Gemini Review 2025

Our Verdict

Gemini is a New York-based crypto exchange founded by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, known for their involvement in the founding of Facebook. It is one of the few regulated, U.S.-based exchanges that consistently holds high positions with crypto evaluators. The exchange operates in 66 countries, supports 76 cryptocurrencies, and offers 390 trading pairs. As a UK tester, I had access to 21 crypto-to-crypto trading pairs.

Gemini provides a beginner-friendly interface and also offers advanced trading features in its pro version called Active Trader. It charges competitive fees of 0.02% for makers and 0.04% for takers on spot trades under $10k, making it a strong option for serious traders.

Is Gemini Right For You?

Traders have different needs: some prefer simple apps for quick trades, while others seek advanced tools like leverage or social trading. We classify traders into seven main groups and assess how well exchanges meet their needs. Here’s our verdict:

Supported Countries and Regions

Based in New York, USA, Gemini is available in all 50 U.S. states and 66 countries, which is below the industry average. For comparison, MEXC operates in over 170 countries, and Coinbase and OKX in over 100.

However, Gemini stands out for its strong compliance with regulations across several countries, including the UK, Greece, Ireland, Italy, and most notably, the US, which has some of the strictest standards for protecting users’ assets.

It has also made significant efforts to adhere to international regulations, including those of the FCA in the UK. This contrasts with MEXC, which is not regulated in the UK and does not follow FCA guidelines.

See the full list here

Partially Restricted Regions

• Canada: Existing users can access Gemini, but new account registrations are prohibited.
• Hong Kong: Derivatives-related services are restricted.
• Singapore: Margin and derivatives-related services are restricted.
• United Kingdom: Retail users are restricted from using derivatives-related services, including trading bots and other advanced features.
• Ireland: Derivatives-related services are restricted​

Gemini Bonuses and Special Offers

$15 Bitcoin Welcome Bonus: New users can receive $15 in Bitcoin by signing up with a referral link or promo code and trading at least $100 within the first 30 days of creating their account​.

$15 USD Referral Bonus: For each friend you refer who trades $100 or more within 30 days, both you and your friend will receive a $15 bonus in the cryptocurrency of your choice. Users can earn up to $600 in referral bonuses per year​.

​Trading Fee Rebates: Users who trade large volumes can benefit from trading fee rebates. If you trade between $10,000 and $100,000 within a year, users can get a 15% rebate on trading fees. For trading volumes over $100,000, the rebate increases to 25%​.

Exchange Background

Establishment: Gemini was founded in 2014 by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, aiming to create a secure and compliant cryptocurrency exchange. It is regulated by the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYSDFS).

Leadership: Gemini’s leadership is transparent, with Tyler Winklevoss serving as CEO and Cameron Winklevoss as President. Their leadership has focused on security and compliance, making Gemini one of the first exchanges to achieve SOC 1 Type 2 and SOC 2 Type 2 certifications​.

Security and Transparency

Crypto Exchange Hack

Gemini experienced a data breach in February 2022 that exposed the email addresses and partial phone numbers of approximately 5.7 million users due to a third-party vendor vulnerability.

In response, Gemini enhanced its security protocols and worked closely with cybersecurity experts. A settlement was reached in July 2024, returning the full value of investments to Gemini Earn users.

This incident highlights the importance of stringent security measures and swift action within the cryptocurrency space. Despite the breach, Gemini maintains trust within the crypto community through its advanced security features and commitment to compliance.

Independent Security Rankings

As part of our review, we refer to the industry’s most respected independent security auditors for cryptocurrency exchanges. Each has its own ranking criteria. For example, CoinMarketCap considers factors like traffic, liquidity, and volume, while CER.live scores based on proof of reserves, bug bounty programs, and compliance with standards like ISO 27001. Each auditor provides a unique score, ranging from 0.00 to 10 for some, like CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko, or from AAA to D for others.

