Gate.io vs KuCoin Comparison
| 0.1% spot (maker and taker) | Fees | 0.1% maker/taker (spot) |
| MiCA licence via MFSA (Malta) | Regulation | MiCA licence from the FMA (Austria) since 27 Nov 2025, FMA does not yet permit commencement of operations |
Cost comparison
The basis is a Bitcoin purchase worth €1,000, calculated from the disclosed trading fee. A price markup in the spread is not included, because most providers do not publish it.
| 0.1% spot (maker and taker) | Fees | 0.1% maker/taker (spot) |
| ~$10 USD | Minimum Amount | €10 per order (BTC/EUR) |
Pros & Cons
- 1,700+ coins – one of the largest selections worldwide
- MiCA CASP and payment licences (MFSA Malta)
- Low fees from around 0.1%, with GT discounts
- Early access to new listings
- The interface is overwhelming for beginners
- Thin liquidity on very small coins
- Support is primarily in English
- 700+ coins – a vast altcoin selection
- Low fees from 0.1% on spot, with KCS discounts
- MiCA CASP licence (FMA Austria, November 2025)
- Wide feature set: spot, futures, bots, earn products
- EU operations not yet cleared despite the licence (as of July 2026)
- Historically no local European support structures
- 2023 US settlement still weighs on its record
Score Comparison
User Experiences
AI AnalysisInvesting in crypto assets carries a high level of risk, up to and including total loss of capital. This is not investment advice. Figures as of July 2026, without guarantee – check current conditions with the provider.
Features
- The altcoin-selection champion, now with a MiCA licence
- Altcoin heavyweight with 700+ coins
- MiCA licence in hand, EU launch still pending – worth watching
The five areas head to head
AI AnalysisFees & Costs
Spot: from around 0.1% maker/taker, with discounts when paying in GT. Futures fees are lower (as of July 2026).
Spot: from 0.1% maker/taker, with discounts when paying in KCS. Futures are cheaper. Deposit and withdrawal costs depend on the method (as of July 2026).
Details
| Gate Technology Ltd | Company | KuCoin EU Exchange GmbH |
| 2013 | Founded | 2017 |
| MiCA licence via MFSA (Malta) | Regulation | MiCA licence from the FMA (Austria) since 27 Nov 2025, FMA does not yet permit commencement of operations |
| ~$10 USD | Minimum Amount | €10 per order (BTC/EUR) |
Verdict
In our overall rating KuCoin leads with 3.9 against 3.7 for Gate.io.
Neither provider reaches 4.0 out of 5 in our rating, so we do not give an unreserved recommendation here.
If you want early access to new and obscure coins, few venues come close to Gate.io – and it now has a genuine MiCA basis out of Malta. The platform is powerful but can feel overloaded for newcomers; for experienced altcoin traders it is one of the more interesting regulated options as of July 2026.
KuCoin has been a fixture for altcoin traders for years. Its EU position, however, is complicated as of July 2026: the Austrian MiCA licence has been granted, but the exchange has not yet been cleared to begin EU operations while the process runs its course. If regulatory certainty inside the EU is your priority, fully operational MiCA venues such as Bitpanda, Bybit EU or Kraken are the safer bet for now.