The European Union included HTX, one of the leading cryptocurrency exchanges, in its new sanctions package against Russia. Starting on 23 August 2026, companies and citizens in the bloc will not be allowed to carry out direct or indirect transactions with the platform.
The decision is part of the EU's 21st sanctions package, approved on 23 July. The measure expands restrictions against companies considered capable of facilitating financial operations related to sanctioned Russian individuals and organizations.
In the European document, HTX appears registered as “HTX (HUOBI GLOBAL SA)”. The identification draws attention because the exchange itself had previously stated that Huobi Global SA was a separate entity from HTX.
The ban does not represent a complete freezing of the platform's assets. Eligible users from the European Union, the European Economic Area, and Switzerland may request authorization to withdraw their funds or close their accounts.
This procedure, however, must be carried out within three months after the restriction takes effect. After that period, the limitations imposed by the European Union will have a greater impact on operations involving HTX.
In addition to HTX, the European package included other cryptocurrency platforms. Among them are EXMO, Rapira, BitPapa, Aifory Pro, WhiteBird, NoOnecrypto, and Exnode.
The decision also comes after the United Kingdom imposed sanctions against Huobi Global SA in May. British authorities claimed to have grounds to suspect that the company had provided financial services or resources to A7 Limited Liability Company, linked to Russian international payments.
At the time, HTX stated that regulatory compliance was an "absolute priority" and said it follows the rules of the jurisdictions where it operates.
Two days before the European decision, TRM Labs pointed to wallet movements related to HTX on networks such as TRON, Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, and Solana.
According to the company, addresses were rotated and deactivated quickly, making mechanisms based on fixed sanctions lists more difficult. HTX rejected this interpretation and described the movements as "routine platform operations, security-oriented and common across the sector".
The new European package added 218 individuals and entities to the sanctions list. It also expanded restrictions involving banks, cryptocurrency platforms, oil traders, and companies related to the A7 network.
The EU also created a mechanism to restrict operations with cryptocurrency service providers based in countries that have "systematically and persistently" failed to prevent the circumvention of sanctions. So far, no country has been included in this list.