Despite having excellent liquidity with a CoinMarketCap, Gemini ranks only average among independent security auditors. It falls short compared to major exchanges like Kraken, Coinbase, and Binance due to the lack of proof of reserves, lower trading volume, and the absence of penetration tests by independent auditors.

For the most part, Gemini is safe to trade with. However, centralized exchanges are never 100% secure. To enhance security, users should consider self-custody within cold storage rather than storing large funds in hot wallets.

Know Your Customer (KYC)

The KYC process with Gemini is very straightforward. To access any features on the exchange, you must complete it shortly after creating an account.

As a UK-based user, I found the KYC and signup process to be quite strict. It involved providing my age, income, address, and intended investment amount. There was also a brief questionnaire to assess my knowledge of high-risk investments, followed by an ID scan and a facial scan via mobile. Verification was completed within minutes. Setting up 2FA was mandatory, and users can further enhance security with biometric options.

However, Gemini does not support integrations with third-party apps.

Is Gemini Safe to Trade With?

In my view, Gemini presents a mixed picture of security, showcasing a basic level of trust and stability.

Consider these factors:

• Gemini boasts hot wallet insurance
• It has been recently hacked
• Very strong liquidity
• Gemini has average security ratings
• Rigorous regulatory compliance
• Robust account protection measures
• Gemini has average security ratings
• No Proof of Reserves (PoR)

It’s crucial to note that Gemini is a custodial exchange, which means the exchange has complete control over your funds and can utilize them as they see fit. The collapse of FTX serves as a significant example of the risks involved in custodial exchanges.

Trading Experience

When conducting this review, I was based in the United Kingdom and used the Google Chrome Browser.

Trading test

For our trading test, we thoroughly evaluated the Gemini platform. Our process included signing up, completing the KYC (Know Your Customer) verification, logging in, depositing funds, and making withdrawals. We also tested the trading functionalities by exploring different trading pairs and conversions and assessed the associated fees for transfers and withdrawals. This comprehensive test allows us to provide an informed and reliable review of the exchange’s usability, features, and actual costs. Here’s our detailed analysis:

Step 1: Setting Up and Funding Your Account

Signing up with Gemini is quick, with mandatory KYC similar to other compliant exchanges like OKX or Coinbase. The process includes an FCA questionnaire and submission of personal income and location details. After entering your email and password and confirming through email, you can start trading once KYC is complete.

Funding my Gemini account was easy and straightforward. I tested sending cash via Wire from my Monzo bank account, and the transaction took about 2 minutes to arrive, which is comparable to my experience using the same method with Coinbase. However, unlike Coinbase, Gemini did not offer the option to deposit fiat using a card.

On the desktop version of Gemini, you can easily view your total funds through the portfolio window in the home tab and within the portfolio tab itself, making it convenient to check your available balance at a glance. I also received an email and app notification confirming my deposit was received and ready to trade. This feature enhances Gemini’s user experience compared to other exchanges.

Step 2: Trading

The LTC/USDT pair I wanted wasn’t supported, so I opted for the BTC/USDT pair instead.

During my test, I bought Tether (USDT) using my GBP balance, incurring a fee of £2.25. While this fee is within industry norms, it’s slightly higher than what OKX and MEXC charge. However, the buying experience on Gemini was smoother and easier than on those exchanges.

Gemini’s spot trading isn’t fully automated. It lacks stop-loss and take-profit orders and relies instead on stop-limit orders. This requires manual intervention to take profits and close trades, which can be inconvenient.

Additionally, I found that the exchange mandates that the stop price must match the limit price, causing automatic selling if the price drops below the purchase price. This setup is more complex than necessary, as it would be more intuitive to allow a lower stop price than the limit price for buy orders.

I was disappointed that the trading screen on Gemini does not display markers for my trade entries. I placed an order at 11:16:51, but it was not triggered at the target price immediately. This is typical for stop-limit orders, as the exchange sometimes takes time to find a price better than the limit order. Consequently, the order was filled later, in the early hours of the morning, at 14:05:12.

