HTX misrepresents Huobi Global S.A. after UK sanctions

Recently, the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) sanctioned an entity called “Huobi Global S.A.” for its alleged role in “providing financial services” to firms that are “carrying on business in a sector of strategic significance to the Government of Russia.”

Specifically, it alleged that this entity was interacting with what is commonly referred to as the A7 Payment Network, which includes the A7A5 stablecoin.

Additionally, Huobi Global S.A. was allegedly interacting with the Russian cryptocurrency exchange Garantex.

Read more: UK sanctions HTX for alleged Russian sanctions violations

HTX has publicly responded to these allegations by claiming, “the listed entity Huobi Global S. A. is distinct from the online HTX exchange.”

It further claimed that “the designation does not and should not have any impact on the online HTX exchange. HTX’s global operations remain unaffected, and all user funds are safe.”

However, this update minimizes the extensive role that Huobi Global S.A. has served for HTX.

What is Huobi Global S.A.?

Huobi Global S.A. is a Panamanian incorporated entity that was incorporated on May 19th, 2023.

This entity lists Huobi Global Limited as one of its directors.

That is not the only connection to the HTX exchange, as Huobi Global S.A. is also the trademark holder for the HTX trademark in the United States.

However, the most striking connection comes from a legal filing related to Huobi Global S.A.

Read more: Justin Sun’s Poloniex added to UK regulator warning list

Specifically, on February 2nd of this year, Huobi Global S.A. filed a claim in the District Court for the District of Columbia. This claim was for Tether (USDT) tokens that had been burned and was related to the 2023 hack of HTX and the HECO bridge.

In this claim, lawyers for Huobi Global S.A. described it as the entity that “owns and operates HTX…and is the developer of the Huobi Eco Chain.”

So, mere months before HTX would publicly insist that “the listed entity Huobi Global S. A. is distinct from the online HTX exchange,” it was insisting in legal filings that it “owns and operates HTX.”

Protos has reached out to HTX for comment, but it did not immediately respond.

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