Gate.io Review: Is It A Scam Or A Legit Crypto Exchange For Canadians?

Launched in 2013, Gate.io has established itself as one of the top cryptocurrency exchanges globally, boasting over $12 billion in daily trading volume. What sets Gate.io apart is its massive selection of altcoins and extremely low fees. However, as someone who’s been trading crypto since 2016, I’ve noticed that the platform isn’t exactly beginner-friendly, which is a common reason why many people give up on using it.

That said, if you take the time to learn the interface (which, in my experience, doesn’t take long), you’ll unlock access to over 1,000 altcoins—making it a treasure trove for altcoin enthusiasts. Personally, I use Gate.io specifically for this purpose and find it invaluable for accessing lesser-known cryptocurrencies.

We created an account to test its features and determine if Gate.io is worth using for Canadians in 2025. Here’s what we found.

Just to save your time, Canada is on the list of disallowed countries under Gate.io terms same as the US and many other counties. Because of this, they can randomly block your account at any time so we WOULD NOT recommend using it. If you are looking for a similar exchange, we would recommend using Bitget or Kucoin instead or checking our list of the best crypto exchanges in Canada. 

If you are still interested in using them, here is our Gate.io review.

Gate.io Summary

Gate.io offers a wide range of trading features, including spot trading, futures trading, loans, and crypto staking. It even has its own blockchain, Gatechain, and a native token called GateToken (GT). What I like about Gate.io is its low maker/taker trading fees of 0.2%/0.2%, which can be reduced further if you hold GateToken. The more GT you hold, the lower your fees, making it a cost-efficient option for frequent traders.

To buy crypto on Gate.io, you can deposit crypto for free, pay with a credit card through third-party providers like Coinify, or connect your USD bank account to their OTC desk. With the OTC desk, trading fees are 3.5% plus a $30 wire fee for trades up to $2,000, but the more you trade, the lower your fees get.

The OTC desk supports the purchase of major cryptocurrencies like BTC, ETH, XRP, BCH, LTC, EOS, ETC, USDT, TUSD, PAX, and USDC. Once purchased, these can be traded for over 1,000 altcoins on the Gate.io exchange—an impressive selection for any altcoin enthusiast.

Gate.io Features

Gate.io offers a variety of features similar to other large exchanges like Bitget. You can engage in spot trading, leverage trading, futures contracts, crypto lending, and more. However, it’s important to note that some of these services aren’t officially available to Canadians due to regulatory restrictions. That said, Canadians often still access them, as there’s no strict enforcement unless Gate.io explicitly disables the services.

One feature I find particularly interesting is Gate.io’s “big data” market tracker. It provides insights into the market’s fear and greed index, liquidations, and contract positions. If you’ve never explored data about crypto markets before, this tool can be surprisingly eye-opening. For instance, it reveals market sentiment in real time—like whether more people are betting on a dip or crash by opening short positions.

To swap crypto instantly, you can use the Flash Swap option. It allows you to trade one crypto for another in just one click. 

To earn interest on your crypto you can provide liquidity to the liquidity pools. For example, providing liquidity for the NFTb/ETH pool will get you 2199% APR. 

Gate.io also has its own NFT marketplace where you can buy, sell, and mint NFTs.

There is also a new feature called copy trading where you can copy the trading strategies of Gate.io’s top earning traders. 

Gate.io also has a referral program where you can earn 40% commissions on your friends’ trades. If you decide to try them, we will highly appreciate it if you use our referral link to sign up 😉 

Gate.io Registration & Verification For Canadians

In order to use all of the features on Gate.io you will need to verify your account. First, sign up to Gate.io with a username, email and password. Once you’ve verified your email you can navigate to the verification page in your dashboard. Here, you can select to verify yourself either as an individual or as a business. 

Next, upload the front and back of your government-issued ID.

Then, upload a selfie with you holding a note your name and date and your ID. Many people feel cautious about this step but it’s a common practice for big crypto exchanges.

To verify your business, you will need to provide the same documentation as an individual in addition to your business license. 

Gate.io Fees

Fees on Gate.io vary depending on what type of trade you are making, how much your 30-day volume is, and whether or not you hold GateToken. It’s one of the lowest in the industry.

• Free crypto deposits 
• Some free crypto withdrawals minus network fees
• Other various crypto withdrawal fees
• 0.2%/0.2% maker/taker fees
• 0.15%/1.5% maker/taker fees when paid in GT
• Lower trading fees when holding 100+ GT or 0.05+ BTC
• $30 + 3.5% bank transfer for up to $2,000 (USD only)
• Various third-party fees for card payments

Gate.io Currencies & Deposit Methods

• Credit/debit card via third-party services (e.g., Coinify, Banxa, Simplex)
• USD bank transfer to the OTC desk
• Crypto deposits

While Gate.io offers a vast array of features and thousands of altcoins to trade, depositing fiat currency isn’t straightforward for Canadians. Individuals can only link a bank account that supports USD, and even business accounts don’t support Canadian dollars.

