An Open Letter From Gate Founder Dr. Han On 13Th Anniversary: Releasing The Power Of Transformation Through Cycles

What Happened

During my graduate and doctoral years, this approach intensified. Most of my time was spent in the lab, designing, debugging, and validating systems in a highly focused, repetitive cycle. It reminds me of the intensity behind Gate’s recent investment in Intelligent Web3, where the team worked relentlessly for nearly two months. It was demanding, but also deeply exciting, and we delivered.

Market Context

Defining Capability Through Actions

Why It Matters

Had I stayed in that field, focusing on the fields of optoelectronics and semiconductors, my life might have followed a completely different trajectory. Those fields were also shaping the future and offered both stability and long-term value.

There was no team, no roadmap, and very limited resources. What started with one person gradually became a small group, and eventually a global organization of nearly 3,000 people. The progress was already an answer.

Details

Dear Gate users, partners, and friends from the media,

This year marks Gate’s 13th anniversary. When I founded the platform, Bitcoin and blockchain were still far from mainstream. Today, Gate serves tens of millions of users worldwide. This journey would not have been possible without the trust of our users, partners, and team. On this occasion, I would like to share a few reflections on where we started, what we have learned, and how we see the road ahead.

The Start of a Choice: Out of the Comfort Zone, Into What’s Next

Thirteen years ago, I made a decision that went against a well-defined path.

At the time, I was pursuing postdoctoral research in optoelectronics overseas. Following the existing path to becoming an academic researcher was a highly certain and widely recognized option.

From a rational perspective, it hardly required more debate.

But I chose a different direction.

But the real question back then for me was not which path felt safer. It was the direction pointed toward the next structural shift.

At that time, blockchain was still an emerging idea with little consensus. It was uncertain and easy to overlook. Precisely because of that, it required conviction and patience. Looking back, that decision shaped everything that followed in the next 13 years.

It was more like a personal choice.

I still remember our first team gathering. It was a cold winter day, and only a few of us were there. There was no formal agenda. We simply sat together and discussed ideas that were still uncertain.

But at that moment, it felt real.

As the team grew, structure followed. But that early moment already carried the essence of what Gate would become.

In hindsight, this choice was not accidental.

From a young age, I was used to making my own decisions and validating answers through hands-on exploration rather than following predefined paths.

After getting my first computer in middle school, I began systematically teaching myself programming, disassembling and rebuilding machines repeatedly.

I was less focused on outcomes and more interested in understanding how things worked at a fundamental level. This curiosity later extended into more structured learning. Choosing electronics as my field of study was not just an academic decision, but a continuation of this mindset. I spent more time on experiments and hands-on practice than on formal coursework, gradually developing a problem-driven approach to learning.

Looking back, these experiences shaped lasting traits: attention to detail, patience in deconstructing complex systems, and an instinctive work rhythm. Some colleagues joke that this is why I tend to work late into the night.

In the early days of entrepreneurship, I was often the last person to leave the office. Many key decisions were made during those quiet hours. After a few hours of rest, the cycle would begin again. Internally, people would joke that my schedule operated in a different time zone.

But in many ways, that rhythm reflects how I think and make decisions. I value my “uninterrupted time”.