Gate.io Review 2025

Gate.io Review

Cryptocurrency platforms play a vital role in enabling users to access their favorite tokens, manage portfolios, and use decentralized finance. Among the multitude of exchanges available, Gate.io has carved out a significant niche. Known for its extensive list of supported cryptocurrencies, Gate.io has established itself as one of the biggest exchanges in the market. Throughout this article, we are doing a Gate.io review, discussing everything from user interface to security.

Founded in 2013, Gate.io is one of the oldest cryptocurrency exchanges. The platform boasts an impressive catalog of thousands of cryptocurrencies. This allows users to explore diverse investment opportunities. It has a global audience and provides services such as spot trading, futures contracts, staking, and lending. These features enable users to not only trade but also earn passive income, enhancing the platform’s appeal.

Security and transparency are key pillars of every crypto exchange’s operations, including Gate.io’s. The platform employs advanced security measures, such as two-factor authentication (2FA) and cold storage. Additionally, its commitment to compliance with international regulations, including anti-money laundering protocols, underscores its dedication to building trust.

Gate.io is also recognized for its versatility. The platform regularly introduces new features, such as its Initial Exchange Offerings (IEOs) and advanced trading tools, which have gained popularity among tech-savvy users. Despite its strengths, Gate.io has faced challenges, including concerns over customer support and accessibility in certain regions.

What is Gate.io?

Initially launched in China as Bter, the platform was rebranded as Gate.io in 2017. This decision came as a response to China’s ban on ICOs and crypto exchanges, transitioning to serve a global audience.

Every one of the top cryptocurrency exchanges is known for specific things. Kraken, for example, is known for its security and clean sheet in terms of hacks. Gate.io, on the other hand, is known for having over 2,500 tokens listed on its platform. So, next time someone asks you, what Gate.io is, tell them this fun fact. In addition to its huge collection of listings, Gate.io is also considered a safe and efficient platform for trading crypto. Additionally, the platform has introduced Proof-of-Reserves, enabling users to verify their collateral and the exchange’s solvency. 

Accessibility is a key focus for Gate.io, offering services to users in over 200 countries. However, it’s important to note that the platform is not available in certain regions, including the United States, Canada, Singapore, and others. This is because of unclear or harsh regulations in these specific regions. Despite being out of these major markets, the platform boasts over 20 million registered users worldwide. Most of these users are from Asian markets, as Gate.io itself is focused on that particular region.

In addition to its trading services, Gate.io has developed its own blockchain ecosystem, GateChain, and introduced GateToken (GT), its native utility token. These innovations contribute to the platform’s comprehensive suite of services, including Gate Pay, a crypto-based payment service launched in November 2022.

Key Features of Gate.io Exchange

Being a major cryptocurrency exchange, Gate.io has lots of features. Whether you want to buy, sell, trade, hold, earn, or use trading bots, the platform has it all. To add to that, they also support NFTs and decentralized trading because of their GateChain. 

Buying/Selling Crypto

Buying and selling cryptocurrencies in Gate.io is really simple. To be able to buy and sell any of the 2,500 listed cryptocurrencies on this platform, you first need to deposit some crypto or fund your account. You can do so through a credit card, bank transfer, or on-chain crypto deposit.

Step 1: Find the Buy Crypto Section

After opening your account and successfully verifying it, you need to find the Buy Crypto section on the menu bar. On the website, this is usually located near the platform’s logo on the left side of the menu.

Step 2: Choose Payment Method

Next, you have to choose your preferred payment method. There are many methods to buy cryptocurrencies in Gate.io. Some of them are: 

• Debit card,
• Credit card,
• SEPA,
• Google Pay,
• Apple Pay.

For the sake of this guide, we will go with the platform’s Express way to buy crypto. This feature is internal to Gate.io

Step 3: Execute the Purchase

After choosing your preferred method to buy crypto, you will be redirected to the respective page. For express, the interface is really simple as it is meant to be faster than other ways of buying crypto in Gate.io.

First, select the currency you will pay in and then choose which crypto you want to buy. After that, you will have to choose your payment method and fill in the information. Before executing the transaction, always check the exchange rate between your currency and the crypto you are buying.

Gate.io does not charge deposit/buy fees, unlike most major cryptocurrency exchanges.

