Is HTX available in India?
HTX, the platform formerly known as Huobi, has stated it has no operations in India. After a Financial Intelligence Unit India notice in late 2023, its apps were removed from Indian app stores and access to certain URLs was restricted in early 2024. We have not confirmed HTX as a registered reporting entity with FIU India.
Information, not advice. This is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Verify the current rules with a qualified local professional and the official regulator before acting.
How we checked this. We set this status by reading the platform's own terms of use and country eligibility, and the public register kept by the named regulator, then dated the result. Availability can change, so confirm directly with the platform and the regulator before acting. As of 26 June 2026.
Not through an officially available service. As of June 2026 HTX has stated it has no operations in India. In December 2023 the Financial Intelligence Unit India issued a notice to several offshore exchanges including HTX for operating without registering as a reporting entity, and in January 2024 the apps were removed from Indian app stores and certain URLs were blocked. We have not confirmed HTX as a registered reporting entity with FIU India, so we treat it as not officially available and do not link to it for India.
What HTX is and the India position
HTX is a global cryptocurrency exchange that rebranded from Huobi in 2023. It offers spot and derivatives trading to users in many countries through offshore entities. India is not a market it serves through an officially available, registered service.
India did not ban the holding of crypto, but it brought virtual digital asset service providers within the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, requiring them to register with the Financial Intelligence Unit India (FIU India) and meet anti money laundering obligations. Offshore platforms serving Indian users without registering came under enforcement. HTX was among the exchanges affected, and the platform has publicly stated it has no operations in India, a position current as of June 2026.
Why HTX is not officially available in India
- December 2023 FIU notice. The Financial Intelligence Unit India issued show cause notices to several offshore exchanges, including HTX, for operating in India without registering as a reporting entity under the anti money laundering law (as of June 2026, reporting from that period).
- January 2024 access blocks. Following the notices, the HTX app was removed from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store in India, and access to certain platform URLs was restricted (as of June 2026, reporting from that period).
- HTX position. HTX has stated that it currently has no operations in India and would follow regulatory requirements across the markets it serves (as of June 2026).
- Registration not confirmed. Some offshore exchanges, such as Binance, later registered with FIU India and resumed service. We have not confirmed HTX as a registered reporting entity with FIU India, so we do not present it as officially available here (as of June 2026).
What this means for India residents
Because we cannot confirm an officially available, FIU registered HTX service for India, this site does not link to HTX for India. Attempting to reach a restricted platform through a virtual private network can breach the platform terms of service and can carry legal and financial risk.
Indian residents who want to use a platform that operates within the rules can choose an exchange registered with FIU India as a reporting entity. The alternatives below are a starting point for platforms that serve Indian residents as of June 2026. Always confirm a platform's current FIU India registration before you sign up.
Crypto income in India is taxed, with a flat rate on gains from the transfer of virtual digital assets and a tax deducted at source on transfers, administered through the Income Tax Department. See the India crypto tax page for a general explanation. This is general information and not tax advice, so verify your position with a qualified professional before filing.
Regulator and sources
The relevant authority for registration is the Financial Intelligence Unit India under the Ministry of Finance, with the Income Tax Department handling the taxation of virtual digital assets.
- Financial Intelligence Unit India (FIU India), the registration regime for virtual digital asset service providers under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
- Public reporting on the December 2023 FIU notices and the January 2024 app store removals affecting offshore exchanges including HTX.
- HTX public statements that it has no operations in India.
- Income Tax Department of India, provisions taxing income from the transfer of virtual digital assets.
We cannot confirm an officially available HTX service for India as of June 2026, so this site does not link to it for India. Start with platforms registered with FIU India and confirm their current registration before signing up.
Frequently asked questions
Can India residents use HTX?
Not through an officially available service. As of June 2026 HTX has stated it has no operations in India, and its apps were removed from Indian app stores after a Financial Intelligence Unit notice. We have not confirmed HTX as a registered reporting entity with FIU India. Confirm the current position before acting.
Why was HTX blocked in India?
In December 2023 the Financial Intelligence Unit India issued a show cause notice to HTX, among several offshore exchanges, for operating without registering as a reporting entity under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. In January 2024 the apps were removed from Indian app stores and access to certain URLs was restricted. This is current as of June 2026.
Is crypto legal in India?
Holding and trading crypto is not banned in India as of June 2026, but a platform serving Indian users must register with FIU India and meet anti money laundering rules, and gains are taxed. Crypto is not legal tender. Confirm the current rules before acting.
Which exchanges are available in India instead?
Platforms registered with FIU India as reporting entities serve Indian residents as of June 2026, and some previously blocked offshore exchanges registered and resumed service. See the best exchanges in India page for the current view.
Is HTX the same as Huobi?
HTX is the brand the exchange formerly known as Huobi adopted in 2023. It is the same platform under a new name. Its India position is unchanged as of June 2026.
Rules change frequently. Exchange availability, registrations, and the rules that govern them can change at short notice. An offshore exchange can register with FIU India and resume service, or remain restricted. The position on this page is dated June 2026 and was last reviewed on June 2, 2026. Confirm the current status with FIU India and the platform before you act.
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