You can use a credit or debit card through third-party services listed on Gate.io, such as Coinify, Banxa, and Simplex. However, whether your Canadian bank allows such transactions depends on their policies. When I tested it, I had no issues depositing fiat this way, but the third-party fees make this option less appealing.

The simplest and most cost-effective approach for Canadians is to purchase crypto on a Canadian-friendly exchange and then transfer it to Gate.io. Personally, I use Bitget for this—it’s fast, affordable, and one of the easiest exchanges in Canada to transfer funds from. Gate.io complements Bitget well: it’s excellent for trading crypto for altcoins but not ideal for direct crypto purchases unless you’re okay with potentially high card fees.

Gate.io Security and safety

Is Gate.io safe for Canadians to use?

Yes, Gate.io is considered a reputable exchange. Forbes Advisor gave it a 4.5-star rating and recognized it as one of the best crypto exchanges of 2021. Gate.io uses a combination of hot and cold storage to safeguard customer funds. According to their website, they were the first exchange to invest millions in security and legal funds.

However, it’s worth noting that Gate.io claims full compliance with regulations, which means certain features, like futures trading, aren’t officially available to Canadians. Additionally, they reserve the right to block accounts, so there’s always some risk when using an exchange under these circumstances.

To enhance account security, you can enable two-factor authentication (2FA).

That said, I always recommend transferring your crypto assets to a personal wallet where you hold the private keys. By doing so, your assets are as secure as they can be. As the saying goes: not your keys, not your coins.

Gate.io Mobile and Desktop app

Gate.io’s mobile app ratings leave much to be desired. On iOS, it holds a 2.5-star rating from 700 reviews, and on Google Play, it has a 2.5-star rating from 10,000 reviews—quite low for a platform of its size. Based on these ratings, we’d recommend sticking to the desktop app for a smoother experience.

Many reviewers have reported issues such as difficulty logging in, non-functional 2FA, being redirected to blank pages, and an overall poor user interface. Personally, I haven’t encountered any of these problems, but it’s clear that the mobile app doesn’t meet expectations for many users.

The UI is the same as the desktop trading platform, but simply fits into a phone-sized screen. Features are not simplified much, so there is no difference in ease of use when using either desktop or mobile. 

The desktop version is just as complicated and therefore not really suitable for beginners. It offers many advanced charts and trading features. 

However, if you’re looking to simply trade one crypto to another as fast and as easy as possible, then you can use the flash swap option. Flash swap is perfect for beginners.

Gate.io Customer support

Gate.io offers a helpful help center and blog on its website, providing guidance on using its many features. They also have a live chat function and the option to submit a support request once you’re logged in, which I found convenient.

However, it’s worth mentioning that Gate.io has received numerous negative reviews on Trustpilot. Many users report issues such as being unable to withdraw funds or experiencing slow or unresponsive customer service. While my experience with their platform has been smooth, these reviews highlight areas where Gate.io could improve.

Latest Updates on Gate.io For Canadian

Gate.io now supports an impressive selection of over 2,600 cryptocurrencies and offers a range of financial products, including staking, crypto loans, Web3 services, NFTs, and access to decentralized finance (DeFi). However, CAD support for bank transfers is still unavailable, which might be inconvenient for Canadian users.

While Gate.io provides advanced trading options that experienced traders may appreciate, it can be overwhelming for beginners due to its complex interface.

The mobile app has received mixed reviews, with some users praising its functionality while others report significant issues. These varied experiences reflect the need for further refinement to make the platform more user-friendly for everyone.

Conclusion

Is Gate.io Legit?
Yes, Gate.io is a legitimate crypto exchange. However, it’s not the easiest or cheapest platform for Canadians to purchase crypto directly. While you can deposit crypto for free, Canada is listed as a disallowed country under Gate.io’s terms, so we recommend against using it. If you’re looking for similar exchanges, Bitget and Kucoin are better options. For beginners, I’d suggest skipping both and opting for Bitbuy, which is tailored specifically for Canadians and incredibly easy to use.

Gate.io shines when it comes to trading altcoins, offering access to over 1,000 cryptocurrencies. While not all of its tools and trading options are available to Canadians, features like the NFT marketplace, copy trading, and big data tools are fun and intriguing additions.

That said, Gate.io isn’t the best choice for Canadians due to the limitations we’ve outlined in this review. If you do decide to use Gate.io, we’d greatly appreciate it if you use our referral link to sign up.