If you trade altcoins, the choice usually comes down to Gate.io or MEXC. Both list far more tokens than Binance or Bybit, both move quickly on new projects, and both are built for traders whose interest starts below the top fifty by market cap.
The difference is how each one gets you in early. Gate.io leans on its launchpad — the strongest token-sale programme of the six exchanges we track. MEXC leans on listing volume and price: over 1,700 coins, traded at zero spot fees.
Gate.io — the strongest launchpad and a larger welcome package
| Exchange | Copy Trading | Savings & Interest | Staking | P2P Trading | Launchpad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bitget | Leader | Available | Available | Strong | Available |
 MEXC | Limited | Available | Available | Limited | Available |
 Bybit | Strong | Strong | Available | Available | Strong |
 OKX | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong |
 Gate.io | Available | Strong | Strong | Available | Leader |
 Binance | Available | Leader | Leader | Leader | Strong |
Ratings are CryptPerks' editorial view of how broad and mature each platform's products are, based on publicly documented features — not guaranteed returns. Savings, staking and interest yields change constantly and depend on the coin, lock-up period, VIP tier and promotions; always check live rates on the exchange. Some products aren't available in every country.
Gate.io is the only exchange in our comparison whose launchpad we rate as leader-tier. Token sales and launch events give holders a route into new projects at issue price rather than after the first listing candle, which is a materially different entry point from buying on the open market.
It backs that with strong savings and staking tiers, around 2,000 listed coins, and a welcome package of up to $5,000 — five times MEXC’s $1,000. The referral code CRYPTPER applies a 20% trading-fee discount, bringing the 0.10% standard spot rate down to 0.08%.
On futures, Gate.io charges 0.02% maker and 0.05% taker, and supports leverage up to 150x on supported pairs — the highest of the two.
MEXC — zero spot fees and the widest catalogue anywhere in the comparison
Standard spot taker fee — MEXC vs Gate.io
MEXC charges 0% on spot trading as its standard rate. Gate.io charges 0.10%, reduced to 0.08% with the referral code CRYPTPER.
MEXC lists over 1,700 coins against Gate.io’s roughly 2,000, and charges nothing at all to trade them on spot. For altcoin traders — who tend to trade in and out more often than people holding blue chips — a zero fee is not a rounding difference. On $50,000 of monthly spot volume it is about $40 kept every month against Gate.io’s discounted rate.
MEXC’s futures pricing is also the more aggressive of the two: 0% maker and 0.02% taker, against 0.02% and 0.05% on Gate.io.
What MEXC does not match is Gate.io’s launchpad. MEXC gets tokens listed early, but Gate.io gets holders in before the listing exists at all — a different kind of early.
Gate.io vs MEXC — side by side on what actually matters
MEXC wins on running cost and raw catalogue: zero spot fees, the lower futures taker rate, and roughly 300 more listed coins. For a trader who buys and sells frequently, that combination is difficult to argue against.
Gate.io wins on primary access and bonus size: a leader-tier launchpad, stronger staking and savings tiers, up to 150x futures leverage, and a $5,000 welcome package against MEXC’s $1,000.
The two are complements more than rivals. Gate.io is where you get into a project first; MEXC is where trading it costs nothing.
Which exchange should you open first?
Open MEXC first if: you trade altcoins actively and want to stop paying spot fees; you want the widest possible listing catalogue; or you want the lower futures taker rate at 0.02%.
Open Gate.io first if: you want launchpad and token-sale access at issue price; you want the larger welcome package at up to $5,000; or you want stronger staking and savings products alongside your altcoin trading.
Traders who take altcoins seriously commonly hold both, and the referral bonuses are independent — opening one has no effect on the other.