How to Sign Up for Gate (Gate.io) in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide + Referral Code VFIWUQTAUQ for 10% Off Fees, Lifetime

A complete, honest walkthrough of opening a Gate account — its real security history (including the parts other sites omit), how to register and verify step by step, exactly where to enter referral code VFIWUQTAUQ for a verified lifetime 10% fee discount, country availability, fees, and how Gate compares to Binance, KuCoin, Bybit and MEXC.

Updated June 2026 · Nakta

Quick answer

Gate (formerly Gate.io, now Gate.com) is one of the oldest crypto exchanges — founded 2013 — and lists 3,800+ coins, one of the largest selections anywhere.
Gate referral code: enter VFIWUQTAUQ at sign-up for 10% off trading fees, for life — verified via the referral dashboard, not copied from other sites. It can’t be added after registration.
Honest history: Gate suffered a ~$230M hack in 2018 that wasn’t disclosed at the time (revealed 2023) and a small ETC 51%-attack loss in 2019; since then it has 120%+ zk proof of reserves, a MiCA licence in the EU, an FSA-registered Japan entity, and no known user-fund loss.
Sign-up takes ~10–15 minutes: register → enter the code → verify ID (KYC, usually minutes) → enable authenticator-app 2FA → deposit and buy.
Not available to residents of the US, UK, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Singapore and some other countries — check the country section.
Crypto is high-risk and this is not investment advice; most individual losses come from phished accounts and reckless altcoin bets, not the exchange.

What this guide covers
1. Quick answer: signing up for Gate (and the referral code)
2. Is Gate legit and safe? An honest review — including its hack history
3. Gate at a glance
4. Gate pros & cons
5. What you need before you sign up
6. How to sign up for Gate — step by step
7. How to enter referral code VFIWUQTAUQ (10% off fees, lifetime)
8. How to verify your identity (KYC)
9. How to secure your Gate account
10. How to deposit & buy your first crypto on Gate
11. Gate fees explained (and how to pay less)
12. Gate features overview (what to use, what to avoid)
13. Is Gate available in your country? (the honest list)
14. Common sign-up problems & how to fix them
15. Gate vs Binance, KuCoin, Bybit and MEXC
16. Is Gate right for you?
17. Next steps

Gate — founded in 2013, longer ago than Binance, Bybit or OKX existed, and rebranded from Gate.io to Gate.com in 2025 — has carved out a clear identity among crypto exchanges: it lists more coins than almost anyone (3,800+), publishes zero-knowledge proof that its reserves exceed 120% of user balances, and holds real regulatory footholds including an EU MiCA licence, an FSA-registered Japanese entity, and a place on Türkiye’s SPK operating list. This guide takes you from zero to your first trade, honestly: Gate’s genuine security history — including the 2018 hack most referral sites won’t mention — how to create and verify your account step by step, exactly where to enter referral code VFIWUQTAUQ for a lifetime 10% fee discount we verified through the referral dashboard itself, how to secure the account against the phishing that causes most real-world losses, how deposits, purchases and fees actually work, whether Gate serves your country (several big ones are excluded — we list them plainly), and how Gate compares with Binance, KuCoin, Bybit and MEXC. Crypto is high-risk and nothing here is investment advice — but if Gate fits your country and your plan, this is everything you need to start with lower fees and a properly locked-down account.

1. Quick answer: signing up for Gate (and the referral code)

Gate (formerly Gate.io, rebranded Gate.com in 2025) is one of the longest-running crypto exchanges in the world — founded in 2013 — and is best known for listing more cryptocurrencies than almost any other platform. Signing up takes about 10–15 minutes: register with your email, verify your identity, secure the account with two-factor authentication, and you’re ready to trade.

If you want lower fees from day one, there’s one thing you must do during registration:

Gate referral code: enter VFIWUQTAUQ in the “Referral/Invite code” field when you sign up to get 10% off your Gate trading fees — for life. The code can only be entered at sign-up; it cannot be added after your account exists. Using it costs you nothing extra.

