Gate.io Founder’s 12th Anniversary Open Letter - Twelve Years of Gate, Opening the Encryption Future

Source: Cointelegraph Original: "Gate.io Founder’s 12th Anniversary Open Letter - Twelve Years of Gate, Opening the Future of Crypto"

Dear Gate.io users and partners:

Twelve years ago, I embarked on the first step of Gate.io with curiosity and passion for the crypto world. Today, I am very honored to announce that Gate.io has completed its twelfth year and undergone a brand upgrade, officially using the new Chinese name "大门".

Looking back on twelve years of ups and downs, this journey of growth would not have been possible without the strong support and unwavering trust of our users and partners. As the saying goes, "twelve cycles of reincarnation," we will move towards a new cycle with a more open posture and a more determined belief, ushering in the next era belonging to the Web3 world.

Twelve years ago, we opened a door.

That's a door to free finance, a door that belongs to the innovators, explorers, and builders of the crypto industry. In 2013, when the crypto industry was still in a wild era, we decided to build a safe, transparent and fair digital asset trading platform with our belief in blockchain technology and the expectation of a decentralized future. Now, 12 years later, Gate.io has become one of the world's leading crypto platforms.

Looking back on this journey, we have witnessed the ups and downs of the industry and have gone through countless trials and tribulations. We have grown rapidly during the bull market and remained true to our original intentions during the bear market; continuously expanding our business landscape, from centralized trading to decentralized ecosystems, from infrastructure development to venture capital, each step has been taken steadily and firmly. Gate.io is not just an exchange; it is a "safe harbor" trusted by global crypto users and a thriving blockchain ecosystem.

What have we done right in these twelve years?

Innovation-driven, daring to be the first.

Twelve years ago, I quietly launched BitEr in a small studio, which was the predecessor of Gate.io.

I have been fond of researching technology and have strong hands-on skills since I was young. My father has a very open-minded approach to my education; he often encourages me to explore new knowledge. During my childhood weekends, I often spent my time in bookstores. When I was a child, I almost disassembled all the appliances at home. My father not only did not stop me but encouraged me to explore boldly. By the time I graduated from junior high school, I had my first computer in life, and that was when I started self-learning various computer knowledge and began programming. It was a joy to hunt for various computer books and magazines at the book stalls. During college, I had already mastered several programming languages and embarked on my journey of innovation, creating multiple websites and software on my own. Fortunately, these websites and software achieved good traffic and users.

When I first read the Bitcoin white paper, I was deeply shocked, and I immediately developed a strong interest in this brand new blockchain world. My first Bitcoin transaction was completed through a forum, but unfortunately, I was scammed. It was this "unfortunate experience" that made me realize how important it is to provide a fair and transparent trading platform for users.

With a passion for blockchain, I founded BitEr during my postdoctoral period. My original intention was very simple – to bring a fair, secure, and trustworthy blockchain world to the public. Technology was not a challenge for me; in the early stages, I was the only one supporting the entire platform, shouldering all the work myself. From platform development to operations, marketing, and even customer service, everything was my responsibility. Looking back on that time, it seems like there was joy amidst the busyness. I almost spent every day in the community, constantly absorbing innovative ideas and user needs from the industry. My first reaction at that time was to actively and quickly follow industry innovations and trends. I think this was my initial understanding of "blockchain speed," a good habit I have maintained for 12 years. I remember in 2013, we were the first platform to launch Dogecoin, capturing enormous traffic, with 90% of the global trading volume and half of the circulating tokens on our platform. Many platforms were cautious about these "novel" coins, while I insisted on innovation and on introducing new ones. Looking back now, I am very glad about the decisions I made at that time.

The spirit of innovation has always run through the twelve-year development history of Gate.io. In terms of various latest products and trends, Gate.io has always been the first to take the plunge. From the earliest one-stop wallet Wallet.io, live broadcasts, squares, and chat rooms, to later quantitative robots and innovation zones, Gate.io has always been at the forefront of the industry. As early as 2014, I applied for a patent for a fingerprint hardware wallet and put this wallet into production. Today, Gate.io already possesses hundreds of such innovative products and technologies. I have always encouraged the team to have an innovative spirit and have never been stingy in investing in product development and innovative growth.

For me, innovation is not a concept to be flaunted, but a behavioral habit developed from a young age, as simple and effortless as breathing. It has not only shaped me but also made Gate.io. The spirit of innovation has always been the driving force behind Gate.io's continuous advancement.

Safety first, steady progress.

The industry is never short of innovation and opportunities, but it is also accompanied by risks that cannot be ignored. Recently, there have been frequent security incidents in the industry, whether it's the theft of assets from centralized platforms or vulnerabilities in DeFi protocols, security issues have once again become the focus of the entire crypto industry. I often tell my team that we are in an industry full of opportunities and the greatest development potential, while also facing unprecedented severe tests; opportunities and risks are always inseparable. Protecting user asset security and ensuring a stable and reliable trading experience is Gate.io's unchanging core mission. This is not only a responsibility but also a principle and bottom line that we have adhered to for many years.

In 2020, we proposed the method of using Merkle trees for proof of reserves and made it open source, advocating that industry platforms adopt this method to publish proof of reserves for user safety and peace of mind. It wasn't until the end of 2022, after the FTX collapse, that the industry took it seriously and it was quickly adopted widely up to today.

