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Crypto.com vs. Gate.io: What Works Better For Canadians in 2024

Oleg Galeev

Last updated December 27, 2023

In the ever-expanding landscape of cryptocurrency, Crypto.com and Gate.io emerge as two notable exchanges, both bringing unique features to the table. While Crypto.com stands out for its comprehensive suite of services and intuitive interface, Gate.io is renowned for its vast array of altcoins and advanced trading tools.

Description

Crypto.com is a crypto exchange that is gaining popularity in Canada. It offers its own coin (CRO), staking, lending, NFTs, and pre-paid Visa crypto cards offering cashback. Crypto.com offers everything in one place and is suitable for Canadians looking for an easy way to buy crypto.

Launched in 2013, Gate.io is one of the top cryptocurrency exchanges in the world with $12 billion+ daily trading volume. However, Canada is on the list of disallowed countries under Gate.io terms same as the US and many other counties. Because of this, they can randomly block your account at any time so we WOULD NOT recommend using it. If you are looking for a similar exchange, we would recommend using Bitget instead or checking our list of the best crypto exchanges in Canada.

Coins

150+

1000+

Fees

Free deposits
Variable Withdrawal fees
Send crypto to other crypto.com users for free
0.04 to 0.4% maker/taker fees

Free crypto deposits
Some free crypto withdrawals minus network fees
Other various crypto withdrawal fees
0.2%/0.2% maker/taker fees
0.15%/1.5% maker/taker fees when paid in GT
Lower trading fees when holding 100+ GT or 0.05+ BTC
$30 + 3.5% bank transfer for up to $2,000 (USD only)
Various third-party fees for card payments

Pros

Wide range of coins available
Suitable for beginners and pro traders
Interac e-Transfer available
Deposits take up to one day to process
Visa cards
Staking
NFT marketplace
20+ fiat currencies supported
Free deposits

Thousands of altcoins available to trade
Advanced trading features and tools
Unique features
Comprehensive help and data available
Low trading fees
Get additional benefits by holding GateToken
OTC Desk
NFT marketplace

Cons

No crypto education articles
Poor customer service

Not allowed in Canada
CAD bank accounts not supported
Must use third-party for card purchases
Some trading options not available to Canadians
Not beginner-friendly
Bad app reviews

Account Limits

Low

No major limits

App

Methods to buy

Interac e-Transfer

Credit/debit card using third-party service
USD bank transfer to OTC desk
Crypto deposits

Security

100% coins held in cold storage
Ledger Vault partnership
Multi-factor authentication
Mandatory whitelisting of withdrawal addresses

Hot and cold storage to keep customer funds safe
2FA

Mobile and Desktop Trading

Crypto.com offers a highly-rated mobile application with 4.5 stars on the App Store and 4.5 stars on Google Play, indicative of a smooth and user-friendly experience. The desktop version complements the mobile app by providing a seamless trading experience. Gate.io's platform, albeit slightly more complex, offers a comprehensive set of tools and options for seasoned traders. Its mobile app has a lower rating with 4.3 stars on both the App Store and Google Play, but the desktop platform provides a robust trading experience.

Crypto.com

In the crypto.com app, users can buy and sell crypto easily. You can also directly stake or lend your crypto, apply for a crypto.com card, track favourite coins, withdraw to external wallets and more. The app is an all-in-one trading platform that’s user-friendly and suitable for beginners.

The app has a 4.3-star rating from 56,000 reviews on the Apple App Store and a 3.9-star rating from 200,000 reviews on Google Play.

If you’re looking for more advanced tools, you can use crypto.com’s desktop exchange. The exchange offers more charting and order types but the interface can be confusing for beginners. The crypto.com app has everything you need, so you’d only use the Exchange for slightly lower fees or advanced order types.

Advanced Desktop Trade

List of coins

Crypto.com app interface

Crypto.com app interface while trading

Gate.io App

Gate.io’s iOS app has a 2.5-star rating from 700 reviews and a 2.5-star rating from 10,000 reviews on Google Play. It is quite low, we would recommend using a desktop app. Many reviewers have said that they cannot log in, that the 2FA does not work, you are often sent to blank pages and overall a bad user interface. We never had such issues though.

