Gate Marks 12 Years in Crypto With ‘Evolving Vision’

Twelve years ago, Gate entered the scene as a fledgling crypto exchange. Today, per figures shared with Decrypt, it serves over 26 million users worldwide, supports more than 3,800 cryptocurrencies, and ranks among the top three exchanges globally for total trading volume—including second for spot trading and fifth for futures.

To mark its 12th anniversary, the company has unveiled a sweeping brand transformation that reflects its evolution into a next-generation exchange—one built for scale, resilience, and the decentralized future.

“A truly long-term leading exchange must possess five core capabilities: serving billions of users, supporting millions of tokens, executing trillions in trading, providing custody for trillions in funds, and adhering to compliance and regulations,” said Gate Founder and CEO Dr. Han Lin. “This is not just a vision of Gate,” he added. “It is the path we are actively building.”

Reflecting on 12 years of growth and challenges

Gate’s longevity is notable in a sector defined by volatility. Founded in 2013, the company has weathered multiple market cycles, regulatory shifts, and technological disruption. Internally, the 12th anniversary is being treated not just as a celebration—but as a moment to recommit to its founding principles, including a “commitment to innovation and putting users first,” a spokesperson told Decrypt.

At Gate’s 12th Anniversary Global Celebration, Dr. Han shared the strategic vision for “the next-generation crypto exchange,” emphasizing a comprehensive upgrade in both technological capabilities and ecosystem positioning.

That user-first philosophy is seen in Gate’s transparency efforts. In 2020, it became one of the first major exchanges to launch a Proof of Reserves (PoR) system. As of May 8, 2025, Gate reports holding $10.865 billion in reserves—with $2.415 billion in excess—and a total reserve ratio of 128.57%.

The platform also combines zero-knowledge technology and Merkle Tree structures, allowing users to independently verify their asset inclusion without exposing sensitive information. And in the aftermath of high-profile crypto firm collapses in 2022, the demand for verifiable, on-chain solvency data has only intensified.

GateToken: powering utility, community, and deflation

At the heart of Gate’s ecosystem is GateToken (GT), the platform’s native utility token. Gate reports that more than 1.54 million GT were burned in the first quarter of 2025 alone, reducing total supply to around 178 million and pushing the token’s market cap above $3.9 billion.

GT promises to deliver a wide range of benefits—including staking rewards, trading discounts, launch access, and governance voting—and plays an “increasingly empowering” role in the broader GateChain ecosystem, which spans trading, NFTs, and asset management, a spokesperson told Decrypt.

One of GT’s most visible applications is Gate’s Launchpad, where users can subscribe to new token sales using either GT or USDT. Its recent update “significantly lowers the threshold for participation,” with a streamlined interface, giving retail users easier access while deepening GT’s role in platform utility.

Global reach

Gate group’s transformation has also been regulatory. Its entities now account for one of the most geographically diverse compliance portfolios in the industry, with Gate entities obtaining or completing licenses, registrations and approvals in jurisdictions including Lithuania, Argentina, Malta, Italy, Gibraltar, Bahamas, and Hong Kong..

Most notably, Gate Dubai received a full operational license from the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), enabling it to offer crypto trading services to institutional and retail investors in the UAE.

This licensing milestone helped shape the decision to host the platform’s 12th anniversary celebration in Dubai. Long associated with international finance, the city has fast become a magnet for Web3 builders. “Dubai is setting the pace globally for what crypto-friendly regulation can look like,” a Gate spokesperson said. “It’s a place where innovation, capital, and compliance meet.”

From RWAs to AI: Gate’s next frontier

Beyond trading, Gate is also positioning itself at the convergence of blockchain and traditional finance — particularly in the fast-emerging field of tokenized real-world assets (RWAs).

Through its investment arm Gate Labs, the company has backed Pencils Protocol, a DeFi platform focused on auction and leveraged yield services for both native crypto and off-chain assets. Gate sees this as a crucial step in enabling tokenized bonds, real estate, and other assets through secure, compliant rails.

The company is also embracing innovations in artificial intelligence. Recent launches include the AI Crypto Picker, which “identifies cryptocurrencies with strong growth potential” using technical indicators, and the Ultra AI Trading Bot, which provides “neutral and objective market insights” based on live market signals. Another tool, Smart Support & Resistance Lines, uses AI to help users avoid liquidation risks by flagging key price thresholds.

These features are designed to lower the barrier to entry for newer users while enhancing decision-making for experienced traders—part of Gate’s broader push to build smarter, more intuitive tools across its platform.

UX upgrades and cultural expansion

The anniversary upgrade also includes a revamp of the user experience. Version 7.0 of the Gate app has launched with improved layout and responsiveness. MemeBox 2.0 — a portal for discovering and trading trending on-chain tokens — joins the lineup of features aimed at making crypto more accessible, engaging, and efficient.

Kicking off with a visual refresh, Gate also introduced a minimalist new logo and shifted to the premium Gate.com domain. Aesthetics aside, the redesign is, according to Gate, part of a broader mission to build trust, streamline the user experience, and stand apart in a crowded and maturing market. “CEO quote placeholder.”

Meanwhile, Gate’s global profile is getting a boost from high-profile sponsorships. Its partnerships with Oracle Red Bull Racing in Formula 1 and Inter aim to bridge the gap between crypto and mainstream culture, reinforcing brand values of speed, performance, and innovation, while bringing Web3 to wider, more diverse audiences. Gate has launched “IN THE MOMENT”, a large-scale co-branded digital collectibles collection in partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing, celebrating unforgettable moments from all 24 race weekends in history through exclusive digital assets.

The exchange’s partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing, “embodies our shared commitment to excellence and innovation,” said Gate CEO Dr. Han, while its collaboration with Inter will enable Gate to “explore the many synergies between the worlds of football and digital assets.”

The future

Twelve years in, Gate isn’t just commemorating its past—it’s aiming to lay the groundwork for what comes next. With a revitalized brand, a resilient token ecosystem, industry-leading transparency, and a rapidly expanding regulatory footprint, the platform is gunning to become a cornerstone of the next Web3 era.

Whether through AI-driven tools, real-world asset tokenization, or compliance-led global expansion, Gate’s focus is firmly set on future-ready infrastructure—and helping users around the world engage with crypto on their own terms.