Gate.io
Last changed 2026-10-10 · Score recalculated — Rescored under Scoring v2, the published formula (avoid.net/scoring): 57 → 42. Problems weighed by who is responsible: the subject's own conduct −25, concerns that are not fraud −15.2, incidents the subject suffered −12.4, problems around the subject, caused by others −0.9; legitimacy credit long-running +10, regulated +10; fact-check adjustments (+15) now shown as page reliability, not in the score. Version history →
Why this score
| Every page starts at | 65 |
| The subject's own conduct | -25 |
| Concerns that are not fraud | -15.2 |
| Incidents it suffered (e.g. hacks) | -12.4 |
| Problems around it, caused by others | -0.9 |
| Long-running | +10 |
| Regulated | +10 |
| Sum | 32 |
Score: 42/100 (kept between 0 and 100)
How scoring works →Summary
Gate.io (rebranded to Gate.com in May 2025) is a major global cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2013 as Bter.com by Lin Han, currently incorporated in the Cayman Islands and serving over 52 million users across more than 4,600 assets. The exchange has faced significant scrutiny including an alleged undisclosed $230 million hack in 2018 attributed to North Korean state actors, a 2025 public notice from the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA) confirming it has never been licensed in its ostensible home jurisdiction, and a pattern of user complaints regarding account freezes, withdrawal blocks, and a disputed $LA futures incident in 2025. The exchange publishes monthly proof-of-reserves reports audited by Hacken and holds licenses in several jurisdictions including Malta (MiCA), Dubai (VARA), Cyprus (CySEC), and Australia (AUSTRAC).
Connected Entities
4 entities · 60 linked investigations- Gate.io→mentioned with→Bitcoin(70%)
- Gate.io→mentioned with→ZachXBT(70%)
- Gate.io→mentioned with→Ethereum Classic(80%)
- ZachXBT→mentioned with→Bitcoin(65%)
Timeline(14 events)
April 2013
Lin Han founds Bter.com in China, one of the earliest altcoin exchanges
Gate.io History — rue.eeFebruary 2015
Bter.com loses approximately 7,170 BTC (~$1.75M) in a cold wallet breach; platform temporarily shuts down and commits to repaying users
BTER Claims $1.75 Million in Bitcoin Stolen — CoinDesk2017
Platform rebrands from Bter.com to Gate.io and relocates to the Cayman Islands following Chinese cryptocurrency regulatory restrictions
Gate.io History — rue.ee21 April 2018
Alleged $230 million hack of Gate.io by North Korean state-affiliated actors; exchange allegedly did not disclose the breach to customers (findings published by ZachXBT in November 2022)
ZachXBT Calls Out Gate.io for Keeping 2018 Hack Under Wraps — CryptoSlate3 November 2018
Attackers compromise StatCounter analytics platform and inject a Bitcoin address-substitution script targeting Gate.io withdrawal pages; ESET discovers and reports the breach on November 6
Supply-chain attack on cryptocurrency exchange gate.io — ESET WeLiveSecurity7 January 2019
Ethereum Classic (ETC) suffers a 51% attack; Gate.io loses approximately 54,200 ETC (~$200,000); partial restitution of ~$100,000 in ETC subsequently returned by attacker
Ethereum Classic Hacker Stole 54,200 ETC from Crypto Exchange Gate.io — CCN2 March 2020
GateToken (GT) officially adopted as Gate.io's platform token; launched without ICO or private sale
GateToken Guide — BeInCryptoNovember 2022
ZachXBT publishes on-chain findings alleging Gate.io concealed a $230 million hack from April 2018; Gate.io declines to substantively acknowledge the alleged non-disclosure
ZachXBT Calls Out Gate.io — CryptoSlate22 January 2024
Security firm Hacken completes audit of Gate.io's proof-of-reserves methodology, finding no severe issues
Gate.io's Proof of Reserves Implementation Passes Hacken's Security Audit — GlobeNewswireApril 2025
Gate Technology FZE obtains full VASP license from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA)
Legal Licenses, Registrations, and Regulatory Compliance — Gate.com11 April 2025
Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA) issues a public notice stating Gate.io and Gate Global Corp have never been licensed or authorized to operate in or from the Cayman Islands
Gate.io and Gate Global Corp Not Registered With CIMA — CIMA Official19 May 2025
Gate.io launches new primary domain Gate.com and redesigned logo as part of a global rebranding coinciding with its 12th anniversary
Gate Introduces Brand New Domain Gate.com — GlobeNewswireJune 2025
Alleged $LA futures incident: thousands of users claim liquidations driven by an anomalous 40x price spike on Gate.io's futures index for the $LA token; exchange declines to compensate affected traders
Gate.io Account Locking Review — CyberCriminal.com (Tier 3)August 2025
Gate US subsidiary launches licensed spot trading in 23 U.S. states, registered with FinCEN; expands to 30 states by January 2026
Gate US Officially Launches — GlobeNewswireDecision Log
- slot 455371067 · hash B3gmYwvnSKHFsjYbpwD2K9SG8BTkwYAMe5JqwsyEafLz
- slot 426514329 · hash Ffa9behHf9tdkhK7FX5CoWXyKPemtiYbyvxHZp6Lgxwr
- slot 426514324 · hash 7nKxcoBqBnSQT4TgVz4ZydVBDHe9YJDNoV1SiCZupaS6
- slot 426285096 · hash G9NRzJnNrJjwGynKgaYUba4YUvGiXpCTApFVUeGU8sVc
- slot 426285089 · hash 6mZJqhvfKPR2BkjWWJPPKiJBuZxvwZWFJ6SPZX5uQtPy
- slot 423388120 · hash GQFxjPZSdbDhazNG6sPMaEeScyVnq4s8xXNzsCcZVonJ
This investigation is cryptographically anchored to the Solana blockchain (6 decisions). 17 of 20 cited source URLs have an Internet Archive snapshot.
model: claude-sonnet-4-6
generated: 5/31/2026, 1:59:15 PM
last updated: 10/10/2026, 6:50:51 PM
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