Can a $7 USDT Transfer Freeze Your Crypto Exchange Account? Inside the HTX ‘Dusting’ Panic

Key Takeaways

• Crypto users reported receiving unsolicited USDT transfers from addresses labeled as HTX, including one Coinbase user who said a 7.5 USDT deposit triggered a source-of-funds review and threat of account closure.

• HTX denies sending the transactions and says incorrect wallet attribution could explain why some transfers appeared to originate from the exchange.

• The timing is critical: HTX is already subject to UK financial sanctions, while an EU transaction ban takes effect Aug. 23, creating genuine compliance risks around HTX-linked funds.

Could someone send $7 worth of crypto to your exchange deposit address without permission and leave you fighting to keep your account open?

That fear swept through crypto circles on Aug. 18 after users reported receiving unexpected small USDT transfers from addresses identified by blockchain services as belonging to HTX.

One trader, 0xZiye, posted that his Coinbase account had received 7.5 USDT, which he attributed to HTX. He claimed Coinbase subsequently asked him to explain the source of the funds or face account closure.

Wu Blockchain later amplified reports of mass small transfers and claims that some exchange accounts had been frozen.

But an examination of what is publicly available leaves a messier picture.