvals including a Virtual Asset Service Provider registration in Lithuania, a DLT license in Gibraltar, a VARA license in Dubai, a SIBA investment business license in the BVI, AUSTRAC registration in Australia, and permission for payment and remittance services in parts of South America—demonstrating ongoing efforts toward regional legal compliance.

The platform adheres to AML/CTF regulations where required, but does not currently hold formal regulatory licenses such as VASP in most jurisdictions nor EU MiCA authorization.

Custody

HTX uses its own custody infrastructure and has implemented a Merkle-Tree–based Proof of Reserves system that publicly verifies 1

Users’ crypto assets are stored primarily in cold, offline wallets managed directly by AscendEX, supported by a defense-in-depth security model; there’s no publicly disclosed proof-of-reserves audit or specific percentage of assets held in cold storage.

Insurance & Protection Funds

HTX maintains a Security Reserve Mechanism that sets aside a substantial BTC reserve—reportedly around 20,000 BTC—to help compensate users in the unlikely case of a breach, providing an added layer of protection against potential losses.

AscendEX maintains an internal insurance fund drawn from its own balance sheet to cover potential losses in the event of security incidents.

Incident History

While HTX hasn’t had major publicized hacks recently, its history includes structural changes like being removed from the Seychelles crypto exchange register and a prior license revocation in Thailand—illustrating some regulatory and administrative challenges in its past.

In December 2021, AscendEX suffered a hot-wallet exploit across several blockchains, but fully reimbursed all impacted users and rebuilt its infrastructure with stronger safeguards.

Risk Controls

HTX emphasizes robust account security through features like two-factor authentication (2FA), address whitelisting, anti-phishing tools, structured sub-accounts, and granular API permissions—allowing fine-tuned control and protecting users from unauthorized access.

The platform supports two-factor authentication, device monitoring, anti-phishing alerts, and offers API access with control options and sub-account structuring to help manage risk.

Transparency

HTX publishes regular (monthly) Proof of Reserves reports and claims that users can verify their own assets via Merkle-root tools; however, it does not appear to offer public wallet addresses, comprehensive monthly financial statements, or formal service-level guarantees like an SLA.

While offering real-time monitoring and reporting tools, AscendEX does not publish monthly reserve statements, public wallet addresses, or formal service-level agreements.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

HTX accepts fiat deposits via bank transfers (e.g., SEPA), cards (Visa/MasterCard), e-wallets (Advcash), PIX, UPI, etc., with minimum amounts generally starting around €10 or equivalent depending on currency, and processing times ranging from a few minutes to a business day, depending on method and region.

AscendEX supports depositing fiat through third-party providers such as Simplex, MoonPay, Mercuryo, and Banxa via card or bank transfer, offering fast funding for multiple regions, with specific minimums and maximums varying per provider and region.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

HTX offers account usage without KYC but limits certain actions like withdrawals; completing basic and advanced KYC quickly unlocks substantially higher daily limits (even up to multiple BTC), with level-up requiring ID documents and, for higher tiers, a live face check or investment capability assessment.

AscendEX requires identity verification for full platform access; unverified accounts face strict withdrawal caps (such as 0.75 BTC daily), while verified users enjoy much higher limits, with further tiered levels unlocking even greater flexibility.

Withdrawals

limits, timing & networks

Withdrawal limits depend on KYC status—unverified accounts are capped at around 0.75 BTC per day, verified users far higher—and users can withdraw via multiple networks (ERC-20, TRC-20, BEP-20, etc.), with processing speed tied to blockchain congestion.

Customer Support

HTX provides customer assistance via 24/7 live chat, email support, and an extensive FAQ/knowledge base; response times vary but live chat ensures faster handling while the help center offers self-serve guidance across common topics. (No specific data found; this is based on typical platform structure.)

AscendEX offers round-the-clock support via live chat and email, with a comprehensive help center available for self-service; response times generally fall within reasonable hours though may vary based on query complexity.

Languages & Localization

The platform is primarily in English but also supports local language interfaces depending on region; fiat amounts and fees display in currency local to the user (e.g., €/USD), with regulatory prompts and guidance tailored to supported jurisdictions. (Platform behavior inferred from multilingual support practices.)

The interface supports multiple languages including English, and displays prices in common currencies like EUR and USD; it also tailors functionality—and availability—to comply with regional regulations.

App Quality & Stability

HTX’s mobile app is regularly updated and generally delivers stable performance. Although specific crash-rate metrics aren’t disclosed publicly, user reviews suggest it remains reliable, with frequent updates ensuring bug fixes and feature enhancements.

The AscendEX mobile and desktop apps deliver a polished and responsive experience, receiving regular updates to bolster stability and features, with no widespread reports of performance or crash issues among users.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

HTX offers a dual-mode interface—“Lite” for faster, simplified navigation ideal for newcomers, and “Pro” for advanced users who need comprehensive trading dashboards and customization; this tiered approach smooths the learning curve by letting traders start simply and progressively explore deeper functionality.

The platform provides both a streamlined “Lite” interface optimized for newcomers and a feature-rich “Pro” mode tailored for experienced traders, offering intuitive navigation while allowing users to progress as their skills evolve.

Performance

Recent platform updates report a 20% boost in transaction efficiency thanks to UI refinement, reducing delays during order execution; while there’s no widespread evidence of system outages during volatility spikes, we should note that KYC verification can experience delays during market surges, as increased registrations lengthen processing queues.

Order execution is generally fast and stable, though sharp market spikes can occasionally lead to slight delays; during bull runs, KYC processing times may lengthen, though the platform scales verification capacity to mitigate backlogs.

Education

HTX maintains a Learn & Earn educational track with interactive lessons and quizzes (previously tied to CrossFi projects), though there’s no dedicated demo trading simulator; while core materials are in English, there’s growing on-platform educational content, but supports for Spanish learners appear limited at this time.

AscendEX hosts an educational hub with articles, investment lessons, and futures tutorials, but it does not currently offer demo trading accounts or Spanish-specific learning modules.

Community

HTX fosters an active presence across official Telegram channels (English, Portuguese, Chinese), and maintains a Discord server for futures traders, encouraging peer support and platform discussions; referral incentives further engage users, though traditional web‐forum communities seem less prominent.

Users can connect via numerous official Telegram channels across multiple languages and leverage an active referral program that rewards users for inviting others to the platform.

Integrations

The platform supports native TradingView-style charts and full API/WebSocket connectivity, enabling integration with external trading bots and strategies; although there’s no direct accounting or tax tool within HTX, the open integration ecosystem lets users adapt third-party portfolio trackers for their record-keeping.

The exchange offers native TradingView charts and robust API access, enabling integration with third-party bots and tax/accounting tools like CryptoTaxCalculator for portfolio tracking and reporting.

Who Each One Is Best For

HTX is highly suitable for intermediate to advanced crypto enthusiasts—those who appreciate interface flexibility, deep liquidity, and integration options—while casual or non-English speakers may find it less approachable, and Spanish-speaking beginners may need external educational support.

Beginners benefit from the Lite mode and educational resources, active/pro traders gain from the advanced order tools and integrations, and those focused on passive strategies can leverage the automated tools and referral rewards.