KuCoin was founded by two tech enthusiasts who, with a vision to make cryptocurrency accessible to everyone, saw the potential of blockchain early on.
It all began with Michael, a passionate coder who started programming at just 8 years old and launched his first startup at 16. In 2012, he discovered Bitcoin through his boss, Eric, and the two dove headfirst into the world of mining. However, when Michael attempted to sell some BTC on Mt. Gox—the largest exchange at the time—he quickly realized how difficult and inaccessible crypto trading was for newcomers, despite its immense potential to reshape the financial landscape.
As blockchain adoption accelerated, Michael and Eric saw its transformative power—not just for the wealthy, but for everyone—including the unbanked and underserved. In late 2013, they sat down in a café and wrote the first lines of code for what would become KuCoin—the People’s Exchange, a platform designed to break down barriers and make crypto accessible to all.
