Woofun AI reports that the European Union has sanctioned cryptocurrency exchange HTX, formerly Huobi Global, for allegedly facilitating financial flows to Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

On Thursday, the European Council amended its existing sanctions regime to include HTX among 18 entities identified as significantly frustrating prohibitions against Russia. This decision stems from Russia’s destabilizing actions in Ukraine following its 2022 military invasion. The Council specifically targeted entities providing crypto-asset or payment services outside the Union that enable circumvention of restrictive measures.

EU officials stated that the Union repeatedly identifies institutions connecting to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation’s financial messaging system or enabling sanction evasion. HTX previously told Cointelegraph that regulatory compliance remains its "absolute top priority" and that it will "proactively monitor and strictly adhere to regulatory frameworks in all jurisdictions."

Per Woofun AI, the sanctions coincide with new EU measures prohibiting Belarusian nationals from owning or managing crypto exchanges under the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) framework. This regulatory tightening reflects a broader effort to close loopholes exploited by sanctioned actors.

The UK government imposed similar sanctions on HTX in May, citing "reasonable grounds to suspect" the exchange supported Russia’s government through sanctioned financial services. This marks a coordinated transatlantic approach to isolating Russian financial infrastructure.