HTX Outperforms Industry Peers at the Start of 2026, Leveraging Disciplined Listing Strategies to Capture “Smart Money” Inflows

HTX Outperformed on Securable Returns in 2025

A review of HTX‘s newly listed assets in 2025 highlights several key performance indicators. Over the course of the year, the platform listed 166 new assets spanning AI, memecoin, Layer 1/Layer 2, the BSC ecosystem, RWA, stablecoins, and DeFi. Among them, 96 assets recorded post-listing gains exceeding 100%, while 9 assets surged more than 1,000%. The top performer, PIPPIN, achieved a peak increase of 9,500%.

However, HTX’s competitive edge lies not in headline returns, but in the time window available to ordinary users to access those assets.

In 2025, 17.47% of new listings on HTX achieved gains of more than 20% within seven days of listing, ranking No.1 among peer top-tier exchanges. This metric reflects a consistently higher probability of early-stage positive price performance following listings on the platform.

Time as Alpha: Why Early Participation Matters

In terms of HTX’s listing strategy, one principle has remained constant: in the crypto space, time itself is a source of return.

AI: Advancing the Timeline by an Entire Cycle

In early 2025, AI Agent and DeFAI narratives began to emerge. Between January 18 and January 28, just eleven days, HTX listed 11 AI-related projects, including NEUR, BUZZ, AVAAI, PIPPIN, ARC, GAMEBASE, AI16Z, GRIFFAIN, ELIZAOS, SWARMS, and DEGENAI. Except for AI16Z, nearly all were initial listings or extremely early-stage listings.

While the broader market was still debating whether AI would become a primary narrative, HTX had already completed a structural deployment. This allowed users to position ahead of consensus formation, rather than chasing momentum at peak sentiment.

Beating the Market Is About Positioning, Not Prediction

In 2025, HTX consistently listed assets ahead of broader market recognition across multiple core sectors, securing a clear time advantage in several structural opportunities.

Throughout the year, 18 assets were listed on HTX ahead of other major exchanges, including PLUME, BANK, BIGTIME, USD1, and TRUMP. These assets became tradable on HTX well before gaining mainstream attention, offering users extended price discovery and participation windows. When the market consensus was formed, HTX users were already positioned with existing holdings

This advantage was particularly evident in the following BSC ecosystem assets:

● DONKEY was listed before widespread discussion in the market, later surging 6,811%

● M benefited from early structural positioning and continuous marketing after listing, delivering a maximum increase of 4,186%

● ASTER, first listed on HTX among centralized exchanges, it rose 340% before broader recognition

● Binance Life, marking HTX one of the earliest CEXs to support the Chinese memecoins, it was listed before narrative expansion and achieved a 438% surge

These were not arbitrary listings in their early stages. Each was supported by sustained monitoring of on-chain data, community activity, and capital flows. Being ahead of the curve is, in essence, a reflection of sharp market judgment. In the crypto market, price surges never happen out of thin air. They are simply the rewards granted to those who position themselves ahead of the trend.

Smart Timing Also Means Knowing When Not to List

A disciplined listing strategy does not equate to being first at all costs. Sometimes, waiting or delaying a launch is the most responsible path for users. Certain projects may not be suitable for participation on their debut day, yet they remain valuable once the timing is right.

For instance, many VC-backed tokens face heavy selling pressure during initial unlock periods. By anticipating the convergence of high supply and shorting sentiment, HTX often chooses to list only after the market has completed its hand-over and confirmed the project’s resilience. The subsequent price rallies often validate the wisdom of this strategic delay.

Early 2026: What Is Smart Money Doing on HTX?

Historically, the pre-Lunar New Year period offers one of the clearest windows into genuine capital behavior. Current market data suggests that experienced capital is once again positioning early on HTX. The defining characteristics are a preference for early-stage but validated structural assets; a focus on projects where risk has largely been priced in, but value remains underappreciated; a deliberate avoidance of high-uncertainty, purely sentiment-driven short-term trades.

Looking back at 2025, the principle of “listing whatever is trending,” as highlighted by Justin Sun, Advisor to HTX, formed the foundational logic of the platform’s asset strategy throughout the year. HTX’s listing approach has consistently evolved around three core questions:

Firstly, is it early enough? True momentum often emerges before consensus. HTX advances the timeline by tracking on-chain data, community engagement, and capital structure ahead of narrative breakouts.

Secondly, is the judgment accurate? Among trending assets, HTX prioritizes sustainability over noise, filtering out structurally imbalanced or purely emotional trades.

Thirdly, is the strategy user-centric? The purpose of listing is not traffic, but realizable participation for users. Through early positioning, staged observation, and risk filtering, hot narratives are converted into actionable opportunities.

HTX’s listing strategy speaks for itself through performance, timing, and real-world wealth effects. As 2026 unfolds, HTX will further reinforce this framework. Value-driven listing standards will tighten, prioritizing assets with verifiable revenue, regulatory foundations, and sustainable business models. At the same time, the platform will maintain its market sensitivity, with focused exposure to high-conviction sectors including RWA, prediction markets, Perp DEX infrastructure, and mobile-first PayFi applications.

The next market cycle has already begun. With a more mature, restrained, and intelligent listing strategy, HTX is partnering with its global users to navigate volatility and capture long-term upside across market cycles.

To learn more about HTX, please visit https://www.htx.com/?invite_code=9cqt3 or HTX Square , and follow HTX on X, Telegram, and Discord.

The post first appeared on HTX Square.