UK Watchdog Cracks Down On HTX In Bid To Stop Illegal Crypto Activity

bitcoinistPubblicato 2026-02-11Pubblicato ultima volta 2026-02-11

Introduzione

The UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has intensified enforcement against crypto exchange HTX, accusing it of illegally promoting crypto services to British consumers. The regulator has requested major app stores and social media platforms to block HTX’s access in the UK, alleging repeated breaches of financial marketing rules. The FCA also claims HTX operates through an opaque corporate structure and has ignored its attempts to engage. Although HTX has restricted new UK user registrations, the FCA says these measures are insufficient and not guaranteed to be permanent. This marks the FCA’s first enforcement action against a crypto firm for illegal marketing. HTX remains on the FCA’s Warning List, meaning users lack access to consumer protections.

The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has escalated its enforcement action against crypto exchange HTX, accusing the platform of illegally promoting crypto services to British consumers and seeking to restrict its presence across digital platforms in the country.

HTX Faces UK App Store Ban

In a statement released on Tuesday, the FCA said it has formally asked major social media companies and app store operators to block access to HTX in the UK.

The regulator is seeking the removal of HTX’s applications from Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store for UK users, as well as the blocking of the exchange’s social media accounts for British audiences.

The regulator alleged that HTX has repeatedly advertised “illegal crypto services” on popular social media platforms, including TikTok, X (previously Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. According to the FCA, these promotions breached UK financial rules governing how crypto products can be marketed to the public.

The FCA also alleged that HTX operates through an “opaque corporate structure” that conceals the identities of its owners and those responsible for running its website. The FCA also said that its repeated attempts to engage with the company have gone unanswered.

While HTX has taken some steps since the legal proceedings began—specifically by restricting new UK users from registering for accounts—the FCA said those measures do not go far enough.

The FCA added that HTX has not provided any assurance that its restrictions on new users will be permanent, leaving concerns that breaches could continue.

FCA Signals Tougher Crypto Enforcement

Steve Smart, the FCA’s joint executive director of enforcement and market oversight, said the regulator’s rules are intended to support a stable and competitive crypto market while ensuring consumers can make informed decisions.

He said HTX’s behavior sharply contrasts with that of most firms attempting to comply with the UK’s regulatory framework. Smart noted that this is the first time the FCA has taken enforcement action against a crypto firm for illegally marketing its products to UK consumers.

HTX is currently listed on the FCA’s Warning List, meaning consumers who engage with the platform are not eligible for protections such as access to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Commenting on the case, Nick Barnard, a partner at law firm Corker Binning, said it highlights the difficulty of regulating the crypto industry from a single jurisdiction.

He noted that the FCA’s options are limited when a company has no physical presence in the UK. However, he added that the regulator has likely concluded it must still demonstrate a firm stance against companies that openly flout UK rules.

The daily chart shows the total crypto market cap at $2.3 trillion. Source: TOTAL on TradingView.com

Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com

Domande pertinenti

QWhat is the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) accusing HTX of?

AThe FCA is accusing HTX of illegally promoting crypto services to British consumers and operating through an opaque corporate structure that conceals the identities of its owners.

QWhat specific actions has the FCA requested from major tech platforms regarding HTX?

AThe FCA has formally asked major social media companies and app store operators to block access to HTX in the UK, including the removal of its apps from Google Play Store and Apple's App Store for UK users.

QAccording to the FCA, on which social media platforms did HTX advertise its 'illegal crypto services'?

AThe FCA alleged that HTX advertised on popular social media platforms including TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

QWhy does the FCA believe HTX's measures to restrict new UK user registrations are insufficient?

AThe FCA stated that HTX has not provided any assurance that these restrictions will be permanent, leaving concerns that breaches of financial rules could continue.

QWhat did Steve Smart, the FCA's joint executive director, say this enforcement represents?

ASteve Smart noted that this is the first time the FCA has taken enforcement action against a crypto firm for illegally marketing its products to UK consumers.

Letture associate

Dalio's Latest Warning: Don't Get Carried Away by AI, Real Returns on US Stocks in the Next 5-10 Years Could Be -5% to -10%

Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, warns investors against excessive concentration in AI stocks. He argues the current market, dominated by a few AI giants, mirrors historical patterns where revolutionary new technologies lead to high risk, volatility, and uncertainty. While acknowledging AI's transformative potential, Dalio emphasizes that most investors fail at this stage of the cycle by over-concentrating in a handful of leading companies. He cites inherent risks: companies cannot accurately forecast investment needs or external shocks (e.g., monetary policy, geopolitics, taxes), face potential disruption from future technologies and international competition (notably from China), and experience significant price swings. Dalio's core advice is diversification, calling it his "Holy Grail of Investing." He presents a mathematical case that a well-diversified portfolio of 15-20 uncorrelated, good bets offers a superior risk-adjusted return compared to a concentrated position. Dalio also offers a cautious outlook, suggesting U.S. stocks may deliver real returns of -5% to -10% over the next 5-10 years based on valuation and bubble indicators. He concludes that in the face of high uncertainty, the prudent strategy is not to avoid betting entirely, but to avoid large, concentrated bets where one lacks sufficient informational edge. Instead, investors should build a strategically balanced, diversified portfolio.