Gate.io Trading Options

Spot Trading

Spot trading on Gate.io allows users to buy and sell cryptocurrencies instantly at current market prices. It operates on a straightforward principle: users exchange one crypto for another based on the rates in the market. Gate.io supports over 2,500 cryptocurrencies and has around 4235 market pairs available.

The platform employs a maker-taker fee structure to encourage liquidity. Makers, who place orders that add liquidity, are charged lower fees than takers, who remove liquidity. Additionally, users can leverage Gate.io’s native GateToken to receive discounts on trading fees.

Gate.io’s spot trading platform offers advanced tools like charts, order books, and various order types (e.g., market, limit, and stop orders), providing flexibility and control. With its robust security measures and seamless interface, Gate.io ensures a secure and accessible environment for global spot traders.

Futures Trading

Gate.io’s futures trading platform enables users to speculate on cryptocurrency price movements using leverage. The platform offers both perpetual contracts, which have no expiration date, and delivery contracts with fixed settlement dates. Users can choose between cross margin, where the entire account balance acts as collateral, and isolated margin, which limits the risk to a specific position. Gate.io supports various order types, including limit, market, and trigger orders, providing flexibility in executing trading strategies.

To assist traders, Gate.io offers features like take-profit and stop-loss mechanisms, allowing users to set predefined exit points to manage risk effectively. Additionally, the platform provides quantitative tools, such as futures grid trading and trend strategies, to automate trading and potentially enhance profitability.

Margin Trading

Margin trading on Gate.io enables users to amplify their trading positions by borrowing funds, allowing for potential gains even with limited initial capital. This practice involves using one’s crypto assets as collateral to secure loans, thereby increasing market exposure. 

Gate.io offers two margin modes: Isolated Margin and Cross Margin. In Isolated Margin Mode, each trading pair has a separate margin account, limiting risk to that specific position. Conversely, Cross Margin Mode shares the margin across multiple positions, which can be advantageous if managed carefully but may also expose the entire account to liquidation if losses accumulate.

Earn Features

There are a lot of methods to earn passively in crypto. Most exchanges offer lots of options to earn, including lending your crypto to others for profit and staking. However, Gate.io is known for supporting a variety of earn features, with some having yields as high as 450% APR.

• Simple Earn: Lend idle crypto assets to earn interest; flexible terms with instant deposit and withdrawal. 
• Crypto Loan: Use one cryptocurrency as collateral to borrow another; flexible terms with dynamic interest rates. 
• HODL & Earn: Earn passive income by holding cryptocurrencies; options include locked and flexible staking products. 
• Staking: Stake cryptocurrencies to support network operations and receive rewards; various coins supported. 
• Structured Products: Pre-packaged investment products combining assets linked to interest and derivatives for tailored returns. 
• GT Staking: Stake GateToken (GT) to earn on-chain returns; low entry barrier with flexible terms.
• Auto-Invest: Automate cryptocurrency investments with customizable portfolios; allowing for regular, hands-off investing.
• Dual Investment: Short-term investment offering exposure to two cryptocurrencies; potential for higher returns with managed risk.
• USDE Staking: Stake USDE stablecoin to earn high APR; flexible staking with low entry threshold.
• Quant Fund: Invest in algorithm-driven funds employing quantitative strategies for stable returns; low risk and high returns.
• Gate Wealth: High-yield investment services tailored for wealth management; gateway to diversified crypto investments.

Other Features

Trading Bots

Most cryptocurrency exchanges support trading bots in their platforms. Integrating such bots can be done through APIs or internally. Gate.io is one of the few exchanges that supports both types of trading bots. These bots support various strategies, including Spot Grid, Futures Grid, Smart Rebalance, and Martingale. This way, both normies and experienced users can use these bots to improve their trading journey. Moreover, users can create custom bots or replicate successful strategies from other traders. When you use someone’s bot, you usually pay a very small fee to them and vice versa. 

The platform’s user-friendly interface ensures accessibility without requiring programming skills. Additionally, Gate.io’s bots operate 24/7, enabling continuous market engagement without manual intervention. While these tools can optimize trading, it’s essential to understand the associated risks and configure bots appropriately to align with individual investment goals. When using an API, never give the bot total control of your account as that can lead to you losing all your funds and access to the account.

Web3 Features

Central to this offering is the Gate Web3 Wallet, a non-custodial, multi-chain wallet that supports over 100 blockchain networks, enabling users to manage a diverse range of tokens securely. The wallet’s user-friendly interface allows for effortless switching between networks and interaction with various decentralized applications (dApps), enhancing the overall user experience.

