Crypto exchange Gate crossed 30 million active users worldwide last week, with the crypto exchange's founder calling the milestone "deeply meaningful."

Gate CEO Dr. Han told Decrypt that the exchange's growth over its 12-year lifespan is "honestly incredible," especially considering the high levels of competition in the digital assets sector.

30 million and counting!

Gate just crossed 30M global users, and we're only getting started!

🔹Top 2 in 24h spot volume
🔹Fastest growing CEX in derivative market share
🔹Top 3 CEX worldwide

More users mean more liquidity and a stronger network effect. The next-gen CEX is… pic.twitter.com/RM7DCVo9D4

— Gate (@Gate_io) July 1, 2025

"It means people trust us, and that trust is something we take seriously every single day," he added.

The milestone comes weeks after the trading platform marked its 12th anniversary with a colorful rebrand and a brand-new domain name: Gate.com.

"Not many platforms in this space make it that far, and it made me reflect on how much we've grown," Dr. Han added.

When asked what's been the driving force behind the Gate community's growth, he noted that asset security has been the "top priority" since day one—with the exchange becoming the first to commit to 100% reserve holdings.

"We've also worked hard to give users access to the most diverse range of digital assets, more than 3,600 tokens," Dr. Han added. "So no matter what part of the market they're exploring, they can find it on Gate."

The CEO told Decrypt that Gate's consistency in being technology driven, user first and committed to long-term growth "has helped us weather market cycles and continue growing," rather than chasing hype.

Dr. Han said: "I believe that for any exchange to lead in the long run, it needs five key capabilities: the ability to serve billions of users, support millions of tokens, execute trillions in trades, provide custody for trillions in funds, and adhere to compliance with global regulations. It’s what we're building everyday at Gate."

The crypto entrepreneur believes there's no room for complacency, meaning continued innovation is crucial as the industry grows at breakneck speed. Equally, Dr. Han admitted there have been hurdles on the road to 30 million active users.

"The crypto space is evolving faster than ever, with new technologies, methods, and ideas emerging constantly," he said. "Rapid growth brings its own challenges, whether it is maintaining a seamless user experience, ensuring security at scale, or adapting our internal workflows. We have tackled these by investing heavily in technology, building a dedicated team, and always listening closely to our community."

Gate is now one of the world's top three exchanges by trading volume and liquidity, with Dr. Han stressing such healthy levels of adoption don't happen by chance: "It comes from consistently delivering secure, efficient, and user-centric products."

As part of its vision to become a "next-generation crypto exchange," Gate has been building a full ecosystem of products—and blending the innovation of Web3 with the "safety and speed" of a centralized platform.

"We also launched Gate Wallet as a unified asset hub, combining trading, staking, strategy tools, and even NFT management into one secure interface," Dr. Han said. "Beyond that, our Earn products, like Launchpool and HODLer Airdrop, are designed to reward participation with minimal complexity. These are not just products; they are onramps for new users and tools for long-term engagement."

Dr. Han added he’s looking forward to opportunities and innovations that will define the years to come. In the short term, top priorities include building upon the launch of Gate Wallet Touch, a secure hardware card that helps users protect their assets. Compliance is also a key focal point for Gate Group, with the company recently obtaining a VASP license in Dubai and acquiring the Japanese exchange Coin Master.

"We’re strengthening our presence in key global markets to ensure more users can engage with crypto safely and legally," he said.

For Dr. Han, Gate’s future growth will build on the three pillars of “deeper regional engagement, product innovation, and ecosystem partnerships." Localization is particularly important, he added, because users “want products that reflect their language, regulatory environment, and financial habits."

Over the next decade, Dr. Han believes "regulation, AI and real-world integration" will dominate discussion. Artificial intelligence is already transforming how users engage with financial systems—with the CEO predicting tokenization and decentralized identities are "major themes that will pull crypto further into mainstream finance."

Whatever happens, he said, Gate is ready to onboard the next 30 million users—and back startups that push the boundaries of blockchain technology.