Gate
Best for a full MiCA licence alongside zero-knowledge reserve proofs
How it rates
- Full MiCA licence with passporting across the EEA
- Reserve proofs combine Merkle trees with zero-knowledge verification
- Reserve ratio reported at 117%, well above parity
- Every public page we checked blocked automated retrieval
- Fee rates not verifiable without an account at this check
- Trust rank sits just outside the leading group
Each indicator scores 2, 1 or 0. A pillar is the points earned over the points available; the overall score is the weighted sum. Every source below is public — check any of them yourself.
- MetAuthorisation from a recognised financial regulator, evidenced publicly
MiCA licence via Malta (MFSA); registrations in Italy, Gibraltar, Lithuania and Dubai.
www.datawallet.com/crypto/is-gate-io-a-safe-legit-exchange - MetProof of reserves with per-account verification
Merkle plus zk-SNARK verification available to customers.
www.gate.com/proof-of-reserves - MetMost recent reserve publication within 12 months
Round published mid-2026; ratio 115–117%.
www.gate.com/announcements/article/100258 - MetReserve method documented publicly
Verification walkthrough published.
www.gate.com/learn/articles/use-gate-io-proof-of-reserves-to-verify-your - MetNo unremediated custody-loss incident on the public record (24 months)
None identified at this check; reserves independently assessed.
hacken.io/case-studies/gateio-proof-of-reserves/
- Met
- Partial
- Partial
- Partial
- Partial
- MetListed with an independent trust score
CoinGecko exchange dataset, trust score 10.
api.coingecko.com/api/v3/exchanges - Met
- Not met
- Met
- Met
- MetRegulatory status disclosed publicly
Licences enumerated in independent reporting.
www.datawallet.com/crypto/is-gate-io-a-safe-legit-exchange - MetOperating entity and jurisdiction identifiable
Malta entity named as the MiCA licence holder.
www.datawallet.com/crypto/is-gate-io-a-safe-legit-exchange - MetReserve disclosure on own domain
Programme hosted on the company's own site.
www.gate.com/proof-of-reserves - MetIndependently corroborated reserve reporting
Independent security assessment published.
hacken.io/case-studies/gateio-proof-of-reserves/ - PartialEnforcement or incident history on the public record
None identified at this check; absence is not proof.
www.gate.com/proof-of-reserves
- PartialHelp centre reachable without an account
Published at a documented URL; automated retrieval blocked at this check.
www.gate.com/help - MetPublic status page
Reachable without an account at this check (HTTP 2xx).
www.gate.com/announcements/article/100258 - PartialPublic API documentation
Published at a documented URL; automated retrieval blocked at this check.
www.gate.io/docs/developers/apiv4/ - PartialPublic fee documentation
Published at a documented URL; automated retrieval blocked at this check.
www.gate.com/fee - PartialPublic legal and terms documentation
Published at a documented URL; automated retrieval blocked at this check.
www.gate.com/terms
Gate holds a full MiCA licence through its Malta entity plus registrations in Italy, Gibraltar, Lithuania and Dubai, and publishes reserve proofs combining Merkle trees with zero-knowledge proofs at a reported 117% ratio. Its entire public surface blocks automated verification, which caps several transparency indicators at partial.
Our assessment
Gate holds one of the broadest licence footprints in this comparison — a full MiCA licence through its Malta entity plus registrations in Italy, Gibraltar, Lithuania and Dubai — and publishes reserve proofs that combine Merkle-tree verification with zero-knowledge proofs. Every public page we tested blocked automated retrieval, which is what keeps the score below the leaders.
Licensing breadth
The Malta licence covers exchange and custody with passporting across the European Economic Area, and the additional national registrations mean its regulatory position is stated rather than inferred. Among venues that continued serving EU users through the 2026 enforcement deadline, this is a strong position.
Reserves with both proof types
The reserve dashboard uses Merkle trees and zero-knowledge proofs together, letting a customer confirm inclusion in the audited total. Public reporting put the overall reserve ratio at 117% in July 2026, above the 100% that parity would require. Independent security assessment of the programme has also been published, which few venues in this table can show.
Everything else is behind a wall
Fees, help centre, API documentation and terms all returned an automated-access block. Our rubric treats that as partial rather than a failure — the pages exist and a person can read them — but it means an independent reader cannot verify Gate's disclosures the way they can with Kraken or Binance. Across four indicators that adds up to roughly a point and a half of score.
Who it suits
Gate fits readers who want wide asset coverage from a licensed EU-facing venue and are not troubled by having to open pages manually to check them. Readers who value machine-verifiable disclosure — or who simply want to compare fees quickly before committing — will find that easier elsewhere.
How rivals compare
Frequently asked
Is Gate licensed in the EU?
Its Malta entity holds a full MiCA licence for exchange and custody, passportable across the European Economic Area.
How does Gate's proof of reserves work?
It combines Merkle-tree verification with zero-knowledge proofs, letting a customer confirm inclusion without revealing other users' balances. The July 2026 round reported 117%.
Why do several Gate indicators score partial?
Its public pages block automated retrieval. The rubric records that as partial rather than a failure, since the pages are published and readable by a person.