Additionally, Gate.io has introduced Gate Pay, a Web3 payment solution designed to facilitate crypto transactions for both merchants and consumers, further bridging the gap between traditional finance and the decentralized ecosystem.

Institutional Services

Gate.io provides specialized services designed for institutional clients, including hedge funds, trading firms, and professional investors. These services offer access to extensive cryptocurrency markets with over 2,500 cryptocurrencies.

Institutions benefit from advanced trading infrastructure, such as low-latency co-location services and high-frequency trading capabilities. Additionally, Gate.io features flexible leverage options and a robust Market Maker Incentive Program, offering reduced fees and incentives to enhance liquidity. Personalized solutions like over-the-counter (OTC) services and large-volume crypto loans are also appealing to diverse institutional needs.

Gate.io Licenses

Malta: Licensed by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) as a Class 4 Virtual Financial Assets (VFA) Service Provider, authorizing operations as an exchange and custodian. 

Hong Kong: Through Hippo Financial, holds a Trust or Company Service Provider (TCSP) license for virtual asset custody; additional crypto licenses are in progress. 

United States: Gate US (different from Gate.io) is registered with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and has obtained Money Transmission Licenses for state-level operations. 

Gibraltar: Licensed by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission (GFSC) as a Distributed Ledger Technology provider, supporting broker/dealer services. 

Italy: Registered with the Organismo Agenti e Mediatori (OAM) as a Virtual Asset Service Provider. 

Australia: Registered with the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) as a Digital Currency Exchange Provider. 

Lithuania: Licensed for virtual currency exchange and wallet services. 

Dubai: Authorized for crypto commodity trading via Gate MENA DMCC. 

Bahamas: Licensed by the Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB) for digital asset services, including fiat-crypto exchange.

Fees and Costs

Trading Fees

Gate.io employs a tiered fee structure for spot trading, offering discounts based on users’ 30-day trading volume and GateToken holdings. The platform distinguishes between ‘Maker’ fees (for orders adding liquidity) and ‘Taker’ fees (for orders removing liquidity). Additionally, users can opt to pay fees using GT for further reductions.

Deposit and Withdrawal Fees

Unlike most cryptocurrency exchanges, Gate.io does not have any deposit fees. So, this means that you can use all of the payment/deposit methods on Gate without paying any extra fees. The only fees you’ll have to pay are those of your card provider, bank account, or sending platform.

When it comes to withdrawing cryptocurrencies, however, the process is different. There are withdrawal fees for almost every cryptocurrency listed in Gate. The withdrawal fees differ for each cryptocurrency and are usually fixed fees. In general, withdrawal fees are low, no matter the size of the withdrawal.

User Experience

Gate.io is known for its easy-to-use platform. A good user interface results in a good user experience. Their homepage, for instance, is a great example of a good crypto exchange interface. The homepage has everything a user needs, from key features like “Buy Crypto”, to others like Trading and Web3 sector.

However, not everything is about having a good user interface. While navigating Gate.io’s interface is nice and easy, and the look is slick, the user experience is not as good as one might think. There are a lot of complaints on the UX side, especially for their mobile app and customer support. 

Users have posted many complaints about Gate.io’s mobile app. The main reasons behind these complaints were performance and usability issues. Common complaints include the app being slow to load – critical when it comes to real-time trading. Additionally, the app is reportedly unresponsive at times, leaving users unable to make decisions. A particularly concerning issue is instances where users are locked out of their accounts unexpectedly, raising security and accessibility concerns. These problems undermine user trust and negatively impact the overall experience. This has led to Gate.io having a low rating in different rating websites, despite their transparency and UI.

There are some websites that have given review ratings on Gate.io. Capterra, a less-used review website, gives Gate.io 4 out of 5 stars, mentioning its user-friendliness and wide range of supported cryptocurrencies. Trust Pilot, on the other hand, gave it 2 out of 5 stars, with users complaining about slow UI, getting locked out of their accounts, and their withdrawals not being processed. Another website, Bitdegree, shows that out of 500 votes, Gate.io got 3 out of 5 stars.

Customer Support

Many users have expressed frustration over slow responses and inadequate resolution of issues, particularly concerning withdrawals and account security.

One recurring issue involves withdrawals being delayed or canceled without explanation. Users report instances where withdrawal requests made as far back as July 2024 have still not been processed.