marsbit11 min fa

Dalio's Latest Warning: Don't Get Carried Away by AI, Real Returns on US Stocks in the Next 5-10 Years Could Be -5% to -10%

marsbit11 min fa

Rain Valuation Approaches $20 Billion: The Battle for U-Cards Extends to Rewards Systems

Rain, a stablecoin payments infrastructure company, is shifting the competitive focus for U Cards from simple issuance to user retention and repeated usage. On June 15, Rain launched "Rain Rewards," an embedded loyalty program capability within its card-issuing infrastructure. This allows partner businesses—like fintech platforms and neobanks—to configure branded loyalty points, earning rules, redemptions, and merchant promotions directly within their card products. The system, built from the 2025 acquisition of Uptop, ensures points are only issued upon final transaction settlement, preventing liabilities from refunds. Trials, such as with Avalanche Card, reportedly boosted spending by 25% among enrolled users. Founded by Farooq Malik and Charles Yoo-Naut, Rain evolved from a tool for managing Web3 company expenses into a full-stack enterprise platform. It is a Principal Member of Visa and Mastercard, enabling partners to issue stablecoin-backed cards and wallets while leveraging traditional payment networks. Notably, the popular U Card Plasma One is issued by Rain under Visa's authority. Rain also integrates with Visa's stablecoin settlement pilot, using USDC for network settlement. Rain's rapid funding reflects growing institutional interest in stablecoin payment infrastructure. It raised a $245 million Series A in March 2025, a $58 million Series B in August 2025, and a $250 million Series C in January of this year, reaching a $19.5 billion valuation. Annualized transaction volume exceeds $3 billion, serving over 200 partners including Western Union and Nuvei. Beyond cards, Rain is expanding into programmable payments. Its June 2026 "Agent Control Layer" allows businesses to set spending rules—like merchant categories, amounts, and frequency—for AI agents before transactions occur. This positions Rain not as a single product but as an operating system for stablecoin payments, handling everything from card issuance and wallet management to rewards, on/off-ramps, and automated compliance. The goal is to enable seamless, often invisible, real-world spending of on-chain assets.

Foresight News14 min fa

Rain Valuation Approaches $20 Billion: The Battle for U-Cards Extends to Rewards Systems

Foresight News14 min fa

Historical Bottom Signal Reappears? Messari Valued at $300 Million Sells for $10 Million

Messari, a major crypto data and research platform once valued at $300 million, was sold to rival Blockworks for just over $10 million in June 2026. This sale marks a broader, quiet contraction in the crypto industry. Data platforms like DappRadar and Parsec have shut down, media outlets like CoinDesk have been sold at steep discounts, and companies across the sector are laying off staff or pivoting to AI, which is disrupting traditional research and data business models. Venture capital investment in crypto has plummeted, with funding in Q1 2026 at its lowest since 2020, as capital and talent shift aggressively toward AI. Prominent crypto investors are leaving the space, and many funds are struggling. However, these extreme pessimism signals may historically indicate a market bottom. Bitcoin is down nearly 50% from its 2026 high, the Crypto Fear & Greed Index has been in "extreme fear" for months, and long-term Bitcoin holders control a near-record 80% of the supply. Similar combinations of deeply negative signals—including low VC activity and distressed asset sales—preceded major bull markets in 2018, 2020, and 2022. While Messari's downfall symbolizes a tough period, it also aligns with patterns seen at cycle lows.

marsbit1 h fa

Historical Bottom Signal Reappears? Messari Valued at $300 Million Sells for $10 Million