This guide covers the whole journey honestly: whether Gate is safe and legit (including its past security incidents — we don’t hide them), how to create and verify your account step by step, exactly where the referral code goes, how to lock your account down, how to deposit and buy your first crypto, how Gate’s fees really work, whether Gate is available in your country, and how it compares to Binance, Bybit, KuCoin and MEXC.

2. Is Gate legit and safe? An honest review — including its hack history

Before you hand any platform your ID and money, ask the hard question first: is Gate legit — and what’s its real track record? Here’s the honest version, including the parts most referral sites leave out.

Is Gate legit? Yes. Gate was founded in 2013 by Lin Han, making it one of the oldest crypto exchanges still operating — older than Binance, Bybit, or OKX. It reports over 50 million registered users, consistently ranks among the largest exchanges by trading volume, and in 2025 rebranded from Gate.io to Gate.com with a major compliance push.

Has Gate ever been hacked? Honestly — yes, years ago. You deserve the full picture:

Incident	What happened
2018 hack (~$230M)	In 2023, on-chain investigator ZachXBT presented evidence that Gate.io was hacked for roughly $230 million in April 2018, attributed to North Korea’s Lazarus group — and that the incident was not disclosed at the time. Gate did not directly confirm the details. Users continued to be paid out normally, but the lack of disclosure is a legitimate criticism.
2019 ETC 51% attack (~$200k)	Attackers double-spent Ethereum Classic against several exchanges. Gate disclosed this one openly, absorbed the ~$200k loss itself, and no user funds were affected. The attacker later returned about half.
Since 2019	No publicly known breach of user funds. Gate has since built one of the industry’s stronger transparency records (below).

What Gate does right today:

Security/trust factor	What to know
Proof of Reserves (zk-SNARK)	Gate was one of the first exchanges to publish 100%+ proof of reserves, and now uses zero-knowledge cryptography to prove it holds more than users’ balances. Recent audits show a reserve ratio above 120% with reserves in the $10B+ range across hundreds of assets, updated monthly.
Licences	A MiCA licence in the EU (via Malta’s MFSA, 2025), an FSA-registered Japanese entity (Gate Japan K.K., No. 00018), inclusion on Türkiye’s SPK list of operating crypto platforms, and other regional registrations.
Fund protection	90%+ of assets in cold storage, an insurance/risk fund reported at $200M+, ISO 27001 certification.
Account tools	2FA, anti-phishing code, withdrawal whitelist, fund password — using them is what keeps your account safe.

The honest bottom line: Gate’s distant past includes a serious hack and a disclosure failure — we won’t pretend otherwise. Its recent record is strong: 120%+ provable reserves, real licences, and no known user-fund loss since 2019. As with every exchange: keep long-term holdings in a wallet you control, and remember most individual losses come from phishing, not exchange failures — see our crypto scams guide.

3. Gate at a glance

A quick snapshot of what you’re signing up for:

Gate — at a glance
Founded	2013 (one of the oldest exchanges still operating); rebranded Gate.io → Gate.com in May 2025
Size	50M+ registered users (self-reported); consistently a top exchange by volume
Cryptocurrencies	3,800+ coins — one of the largest selections of any exchange, especially small/new altcoins
Spot trading fee	From 0.1% (lower with GT-token deduction and VIP levels) — 10% off for life with referral code VFIWUQTAUQ
Proof of reserves	zk-SNARK proof of reserves, ratio above 120%, published monthly
Licences	EU MiCA (Malta MFSA) · Japan FSA No. 00018 (separate local entity) · on Türkiye’s SPK operating list
Apps	iOS, Android, desktop and web
Best for	Altcoin variety — finding coins before they reach bigger exchanges — at low fees
Watch-outs	Not available in the US, UK, Japan, South Korea and some other countries (see the country section); thousands of small coins = thousands of risky coins

4. Gate pros & cons

No exchange is perfect. Here’s the balanced view before you commit.