Step 3: Withdrawal and review

I tested the exchange fees and transaction costs on Gemini by sending BTC to my personal wallet via the BTC network:

• Transfer Time: 2 minutes
• Network: BTC
• Security: 2FA (via text)
• Gemini Fee: 0.000131383 BTC
• Network Fee: 0.0000141

Withdrawing was straightforward and fast: I copied my BTC address, answered a few questions about the recipient, and received multiple warnings to verify the address’s validity. An anti-fraud popup also emphasized sending BTC only to trusted sources, showing Gemini’s commitment to regulatory compliance. While I felt secure during the process, I found Gemini’s 2FA security measures less robust compared to other exchanges like Kraken, MEXC, and OKX, which use both email and text codes for added security.

A key downside to Gemini’s withdrawal process is that it does not separate its fees from the overall transaction fee. Despite this, I received the BTC in my personal wallet within 2 minutes, which is faster than usual since BTC transfers can sometimes take up to an hour.

Gemini Desktop Version

Gemini offers both a Basic and Active Trader version, each catering to different needs. The Basic version is ideal for simple market trades, searching for cryptocurrencies, and buying or selling with fiat. I found it especially easy to buy and sell fiat in Simple mode. In contrast, Active Trader is better for those who require trading pairs and advanced charting tools.

While Gemini’s straightforward interface may appeal to beginners, it has its limitations. The platform lacks advanced trading features like stop-loss and take-profit orders, and its cryptocurrency selection is smaller compared to Coinbase and OKX. Issues like frozen charts and pricing discrepancies can be problematic for active traders, and the absence of native technical indicators is a notable drawback. However, for those just starting in crypto, Gemini’s simplicity could be a welcoming entry point.

Navigation Ease

Gemini’s navigation effectively highlights its features and services, enabling users to access buying, selling, converting, spot trading, the order book, and other functionalities directly from the main landing page with a single click.

Search Functionality

On the desktop version of Gemini, the search functionality is tucked away within the trade tab in Simple mode, which can be a bit confusing at first. However, I found Simple mode to be the most convenient for browsing cryptocurrencies, featuring a search bar at the top and categories like top movers and metaverse tokens.

The search feature itself is user-friendly, making it easy to add favorite tokens to a watchlist. However, the limited selection of tokens is a clear drawback.

Gemini offers an excellent tool for dollar-cost averaging (DCA), enabling investors to buy crypto daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. For UK users, pre-deposited funds are required since wire transfers are the only method for depositing fiat. Despite this, I found it a highly useful feature for the average DCA investor.

Trade Navigation

Gemini’s trade interface is easy and minimalist: it is divided into portfolio, trade and spot trading, and perpetual futures trading on Active Trader, with leverage up to 100x. During testing, I found buying and selling crypto to be an extremely easy and fast process, especially compared to MEXC and OKX, which were unreliable due to geographical restrictions. This highlights the benefits of Gemini being a regulatory-compliant exchange.

Gemini’s portfolio section is decent. It clearly shows your current balance, trendline, and trading balances, along with options to deposit, withdraw, receive, and send assets. My favorite part of the portfolio section is the recurring buys functionality for dollar cost averaging.

The only way I can deposit funds with Gemini is via wire transfer. While this might seem limiting, the process was quick and efficient, comparable to my experience with Coinbase. After selecting the deposit option, Gemini provides a reference code and bank account details for the transfer. In my experience, the funds were received and ready for trading in less than 10 minutes.

Trade Interface

Gemini offers a user-friendly trading interface with two modes: ActiveTrader and Simple.

While the Simple mode is well-suited for beginners, providing a straightforward layout for buying, selling, and converting crypto with basic charts and market orders, ActiveTrader falls short. It lacks depth, offering only 390 trading pairs and missing key features like stop-loss and take-profit orders. Due to regional restrictions, I could only access spot trading, which I found decent but limited compared to other exchanges.

Unlike other OKX and MEXC, which provide their own advanced trading interface and a TradingView integrated chart, Gemini’s Interface comprises a trading view integration.