Another concerning complaint relates to account restrictions and the sudden removal of tokens from users’ accounts during trading activities. This not only disrupts trading but also undermines trust in Gate.io’s reliability and transparency. Customers have expressed a desire for clearer communication and prompt resolution of such issues to restore confidence in the platform.

Furthermore, there have been allegations of misleading practices, such as misrepresenting potential gains on investments. This has led to disillusionment among users who feel manipulated by the exchange’s marketing tactics.

Pros and Cons of Gate.io

Gate.io vs Competition

Gate.io vs Binance

The Binance exchange is the biggest cryptocurrency exchange in the world by user count and trading volume. They have been the biggest cryptocurrency in the world since 2019, despite having issues with regulatory bodies every now and then. Despite a lot of issues, regulatory and sometimes security-related, Binance remains the top exchange in the world.

User base metrics favor Binance, boasting over ~170 million active users, while Gate.io has around 17 million. Regarding listed cryptocurrencies, Binance offers over 350, whereas Gate.io supports more than 2,500 tokens. Both exchanges prioritize security and have implemented a method to prove their solvency called Proof of Reserves. Gate.io was among the first to publish independently audited proof of reserves, demonstrating its commitment to transparency. Binance, on the other hand, is the entity that created the whole Proof of Reserves concept, solidifying its position as a leader in this space.

Gate.io vs OKX

OKX is one of the top cryptocurrency exchanges. Their ecosystem includes spot trading, futures, and DeFi services. A standout feature of OKX is its Web3 wallet, enabling seamless access to decentralized applications and NFTs.

Gate.io and OKX each have their unique attributes. In terms of trading volume, Gate.io reports a 24-hour volume of approximately $2.25 billion, while OKX has about $1.65 billion. Gate.io supports over 2,500 cryptocurrencies, offering a wide selection of traders. In contrast, OKX lists over 312 cryptocurrencies. They used to support more cryptocurrencies but have been delisting many of them recently due to regulations.

Both exchanges prioritize security and have implemented proof of reserves mechanisms to enhance transparency. Gate.io has publicly disclosed its asset ratios, being close to $5.90 billion. OKX has provided a list of Bitcoin and Ethereum addresses as proof of reserves, summing it up to around $22 billion. 

Gate.io vs Kraken

Kraken is another giant in the crypto exchange world. It is one of the longest-standing cryptocurrency exchanges, as well as notably the safest exchange in the world. Ever since its inception back in 2011, Kraken has never been hacked or fallen victim to a cyber attack. They take security seriously – very seriously. 

Comparing it to Gate.io, we see how different these two are from one another in regard to their priorities. While Kraken is a whole lot safer than Gate.io, it has higher fees, as well as a lower number of listed cryptocurrencies.

Gate.io reports a 24-hour trading volume of approximately $2.30 billion, with around 17 million active users. In contrast, Kraken’s 24-hour trading volume is about $1.1 billion, serving approximately 10 million users. Moving on, Gate.io supports over 2,500 cryptocurrencies, providing a huge selection for traders. Kraken only offers around 425 cryptocurrencies, mainly because of their strict listing process.

Both exchanges focus on security – but Kraken does it better. Kraken is known for having a clean record with no major security breaches. Gate.io also implements strong security protocols but has had a few security breaches in previous years. Both exchanges provide Proof-of-Resources.

Final Thoughts on Gate.io

Gate.io has solidified its place as a good cryptocurrency exchange globally, offering a very diverse range of tokens. Established in 2013, its longevity in the volatile crypto market speaks volumes about its adaptability. With over 2,500 tokens listed and services like spot trading, futures, staking, and lending, Gate.io is a good choice for normies and OGs alike.

The platform’s focus on accessibility is evident in its user-friendly interface and features like Gate Pay and Gate Web3 Wallet. These features and products bridge the gap between traditional finance and decentralized ecosystems.

However, no platform is perfect. Gate.io has faced scrutiny over customer support, regional accessibility, and security. Its absence from key markets like the United States and Canada limits its global reach. Security, a cornerstone for any exchange, is generally strong with multiple layers of verification. Yet, past incidents, including a significant hack in 2018, highlight the ever-present risks in the crypto industry.

Gate.io’s ongoing efforts position it as a growing exchange. While users should remain vigilant about security and regional limitations, Gate.io remains a strong platform, definitely one of the top 15 crypto exchanges worldwide.