Pros 👍	Cons 👎
3,800+ coins — new and niche altcoins list here first, often years before bigger exchanges	A huge coin list cuts both ways: most tiny altcoins are high-risk and many go to zero
Low fees: spot from 0.1%, minus 10% for life with code VFIWUQTAUQ	Unavailable in the US, UK, Japan, South Korea and several other countries
120%+ zk-proof of reserves, published monthly — among the best transparency in the industry	A 2018 hack was not disclosed at the time (revealed in 2023) — a fair criticism of its past
13 years of operating history; MiCA/FSA/SPK regulatory footholds	The interface is dense — more “trading platform” than “beginner app”
Full feature set: spot, futures, Earn, Launchpool, copy trading, P2P	Futures/margin/leverage are high-risk and not for beginners

Beginner takeaway: Gate’s superpower is coin selection. If you mainly want Bitcoin and Ethereum, any major exchange works; if you also want access to smaller altcoins without juggling five platforms, Gate is one of the strongest choices — start small, ignore leverage, and secure the account first.

5. What you need before you sign up

Signing up is quick. Have these ready and the whole process takes about 10–15 minutes:

An email address (or phone number) — to create the account.
A strong, unique password — not reused from any other site; a password manager helps.
A government-issued ID — passport, national ID, or driver’s licence for identity verification (KYC). Gate requires KYC for trading and withdrawals.
Your phone — for an authenticator app (the secure form of two-factor authentication).
The referral code VFIWUQTAUQ — entered during sign-up for the lifetime 10% fee discount.

One safety rule before you start: only reach Gate by typing gate.com yourself or via an official app-store listing — never from a search ad, email, or DM. Fake exchange login pages are a standard phishing trap. Bookmark the real site once you’re in.

6. How to sign up for Gate — step by step

Here’s the full step-by-step. Step 4 is where the referral code and your lifetime fee discount happen.

Go to the official Gate website or app. Type gate.com yourself, or install the app from the official App Store / Google Play listing and verify the developer name.
Click “Sign up.” Choose email (or phone) registration.
Enter your email and create a strong password. Long, unique, never reused.
Enter the referral code. On the registration form there’s a “Referral/Invite code” field — sometimes folded behind a small “Referral code (optional)” link you tap to reveal. Type VFIWUQTAUQ there. This is what attaches your lifetime 10% trading-fee discount, and it can only be done now.
Verify your email. Gate sends a confirmation code; enter it.
Complete identity verification (KYC). Upload your ID and pass the quick selfie/liveness check (next section). Approval is usually minutes.
Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) immediately — authenticator app, not SMS where possible (security section below).
Deposit and make your first purchase.

Tip: registering in the app and can’t see a referral field? Look for “Referral code (optional)” on the sign-up screen before you submit. Once the account exists, the code can’t be applied retroactively — that’s a platform rule on Gate, Binance, and every major exchange.

7. How to enter referral code VFIWUQTAUQ (10% off fees, lifetime)

This is the part people most often miss, so here it is on its own. Gate referral code: VFIWUQTAUQ. Entering it at sign-up gives you 10% off your trading fees, for life — applied automatically, at no cost to you. We verified this benefit directly through Gate’s referral program dashboard rather than copying numbers from other websites.

Question	Answer
What is the code?	VFIWUQTAUQ
What do I get?	10% off trading fees — lifetime, applied automatically
Where do I enter it?	The “Referral/Invite code” field on the registration screen
When?	During sign-up only — it cannot be added after the account is created
Does it cost me anything?	No — it lowers your fees; it never raises them

You can also scan the QR below to open the official Gate sign-up with the referral already applied:

Gate.io

Gate.io signup QR — scan to open Gate.io (Cryptonakta referral) Sign up →

Code: VFIWUQTAUQ

Installing the app directly? Enter VFIWUQTAUQ in the “Referral” field at sign-up — that’s how the fee discount (and our credit) attaches.