marsbit1 h fa

Google TPU Shipments Revised Up by 50%

Recent industry research indicates a significant upward revision in the shipments of Google's TPU (Tensor Processing Unit) chips. Previous expectations for 2027 were set at around 10 million units, but new estimates now point to 15 million units, a 50% increase. This substantial boost directly translates to higher demand across the entire supporting supply chain. Google's TPU clusters utilize a standardized all-optical interconnect architecture. Consequently, key hardware components are deeply integrated and scaled in fixed ratios with the chips. The 15 million TPU target will drive corresponding demand increases for NPO optical engines (roughly a 1:1 match), 1.6T optical modules, OCS optical switches, high-end server power supplies, fiber optics & MPO connectors, and liquid cooling solutions. Among these, liquid cooling is highlighted as the sector experiencing the most significant transformation and offering the most stable potential for excess returns. As next-generation TPU chips reach power levels where traditional air cooling is insufficient, liquid cooling becomes essential. 2026 is forecasted as the first year of substantial adoption for Google's liquid cooling solutions. This shift, coupled with delivery and capacity bottlenecks faced by incumbent overseas manufacturers, is creating a prime window for domestic Chinese suppliers to enter and secure Google's core supply chain. The market size for Google-specific liquid cooling is projected to potentially triple from a baseline of hundreds of billions to around 300 billion units by 2028. The logic for the fiber optic sector is also being rewritten. Once considered a cyclical commodity tied to telecom operator procurement, fiber is now a strategic and scarce resource for AI Data Centers (AIDC). A severe supply-demand imbalance, driven by the long lead time for preform production (18-24 months) and surging demand from cloud giants, is supporting strong performance. Chinese fiber manufacturers are well-positioned to capture a significant share of global AIDC demand, with exports potentially reaching 200-300 million core kilometers in 2026. Overall, the investment focus within the AI computing industry is shifting from pure "chip performance speculation" towards the more certain incremental growth in computing infrastructure and its supporting ecosystem. The upward revision in Google TPU shipments, along with the potential for further doubling by 2028, is seen as solidifying performance visibility for the entire supporting supply chain over the next two years.

marsbit1 h fa

marsbit1 h fa

What Wall Street Really Wants After the Crypto Story Recedes

The tide of speculative crypto narratives has receded, revealing Wall Street's true objective: building a controlled, yield-generating, and compliant financial pipeline on distributed ledgers. They are migrating core functions onto blockchains, not for decentralization, but for efficiency and new revenue streams. Key developments include BlackRock's BUIDL fund, a tokenized treasury fund acting as a foundational reserve asset, and the rise of Securitize, which is going public and partnering with the NYSE to build a 24/7 digital securities trading and settlement system. This signals a major shift of securities clearing to blockchain technology. To make volatile assets like Bitcoin palatable for institutional investors, firms like BlackRock and Goldman Sachs are creating "covered call" ETFs (e.g., BITA). These products systematically sell options on Bitcoin holdings, transforming price volatility into stable monthly income, effectively repackaging crypto as a yield-bearing asset. Stablecoins are being positioned not as speculative tools but as efficient payment rails. Companies like Stripe and Mastercard are integrating them for instant, low-cost merchant settlements and cross-border card payments, respectively. Critically, new legislation like the GENIUS Act shapes them as non-interest-bearing, heavily regulated extensions of the US dollar system. In summary, Wall Street is quietly constructing a parallel, blockchain-based financial infrastructure featuring tokenized traditional assets, structured crypto yields, and programmable dollar pipelines—all under its control and fully integrated with existing regulatory and credit frameworks.

marsbit2 h fa

What Wall Street Really Wants After the Crypto Story Recedes

marsbit2 h fa

Trading

Spot

Futures

Articoli Popolari

Come comprare HTX

Benvenuto in HTX.com! Abbiamo reso l'acquisto di HTX DAO (HTX) semplice e conveniente. Segui la nostra guida passo passo per intraprendere il tuo viaggio nel mondo delle criptovalute.Step 1: Crea il tuo Account HTXUsa la tua email o numero di telefono per registrarti il tuo account gratuito su HTX. Vivi un'esperienza facile e sblocca tutte le funzionalità,Crea il mio accountStep 2: Vai in Acquista crypto e seleziona il tuo metodo di pagamentoCarta di credito/debito: utilizza la tua Visa o Mastercard per acquistare immediatamente HTX DAOHTX.Bilancio: Usa i fondi dal bilancio del tuo account HTX per fare trading senza problemi.Terze parti: abbiamo aggiunto metodi di pagamento molto utilizzati come Google Pay e Apple Pay per maggiore comodità.P2P: Fai trading direttamente con altri utenti HTX.Over-the-Counter (OTC): Offriamo servizi su misura e tassi di cambio competitivi per i trader.Step 3: Conserva HTX DAO (HTX)Dopo aver acquistato HTX DAO (HTX), conserva nel tuo account HTX. In alternativa, puoi inviare tramite trasferimento blockchain o scambiare per altre criptovalute.Step 4: Scambia HTX DAO (HTX)Scambia facilmente HTX DAO (HTX) nel mercato spot di HTX. Accedi al tuo account, seleziona la tua coppia di trading, esegui le tue operazioni e monitora in tempo reale. Offriamo un'esperienza user-friendly sia per chi ha appena iniziato che per i trader più esperti.

2.6k Totale visualizzazioniPubblicato il 2024.12.12Aggiornato il 2026.06.02

Discussioni

Benvenuto nella Community HTX. Qui puoi rimanere informato sugli ultimi sviluppi della piattaforma e accedere ad approfondimenti esperti sul mercato. Le opinioni degli utenti sul prezzo di HTX HTX sono presentate come di seguito.