Gate CEO Lin Han argues stablecoins are reshaping the balance of power with banks

Lin Han, founder and CEO of Gate, presented a strategic case that stablecoins and tokenized assets are altering the plumbing of global finance and eroding the defensive advantage of traditional banks. He argued that crypto markets have matured to the point where they move in concert with macro and equity market drivers rather than being dictated solely by supply events tied to bitcoin. Gate’s recent global rebrand and high-profile sponsorships are being used to signal a push into tokenized securities, commodities and other real-world assets that can trade continuously on-chain. Han portrays exchanges as efficient liquidity rails that can host 24/7 markets—an operational contrast with long-established venues that are only now testing round-the-clock models. He said Gate will integrate established stablecoins rather than create its own, stressing an infrastructure-first strategy over competing with issuer tokens. That stance reflects a pragmatic recognition that interoperability and neutrality can accelerate adoption among institutional clients, including banks that are reconsidering antagonism toward crypto. The American Bankers Association’s push at the U.S. policy level underscores the political friction that could slow or reshape these transitions, particularly around yield-bearing uses of payment tokens and data access rules. Han is bullish on the demand side: he cites sizable growth in crypto-enabled payments and expects AI-driven product innovation to lower entry barriers and broaden the user base. If tokenization of equities, metals and commodities scales, it will create new clearing, custody and settlement requirements that incumbents currently do not fully support. That opens commercial opportunity for crypto platforms but also raises regulatory, custody and operational risk that will invite scrutiny. Execution will hinge on standards for asset provenance, legal wrappers for tokenized claims and integrations with legacy market infrastructures. Ultimately, Han’s view sketches a near-term competitive landscape where exchanges act as rails for both crypto-native and traditional counterparties, while banks must decide whether to partner, adapt or cede service layers to blockchain-native providers.