Official sign-up · referral applied · 10% off fees for life

Affiliate disclosure: some links are partner links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This is not investment advice.

Forgot to enter it? Honestly: if your account is already created, the code can’t be added afterward. If you haven’t registered yet, enter VFIWUQTAUQ before you finish — that’s the only window. Exchange promotions beyond the fee discount vary by time and region; the sign-up page always shows the current ones.

8. How to verify your identity (KYC)

Identity verification (KYC) is required on Gate, as on every serious exchange. It’s normal, it’s an anti-fraud measure, and it unlocks trading, deposits and withdrawals.

Open Verification (your profile → Identity Verification, or the prompt right after sign-up).
Enter your personal details exactly as they appear on your ID.
Upload your government ID — passport, national ID card, or driver’s licence. Clear photos, no glare, whole document in frame.
Complete the selfie/liveness check — follow the on-screen prompts.
Wait for approval. Gate uses automated verification that typically completes within minutes; busy periods can stretch to hours.

Tips for fast approval: photograph the physical document (not a screenshot), use good lighting, match your name exactly to the ID, and keep the whole document visible. Rejections are almost always a blurry or cropped photo — just retake.

9. How to secure your Gate account

Do this right after signing up, before depositing anything meaningful. The most common way people lose crypto is a phished or hijacked account — not an exchange collapse.

Security setting	Why it matters
Authenticator-app 2FA	Turn on two-factor authentication with an authenticator app rather than SMS where possible (SIM-swap risk). The single most important setting on any exchange.
Fund password	Gate supports a separate fund password required for withdrawals and trades — a second wall even if your login is compromised.
Anti-phishing code	Set a personal phrase that genuine Gate emails will display; fakes won’t have it.
Withdrawal whitelist	Restrict withdrawals to addresses you pre-approved.
Unique password + manager	Never reuse passwords across sites.

The rules that stop account theft: Gate will never ask for your password or 2FA code; real support never DMs you first; nobody legitimate needs remote access to your device. Anyone breaking these rules is a scammer — the patterns are catalogued in our crypto scams guide. For long-term holdings, use a wallet you control.

10. How to deposit & buy your first crypto on Gate

With the account verified and secured, you can fund it and buy your first crypto. Methods vary by country:

Method	How it works	Notes
Crypto deposit	Transfer crypto you already own (e.g., USDT) from another exchange or wallet	Free on Gate’s side; mind the network and a small test amount first
Card purchase	Buy crypto with a debit/credit card	Fast; processing fees are higher than other routes
P2P trading	Buy from other users with local payment methods, escrowed by Gate	Useful where card/bank rails are limited; check seller ratings
Third-party providers	Integrated on-ramp partners	Convenience varies by region — compare the quoted total price

To make your first purchase: most beginners either deposit USDT and buy on the spot market, or use the simple buy flow for Bitcoin or Ethereum. On the spot market, a market order fills instantly at the current price — that’s all you need at the start.

Start small. Run one tiny end-to-end cycle first — deposit, buy, withdraw a little to your wallet — before committing real money. New to all of this? Begin with our complete beginner’s guide to crypto.

11. Gate fees explained (and how to pay less)

Gate’s fees are straightforward and competitive. Here’s what you’ll actually pay — and how the referral discount stacks.

Fee type	What it is
Spot trading fee	From 0.1% per trade at the standard tier. Example: a $100 trade costs about $0.10.
Referral discount	Code VFIWUQTAUQ takes 10% off your trading fees for life — applied automatically from sign-up.
GT deduction	Paying fees in GT (Gate’s exchange token) gives an additional discount, and VIP tiers lower fees further with volume.
Futures fees	Lower than spot (entry tiers around 0.02% maker / 0.05% taker) — but futures themselves are high-risk and not for beginners.
Deposits/withdrawals	Crypto deposits are free; withdrawals cost a network fee that varies by coin and chain. Card purchases carry processing fees.

