Gemini Expands in Europe with New Offerings
Crypto exchange Gemini, established by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, is broadening its operations in Europe with new staking and derivatives products.
Users of Gemini in the European Economic Area (EEA) can now stake Ether (ETH) and Solana (SOL), in addition to trading perpetual contracts that are priced in Circle’s USDC (USDC) stablecoin.
This launch follows Gemini’s approval under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) in Malta back in August, as well as its prior authorization under the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II) in May.
“Our goal is to be one of the major exchanges in Europe, and now that we have a full suite of products including spot exchange, staking, and perpetuals in the EU from a single interface, we believe that we’re a serious contender,” said Gemini’s head of Europe, Mark Jennings, in an interview.
Gemini’s initiative to delve into derivatives in the EU comes at a time when spot crypto trading—the practice of buying and selling tokens at current market prices—has been experiencing a decline, notably to exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
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Even with the Bitcoin price seeing an increase in 2025, spot trading volumes dropped by 32% in the first two quarters, totaling just $3.6 trillion in Q2, according to the crypto analytics platform TokenInsight. Conversely, the volume for crypto derivatives reached $20.2 trillion.
“The global derivatives market has exploded in recent months,” Jennings remarked, adding that the sector is projected to be valued at $23 trillion by the conclusion of 2025.
“As crypto adoption grows, there is increasing demand for alternative, risk-managed financial instruments, and derivatives allow users to implement complex strategies to achieve either long or short exposure to crypto,” he continued.
While crypto derivatives are regulated under the EU’s MiFID II, staking is regulated indirectly under the MiCA framework, which will be fully enforced by late 2024.
MiCA has spurred substantial growth in institutional staking activities across Europe, with EU staking participation surging by 39% in 2025, while non-EU staking growth held steady at 22%, according to a study conducted by CoinLaw in June.
“Staking is becoming increasingly popular in Europe,” Jennings stated, referencing CoinLaw’s data that Ethereum staking deposits in the EU increased by 28% in 2025 compared to 2024, totaling $90 billion in staked ETH.
“Gemini Staking is accessible to both retail and institutional investors, but we believe it will appeal particularly to sophisticated, professional retail investors seeking to utilize their crypto assets and earn passive income from a single, integrated, centralized exchange,” the executive noted.
Gemini’s launch of staking and derivatives in the EU occurred just days after the exchange officially submitted a Form S-1 for an initial public offering in the US. The company anticipates selling 16.67 million shares priced between $17 and $19 per share, aiming to raise up to $317 million.
