The European Union has expanded its restrictive measures targeting Russia's financial networks by adding the cryptocurrency platform HTX to a list of entities facing transaction prohibitions.
The bloc identified HTX among 14 crypto platforms and created a new power to ban an entire country's crypto services.
The EU's sanctions on HTX highlight increasing regulatory scrutiny on crypto platforms, potentially reshaping global digital asset markets. EU adds HTX to sanctions list, barring transactions from Aug. 23.
Will the crypto industry survive the new EU sanctions tool?
The European Union has sanctioned HTX, widening a Russia crackdown that has already affected counterparties beyond the exchange. The bloc placed Huobi Global S.A.
The European Council named crypto exchange HTX, formerly Huobi, in its 21st package of restrictive measures against Russia, adopted July 23 and published Friday. The Council decision places HTX among 18 entities providing crypto-asset or payment services from outside the Union that officials say are significantly frustrating the purpose of the bloc's prohibitions.
The exchange, already sanctioned by the UK, is now on a list of 18 entities “providing crypto-assets services or payment services“ in defiance of the EU's measures against Russia.
The European Union has placed Justin Sun-linked HTX among 18 crypto companies accused of helping Russian users evade financial sanctions.
The 21st package stops short of a full asset freeze for HTX, which it accused of "significantly frustrating" its Russia measures.
Will HTX actions intensify regulatory scrutiny?
TRM Labs reports HTX is rotating hot wallets multiple times daily across multiple blockchains to evade UK sanctions screening after May HTX rotates wallets to evade UK sanctions screening, TRM Labs reports.
TRM Labs said that HTX rebuilt parts of its on-chain infrastructure after the United Kingdom designated Huobi Global S.A., the entity behind the exchange, on May 26. The exchange remained active under the same brand while rotating hot wallets and funding addresses across four blockchains: TRON, Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain and Solana.