How to pay the least: sign up with VFIWUQTAUQ (the only step you can’t do later), trade on the spot market rather than “instant buy,” consider the GT fee deduction if you trade often, and prefer cheap networks when withdrawing. Fee schedules change — the official fee page always has the current numbers.

12. Gate features overview (what to use, what to avoid)

You don’t need most of this on day one — but it’s worth knowing what one Gate account can do, and what to leave alone.

Feature	What it’s for	Beginner?
Spot trading	Buy/sell 3,800+ coins on the open market	✅ Start here (market orders)
Simple buy / P2P	On-ramp from local currency	✅ Where available
Earn	Yield on idle assets (flexible/fixed)	⚠️ Read terms; yields vary and carry risk
Launchpool / Startup	New-token launch participation	⚠️ Popular but speculative — research every project
Copy trading	Mirror other traders’ positions	⚠️ Past performance guarantees nothing
Futures / Margin	Leveraged trading	❌ High risk — beginners should avoid

Honest warning twice over: first, leverage wipes out beginners — most “lost money on an exchange” stories are leverage stories. Second, Gate’s 3,800+ coins include thousands of micro-cap tokens; easy listing access means many will fail. Wide selection is a tool, not a recommendation — stick to assets you’ve actually researched (start with how blockchains work).

13. Is Gate available in your country? (the honest list)

Gate’s availability depends on where you live — and this is where we’re more direct than most referral sites, because their terms genuinely exclude several big countries.

Region	Status (per Gate’s terms, 2026 — verify current rules on the official site)
Not available	United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, mainland China, India, UAE and several others. If you live in these, global Gate.com won’t onboard you.
European Union	Served under Gate’s MiCA licence (Malta MFSA, 2025) via its EU entity — sign-up flow and product range may differ slightly from the global platform.
Japan	A separate FSA-registered local entity, Gate Japan K.K. (No. 00018), operates independently — the global platform and this referral code don’t apply there.
Türkiye	Gate’s Turkish entity appears on the SPK’s list of operating crypto-asset service providers.
Most of Latin America, Southeast Asia, Africa, Taiwan	Generally available on the global platform (Argentina and Venezuela are excluded per the terms).

How to check in 30 seconds: open the official site from your country and start registration — if your country isn’t offered or verification can’t complete, it’s restricted for you. In that case, our best crypto exchanges guide compares trustworthy alternatives by region.

14. Common sign-up problems & how to fix them

Most sign-up issues have quick fixes:

Problem	Fix
KYC rejected	Almost always a photo issue: retake in good light, full document in frame, physical ID (not a screenshot), name matching exactly.
No email code	Check spam, wait a minute, resend; confirm the address; whitelist Gate’s domain.
“Invalid referral code”	Re-type VFIWUQTAUQ exactly (no spaces). If the field misbehaves, the QR/button in this guide opens sign-up with the referral pre-applied.
Forgot the code	It cannot be added after registration — platform rule, not a bug. It only works at sign-up.
Country not selectable	Your country is restricted (see the section above) — use a regulated alternative from our exchanges guide rather than tricks that risk frozen funds at withdrawal time.
Locked out / lost 2FA	Use the official account-recovery flow only. Anyone DMing you “support” is a scammer.
Deposit not credited	Crypto needs network confirmations; check the transaction hash in a block explorer first. Wrong-network deposits are the classic cause — always match the network exactly.

15. Gate vs Binance, KuCoin, Bybit and MEXC

How does Gate actually stack up against the other majors? The honest one-line answer: Gate wins on coin selection and reserve transparency; Binance wins on liquidity; each has a place.