Technical Indicators: Users on Gemini can access 97 TradingViews technical indicators from a drop-down window that also doubles as a search bar. This window allows users to find and explore a wide range of technical indicators detailing the platform’s functionality and appeal to traders seeking analysis and customization options.

Order book: Provides detailed, real-time updates for market sentiment and liquidity with the ability to split it between the orders and market trades. Unlike other exchanges, users cannot customize their view by toggling between buyers and sellers or focusing solely on one.

Gemini’s TradingView integration allows users to switch to the Depth Chart with a single click from the top left-hand side of the screen.

My Key Takeaways after Testing Gemini Desktop

Overall, trading on Gemini’s desktop platform is a decent experience with a user-friendly design, making it an acceptable choice for traders. Buying and selling crypto is easy and fast, although the ActiveTrader interface is unremarkable. It offers only 390 trading pairs and lacks basic functionalities like stop-loss and take-profit orders.

Gemini’s Simple trading interface is perfect for beginners, providing a clear and straightforward layout, but its main drawback is the absence of a varied token selection.

Gemini Mobile App

Gemini offers a comprehensive mobile app for asset management and trading while on the move, available on both the Apple and Google Stores. Like its desktop version, the mobile app allows users to seamlessly switch between Simple and ActiveTrader interfaces and features functionalities such as spot trading, staking, and perpetual futures.

Throughout my week-long test using a Google Pixel in the UK, I found the Gemini mobile app to be a minimalist and beginner-friendly experience. It retains all the features and benefits of the desktop version but also shares its drawbacks, making it a decent choice for users looking for a straightforward mobile trading platform.

App main screen & navigation

App spot trading interface

Swapping to the ActiveTrader interface from basic is easy, once done the “trade” page will replace its crypto selection with trading pairs, just like the desktop, and you can click into the pair you’d like to trade for the advanced features.

The TradingView integration is not available on mobile, limiting access to advanced indicators and tools. While the app allows quick navigation between trading interfaces, it falls short in providing the detailed market analysis and charting capabilities of the desktop platform. When trading an asset, the mobile version of Gemini offers the same order types as the desktop but in a more streamlined list.

My Key Takeaways after testing the Gemini Mobile App

During testing, I found the app to be as user-friendly as the desktop version, offering seamless trading functionality. Despite having the same drawbacks as the desktop version — such as the absence of stop-loss and take-profit orders and a limited range of cryptocurrencies — the app impressed me with its excellent user experience, minimalist design, and trading features.

While the app lacks the extensive technical indicators and customization options of the desktop version, it provides a straightforward user experience tailored for mobile trading.

Fees

Gemini Spot Maker/Taker Fees

In our review of spot fees, we examine spot fees across three distinct tiers, focusing on the fees for different trading volumes. We focus on the essentials and potential savings through native tokens and various discount schemes. Our unique methodology provides a clear view of fee structures and how they benefit traders of all levels.

Gemini’s spot fees are structured to reward high trading volumes with lower costs. These competitive fees made frequent trading more affordable, enhancing my experience, especially during rapid trades and day trading. The reduced fees allowed me to execute multiple trades efficiently without worrying about high costs

Spot Trading Fees

View the fee overview here

Deposit fees

As a UK-based tester, the only option available to me for testing fiat transactions was through wire transfer, as detailed on their site.

The table below shows the fees for various payment methods when depositing crypto and fiat on Gemini. Tests were conducted in the UK, so fees may vary depending on your country.

Withdrawal fees

Gemini’s withdrawal fees vary based on whether you’re in or outside the US and the withdrawal method chosen. For non-US wire transfers, I found withdrawals to be free, while US-based users face a $25 fee. Crypto transfer fees are variable. Overall, Gemini’s withdrawal fees align with industry standards.

Gemini Displayed Trading Fees

At the time of writing (02/08/24) Gemini has a high position on CoinMarketCap with an overall score of 6.5. It focuses on providing high liquidity, substantial trading volume, and confidence in reported volumes, although its fees lie within the industry norm.