Gate.io always adheres to the principle of "Safety First, User Centric" and continuously invests resources to build a multi-layered security system, covering cold wallet management, multi-signature, real-time risk control early warning, and a global security team that monitors 24/7. We believe that the establishment of true long-term value begins with every commitment to safety and steady operations.

Crossing development, steady growth

Looking back at the past twelve years, Gate.io has come a long way, experiencing the "Great Wilderness Era" of blockchain and witnessing the prosperity of DeFi Summer. During this period, the decentralized finance ecosystem has witnessed explosive growth, and Gate.io has ranked among the top three globally, becoming an important player in leading the industry’s rapid development.

With the continuous development of the industry, we have experienced the "startup phase" of traffic dividends, the "innovation phase" driven by technology, and now the "steady phase" of market expansion and strategic layout, crossing three important periods and gradually growing into a global leading cryptocurrency exchange.

In this development process, Gate.io has always adhered to steady operations and achieved significant accomplishments: the number of ecological users has reached tens of millions, continuously expanding our global user base. The number of cryptocurrencies listed on the platform has exceeded 3,800, providing a diverse range of trading options for global users, making it the CEX exchange with the most supported cryptocurrencies worldwide. By 2025, our comprehensive strength has firmly positioned us in the global first tier. We publish total reserve data on time, and now the total reserves have exceeded $10.328 billion, ranking us among the top four globally, reflecting strong financial stability. The platform token GT also reached a historical high of $25.96 this year, with an increase of nearly 70% since the beginning of the year, and its market value ranking jumped into the global top 40, further consolidating our market position. Gate.io's popular Launchpool/HODLer continues to bring continuous benefits to customers, among which the total value of Launchpool airdrops has exceeded $20.36 million, and more than 140 projects have been launched on the platform.

Gate ecosystem fully upgraded, creating a diverse one-stop cryptocurrency experience.

In the past year, the Gate ecosystem has continued to expand and upgrade, fully covering all major sectors of Web3 and accelerating the construction of a diversified and integrated platform. Gate Web3 has supported nearly 200 mainstream public chains; In terms of the TON ecosystem, we have taken the lead in launching the Gate Mini App and Gate Wallet Mini App with more than 100 projects, with more than one million monthly active users, continuing to lead the track. We launched the innovative MemeBox 2.0, which connects popular Meme tokens on the chain to exchange accounts with one click, integrating the efficiency and convenience of CEXs with the asset diversity of DEXs to bring a convenient and secure Web3 trading experience. At the same time, we continue to optimize our global payment network and expand our deposit and withdrawal channels. Gate Card already supports multiple fiat currencies, with a 327% surge in the number of users and a nearly 22-fold increase in deposit amounts. Gate.io is building a more open, efficient, and convenient crypto world, so that every user can easily start their own on-chain journey.

At the same time, Gate Ventures continues to increase its strategic investments globally, focusing on high-quality Web3 projects and other cutting-edge tracks, having laid out multiple high-quality projects with long-term potential. Currently, Gate Ventures manages assets exceeding 300 million USD, supporting more than 100 projects, providing not only capital support for startups but also empowering projects and facilitating industry development through ecosystem collaboration and resource synergy, promoting the prosperous co-construction of the Web3 innovation ecosystem.

Promote globalization layout and implement forward-looking strategies.

Gate.io always adheres to a global perspective, promoting long-term planning with strategic height and holistic thinking. We are not only a sponsor of Inter Milan but also officially became a sponsor of the F1 Red Bull Racing Team this February, showcasing bold and interesting cross-industry collaborations. Through strategic partnerships with top global brands, we continuously enhance our international influence. Gate Group's layout and investment in compliance rank among the top in the world, achieving compliant operations and positive progress in major regions such as the Americas, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. In addition, we completed the acquisition of the licensed Japanese exchange Coin Master through our subsidiary this year.

For many years, we have promoted the construction of compliant platforms to ensure that the platform meets regulatory requirements globally, providing users with a safe and reliable trading environment. Only with compliance can each of our steps be more solid and sustainable. In recent years, Gate.io has continuously attracted outstanding talents from around the world to promote technological innovation, product optimization, and market expansion, allowing the company to maintain a leading position in the fiercely competitive cryptocurrency industry. These forward-looking strategic decisions have laid a solid foundation for Gate.io's global expansion and provided strong support for future continuous innovation and industry leadership.

Twelve years is a milestone and also a new starting point.

Gate.io looks forward to opening a new era "door" for global users, welcoming a more open and intelligent crypto future. We are undergoing a comprehensive brand upgrade, redefining the future direction of Gate.io - not just trading, but a "super entrance" that connects the real world and the blockchain world.

In the future, Gate.io will:

After 12 years of ups and downs, I would like to once again express my sincerest gratitude to all users, partners and team members of Gate.io for their companionship and support along the way. Twelve years ago, we knocked on the door to the crypto world; Twelve years later, we stand in front of our door and see a much bigger future. In the next 12 years, we will not only "open the door", but also enter the real new era of encryption together. The door has been opened, the future has come, Gate.io look forward to working with you to continue to build and write this great journey together!

Gate.io Founder and CEO Dr. Han