Exchange	Known for	Verified referral benefit here
Gate	3,800+ coins (the altcoin library), 120%+ zk proof of reserves, 13-year history	VFIWUQTAUQ — 10% off fees, lifetime (verified)
Binance	World #1 by volume and liquidity, broadest fiat rails	CRYPTONAKTA — 10% off spot fees (verified)
KuCoin	Also altcoin-rich, simple app	CXEM4JP5 — 5% off fees, lifetime (verified)
Bybit	Derivatives platform popular with active traders	5ZGKX#0 — new-user rewards shown at sign-up
MEXC	0% spot maker fee, fast new listings	43zJH — new-user benefits shown at sign-up

Unlike most referral sites, we only print a number when we’ve verified it through the actual referral dashboard — that’s why some rows say “shown at sign-up” instead of an invented percentage. Full platform-by-platform comparison (fees, security, country availability): our best crypto exchanges guide.

Comparing in depth? KuCoin now has its own full guide: KuCoin sign-up guide (5% off fees, lifetime — verified), and the Binance walkthrough is in our Binance referral guide.

16. Is Gate right for you?

To keep it honest — Gate isn’t automatically right for everyone. The quick read:

Gate is a great fit if you…	Consider an alternative if you…
Want one account with access to thousands of altcoins, early	Live in the US, UK, Japan, South Korea or another restricted country
Value provable 120%+ reserves and a long operating history	Only ever want Bitcoin/Ethereum with the simplest possible app
Want low fees (0.1% spot, −10% for life with VFIWUQTAUQ)	Want deep liquidity on large orders above all — Binance leads there
Will secure the account and skip leverage	Are tempted by 3,800 coins to gamble on — selection ≠ endorsement

Our take: as a second exchange for altcoin access — or a first exchange for users in supported regions who want variety plus transparency — Gate has earned its place. Sign up with VFIWUQTAUQ for the lifetime 10% fee discount, enable 2FA before depositing, and start small.

17. Next steps

You now know the full picture: Gate’s honest track record, how to register and verify, exactly where to enter referral code VFIWUQTAUQ for the lifetime 10% fee discount, how to secure the account, and whether your country is served. The best next move is small and practical — finish sign-up with the code, turn on authenticator-app 2FA before depositing, and run one tiny deposit-buy-withdraw cycle to learn the flow. As holdings grow, move long-term funds to a wallet you control and learn the traps in our crypto scams guide. New to crypto entirely? Start with the complete beginner’s guide, understand Bitcoin, Ethereum and how blockchains work, and compare every major platform in our best crypto exchanges guide. Start small, secure the account, and learn as you go.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Is there a Gate (Gate.io) referral code?

Yes. The Gate referral code is VFIWUQTAUQ. Enter it in the “Referral/Invite code” field during sign-up and you get 10% off your trading fees for life. It must be entered during registration — it cannot be added afterward — and using it costs you nothing extra.

Q. How much discount does the Gate referral code give?

Referral code VFIWUQTAUQ gives a 10% discount on your Gate trading fees, applied automatically and permanently from the moment you register with it. We verified this benefit through Gate’s own referral dashboard rather than repeating numbers from other websites.

Q. Where do I enter the Gate referral code?

On the registration form, in the “Referral/Invite code” field — on some screens you first tap “Referral code (optional)” to reveal it. Type VFIWUQTAUQ there before completing sign-up. After the account exists, the code can no longer be applied.

Q. Is Gate.io the same as Gate.com?

Yes. The exchange was founded in 2013 and operated as Gate.io for years; in May 2025 it rebranded to Gate.com with a new logo and domain. Same company, same accounts — older articles and app listings may still say Gate.io.

Q. Is Gate legit and safe?

Gate is a legitimate exchange operating since 2013 — one of the oldest in crypto — with 50M+ reported users, an EU MiCA licence, an FSA-registered Japanese entity and 120%+ zero-knowledge proof of reserves published monthly. Honestly, its past isn’t spotless: a ~$230M hack in 2018 wasn’t disclosed at the time (revealed in 2023), and a small ETC 51%-attack loss hit in 2019. Since 2019 there’s been no known loss of user funds, and its current transparency ranks among the industry’s best.