Derivative Trading Fees (Perpetual Futures)

Gemini’s structure allows for competitive fees at higher trading volumes, but the basic trading fees are relatively high compared to some other exchanges. Withdrawal fees vary by cryptocurrency, with detailed schedules available on Gemini’s fee page. This fee structure positions Gemini as a regulatory-compliant but places its fees on the higher side of the industry average.

Fee Discounts

Gemini’s fee structure rewards traders based on their 30-day trading volume — the more you trade, the lower your fees. This system is great for those who trade frequently, as it offers significant discounts on maker and taker fees. However, these benefits mainly apply to high-volume traders, so casual users might not see much of an advantage.

See Gemini’s official fee schedule.

Are Gemini’s Fees Competitive?

Yes, Gemini’s fees are competitive within the industry norm but not the lowest. For trading volumes up to $10,000, Gemini charges a 0.40% taker fee and a 0.20% maker fee, which is lower than the market average of 0.51% for takers and 0.41% for makers.

In contrast, Coinbase charges higher fees of 0.60% taker and 0.40% maker for the same volume, making Gemini more affordable for smaller trades. Meanwhile, MEXC offers zero fees for spot trading.

Available Cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrencies Available on Gemini

As a UK-based tester, I found that the trading pairs on Gemini are limited, with only 21 out of the 390 options available. Unlike other exchanges that mainly offer crypto-stablecoin pairs like USDT, USDC, and DAI, Gemini features many crypto-to-crypto pairs such as SOL/ETH, ETH/BTC, and DOGE/ETH, and very few stablecoin pairs.

Deposits and Withdrawals

Gemini Deposit Options

I discovered that Gemini allows deposits in seven fiat currencies:

• USD
• AUD
• CAD
• EUR
• GBP
• SGD
• HKD

In the UK, funding your account is limited to wire bank transfers via Plaid Direct Payments, with a minimum deposit of £10 GBP and a per-transaction limit of £25,000 GBP. Different deposit and withdrawal methods have varying fees. For example, ACH and wire transfers are free, but using a debit card incurs a 3.49% fee.

Note that deposit options can vary significantly from region to region. Always check the exchange’s official site for the most accurate and region-specific deposit information.

Fiat Deposit Limits

Gemini Withdrawal Methods

Gemini is highly transparent when it comes to fees, deposits, and withdrawals. Click here for a full account of Gemini’s fiat withdrawal methods.

Gemini Daily Withdrawal Limits

Customer Service

In our testing, Gemini’s email support provided detailed and thorough answers and helpful resources. I found their support team significantly superior to MEXC’s, which can sometimes offer inaccurate or conflicting information. However, the lack of direct live chat with human operators is a drawback compared to other exchanges. Additionally, Gemini does not provide phone support.

Gemini Customer Support Test

We created a unique trading test to evaluate the quality of customer services for diverse user needs. We personally contact support using all available methods and present hypothetical problems that users might face. Our evaluation concentrates on how quickly they respond, the quality of the help provided, and whether we can talk to a real person rather than a bot. This method effectively measures the capability of customer support to assist both active traders and casual investors.

In my email interactions with the customer support team, I posed five specific questions about security and advanced trading features, all of which were directly answered in detail.

Gemini email support (contact form)

After submitting a ticket via the contact form, I received a response within 12 hours. The email from Gemini’s customer support team was the best experience I have had with any exchange I’ve reviewed so far. They carefully answered each of my questions in a structured and detailed format.

Unlike other exchanges that either refused to answer unrelated questions or sent generic responses, Gemini’s support team provided clear and direct answers. This level of customer service stands out significantly compared to my interactions with MEXC and OKX.

Gemini live chat support

Gemini’s AI chatbot doesn’t generate direct answers to questions but provides relevant links to FAQ articles. While it may not resolve niche issues or specific problems, it is useful for quickly addressing basic questions, especially for beginners.

During my test, the bot performed as expected for an AI, providing semi-relevant resources for each of my questions. To continue interaction with a real person, it redirected me to an email ticket.

FAQ