Our country can relate here, Binance which is the most popular exchange around the world and it has the biggest volume and it is being attacked by our government also.
You are right when you say that this is mate, as long as we can use the exchange that is also a bit loose in the country we are in. The risk is also quite high when an exchange is not accepted in a country. Usually in these countries, it's not as risky as you think. I again mention about Indonesia and Philippines or Thailand for example. They may close down Binance but they won't seize funds.
And Binance has always paid out all customers even when exiting the country. This was seen in UK and other Europe countries.
And if you know how to use location access it can still progress
Wherever we are, it is very important to choose an exchange that shows positive and truthful reviews, not scripted and paid reviews. It is very important to listen to what people are giving advice but I believe that OP has the right to choose which exchange he/she feels better and what is "better" means for him/her.
For me, I'd never pay attention to new exchanges but rather choose the old because these exchanges have already (good/bad) stories and transactions that can be the basis of our selection.