Q. Has Gate ever been hacked?

Yes, historically. In 2018 roughly $230M was stolen, attributed to North Korea’s Lazarus group — Gate didn’t disclose it at the time, which came to light through on-chain investigator ZachXBT in 2023. In 2019 it lost about $200k to an Ethereum Classic 51% attack, which it disclosed openly and absorbed without user losses. Since then no breach of user funds is publicly known, and Gate now publishes 120%+ proof of reserves monthly. We state all this plainly so you can judge with full information.

Q. What is Gate’s proof of reserves and why does it matter?

Proof of reserves is published evidence that an exchange actually holds users’ assets. Gate was among the first to publish 100%+ reserves and now uses zk-SNARK cryptography; recent reports show reserves above 120% of user balances across hundreds of assets, updated monthly. It doesn’t eliminate every risk, but it directly addresses the failure mode that destroyed FTX — claiming assets it didn’t hold.

Q. How long does Gate verification (KYC) take?

Usually minutes — Gate’s verification is automated. Use clear photos of your physical government ID with the whole document in frame, and make sure your name matches exactly. Busy periods can stretch approval to a few hours.

Q. Do I have to verify my identity to use Gate?

Yes. KYC is required for trading and withdrawals on Gate, as on every serious regulated exchange. Have a passport, national ID or driver’s licence ready; the process takes a few minutes.

Q. Is it free to create a Gate account?

Yes — registration and verification cost nothing. You pay fees only when trading (spot from 0.1%, minus 10% for life with code VFIWUQTAUQ) and small network fees when withdrawing crypto.

Q. What are Gate’s trading fees?

Spot fees start at 0.1% per trade at the standard tier and fall with GT-token fee deduction and VIP volume levels. Referral code VFIWUQTAUQ cuts 10% off for life. Futures entry tiers run around 0.02% maker / 0.05% taker. Fee schedules change — check Gate’s official fee page for current numbers.

Q. What is the GT token?

GT (GateToken) is Gate’s exchange token. Holding or paying fees in GT reduces trading fees further and unlocks platform perks. It’s optional — useful if you trade frequently, unnecessary for a beginner’s first purchase.

Q. Can I use Gate in the United States or United Kingdom?

No. Gate’s terms exclude residents of the US and UK (along with Japan, South Korea, Canada, Singapore and some others) from the global platform. EU residents are served under Gate’s MiCA licence via its European entity. If you’re in a restricted country, use a regulated alternative — our best crypto exchanges guide compares options by region. Avoid VPN workarounds: they risk frozen funds at withdrawal.

Q. How many coins does Gate list?

Over 3,800 cryptocurrencies — one of the largest selections of any exchange, and many small or new tokens list on Gate long before bigger platforms. Honest flip side: most micro-cap tokens are extremely risky and many go to zero. Selection is a tool, not a recommendation.

Q. I forgot to enter the referral code — can I add it later?

No. On Gate (and every major exchange) referral codes only work during registration and can’t be applied retroactively. If you haven’t registered yet, enter VFIWUQTAUQ in the referral field before finishing — that’s the only window.

Q. Is Gate good for beginners?

Yes with guardrails: the sign-up, KYC and simple spot buying are beginner-friendly, and fees are low. The interface is denser than beginner-only apps, and the huge altcoin list invites gambling — stick to spot purchases of assets you’ve researched, enable 2FA, and avoid futures/leverage entirely at the start.

Q. Should I keep my crypto on Gate?

Active trading amounts, yes — that’s what exchanges are for, and Gate’s 120%+ proof of reserves is reassuring. Long-term holdings are safer in a wallet you control (“not your keys, not your coins”). Our crypto wallet guide covers setting one up properly.

This article is for information and education only and is not investment, financial, or legal advice. Crypto is high-risk and you can lose money. Exchange features, fees, availability and policies change over time and vary by country — always verify current details on the official Gate site and confirm what’s legal where you live. The referral code provides the fee discount described at sign-up; confirm the exact benefit on the registration page. Security-history details reflect public reporting as of June 2026. Some links are partner links: using them costs you nothing extra and never changes what we recommend.