Gemini
“Can a regulated, full-reserve crypto exchange become the trusted financial infrastructure layer for both retail and institutional crypto participants globally?”
Founded2014
HQNew York, NY, USA
FoundersCameron Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss
IndustryFintech / Crypto
The story
Founded in 2014 by the Winklevoss twins as a regulated cryptocurrency exchange and custodian operating under a New York trust company charter. Gemini expanded beyond spot trading into institutional custody, yield products, and consumer credit (the Gemini Credit Card with crypto rewards). After the 2022 crypto market downturn disrupted its Earn yield program, Gemini refocused on its core exchange and custody business while pursuing international expansion and regulatory compliance as a differentiator.
Product timeline
2015
Launched as a licensed New York trust company and cryptocurrency exchange.· pivot
2018
Launched Gemini Custody, a regulated institutional-grade crypto custody service.· banking
2021
Acquired Blockrize and announced the Gemini Credit Card offering crypto rewards, leveraging Alloy for identity decisioning.· card
2022
Launched Gemini Earn, a yield product; later suspended amid crypto market turmoil and Genesis Capital collapse.· banking
2023
Faced regulatory scrutiny from the CFTC and SEC; reached settlement agreements.· pivot
2025
Continued operating as a full-reserve exchange and custodian, supporting 99 cryptos across 41 countries.· pivot
Regulated entities
Trust Company Charter
US (New York) · 2015
Gemini Trust Company, LLC
The stack
Accounting gap: none