Gate's Founder Is Building Crypto That Can't Be Ignored Dr. Han, PhD in optoelectronics, founded Gate in 2013 to create a secure and transparent crypto trading platform, personally building its early infrastructure. Today, Gate serves over 20 million users worldwide, combining technical innovation, strong security measures, and a long-term vision for crypto adoption and institutional growth.
By Mina Vucic
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Dr. Han did not enter the cryptocurrency world chasing hype. Trained as a scientist with a PhD in optoelectronics, his path into crypto began with curiosity—and a problem he felt compelled to solve. In 2012, while working on optoelectronics software in Canada, Han noticed a global shortage of graphics cards and traced it back to Bitcoin mining. Intrigued, he studied Bitcoin's white paper and quickly grasped its technical potential. But an early attempt to buy Bitcoin ended in fraud, exposing a lack of safe and transparent trading platforms. The experience would ultimately lead to the creation of Gate.io.
Founded in 2013, Gate was built from the ground up by Dr. Han himself, who wrote much of the platform's early code, from wallets to APIs. What started as a technically driven solution has since grown into one of the industry's most established exchanges, serving more than 20 million users globally. In 2023 alone, Gate's user base expanded by over 50 percent, growing from 13 million to more than 20 million—driven by early identification of emerging trends, from Meme coins to AI-focused blockchain projects.
Today, Gate operates across multiple regions and continues to expand its regulatory footprint, including acquiring a licensed exchange in Japan. At the same time, the company has invested in global brand-building through high-profile partnerships with Inter Milan and the Red Bull Racing Formula One team, signaling its ambition to reach beyond crypto-native audiences.
Looking ahead, Dr. Han sees Bitcoin increasingly positioned as a long-term reserve asset, particularly as institutional adoption accelerates through ETFs and sovereign interest. His advice to newcomers remains measured: education first, risk management always. More than a decade into the journey, Dr. Han continues to approach crypto with the mindset of an engineer—focused on building resilient systems designed to last, rather than chasing short-term momentum.