Gate.io desktop app interface

Gate.io data screen

Gate.io mobile app screenshot (main page)

Gate.io mobile interface

Security Compliance

Crypto.com is highly secure crypto exchange. They keep funds in cold storage, offer two-factor authentication to keep accounts secure, encrypt user data, and more.

Crypto.com keeps 100% of users’ funds in cold storage, specifically in a Ledger vault. This percentage is the highest we’ve seen of any crypto exchange, showing crypto.com truly values security. Crypto.com also has $750M in cold storage insurance in case of theft.

Crypto.com also makes its users whitelist all withdrawal addresses via email and users multi-factor authentication - such as FaceID - to

Gate.io is quite a reputable exchange. Forbes Advisor gave it a 4.5-star rating and named it one of the best crypto exchanges. Gate.io utilizes hot and cold storage to keep customer funds safe. On its website, Gate.io says it is the first exchange to invest millions in security and law funds. They also claim to be fully compliant and certain features such as futures trading is not available to Canadians because of regulations. They can block your account at any time.

Both Crypto.com and Gate.io prioritize the safety of their users' assets. Crypto.com holds 100% of its user assets in cold storage and has obtained an ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification, demonstrating their commitment to security. Gate.io, on the other hand, uses a combination of hot and cold storage for asset protection. They are also reportedly the first exchange to invest millions in security and law funds.

Regulatory Compliance

Crypto.com is fully regulated and can be accessed in Canada, USA (except New York), Europe, and other countries around the world.

Gate.io is not compliant crypto exchange in Canada.

Both exchanges comply with Canadian regulations. Crypto.com is registered as a Money Services Business (MSB) with FINTRAC in Canada, implying its operations are within the legal framework. Gate.io, however, does mention Canada as one of the disallowed countries under their terms, suggesting potential regulatory issues for Canadian users.

Customer support

The customer support for crypto.com is quite slow. Users like the app, security, and the wide range of coins, but the customer service needs work. Crypto.com does not offer educational resources or a knowledge centre, which is a let down.

There is a helpful help centre and blog on the Gate.io website which teaches you how to use their many features. They also have a live chat function and you can submit a support request when you’re logged in. Unfortunately, Gate.io has many bad reviews on Trustpilot with people complaining that they are unable to withdraw or that customer service is slow or does not respond.

Crypto.com has a solid customer support system that operates 24/7, offering both live chat and email support. They also have a comprehensive Help Centre with FAQs and educational resources. Gate.io also offers customer support through live chat and email but has received mixed reviews about its responsiveness and support quality on platforms like Trustpilot.

Conclusion

While both Crypto.com and Gate.io have their strengths, considering factors like user interface, security, compliance with Canadian regulations, and customer support, Crypto.com emerges as the preferable choice. Its comprehensive services, coupled with user-friendly interfaces and strong security measures, make it an excellent option for cryptocurrency traders in Canada.

We recommend choosing Crypto.com over Gate.io for your cryptocurrency trading needs. By opting for Crypto.com through our referral link, you support us in conducting comprehensive independent analyses of crypto trading options for Canadians.

If you find that neither Crypto.com nor Gate.io meets your requirements, we encourage you to explore our monthly-updated list of the best exchanges for Canadians to trade crypto. This list provides a range of alternative options that may better suit your specific needs and preferences.

Author

Oleg Galeev

Cryptocurrency Specialist

Oleg is a Canadian citizen & crypto expert who has been trading since 2016. He started out with Coinbase, Kraken and Peer-to-Peer exchanges. After some time, centralized exchanges started charging crazy fees to their users.

He decided to review different crypto exchanges that operate in Canada and start a Youtube channel in order to educate Canadians on what kinds of things are going inside each one while giving them unbiased advice. On top of that, Oleg also has experience with NFT, airdrops, and crypto staking and he is constantly checking on new crypto assets.

His writing has been featured in popular Canadian media sources such as Toronto Sun and Ottawa Citizen.