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Gemini rolls out staking and perpetuals across the EEA
Crypto exchange Gemini, founded by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, has expanded its European product suite by adding Ether (ETH) and Solana (SOL) staking alongside perpetual contracts settled in Circle’s USDC stablecoin for users in the European Economic Area (EEA). The rollout follows the firm’s regulatory approvals under MiFID II and Malta’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), allowing Gemini to offer spot trading, staking and derivatives from a single interface to European clients.
What’s included in the launch
EEA customers can now stake ETH and SOL directly on Gemini’s platform and trade perpetual contracts denominated in USDC. At the time of the announcement, Ether was quoted at $4,317 and Solana at $203.40, while USDC traded near parity at $0.9997. Gemini’s head of Europe, Mark Jennings, said the combination of spot, staking, and perpetuals positions the exchange as a serious competitor in the European market.
Derivatives momentum amid weakening spot volumes
Gemini’s push into EU derivatives comes as spot trading volumes have softened, in part displaced by the rise of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Analytics firm TokenInsight reported a 32% decline in spot trading across major centralized exchanges in the first half of 2025, with Q2 spot turnover of $3.6 trillion, compared with $20.2 trillion in derivatives volumes for the same period. Industry estimates suggest the global derivatives market could reach roughly $23 trillion by the end of 2025.
"As crypto adoption grows, there is increasing demand for alternative, risk-managed financial instruments, and derivatives allow users to execute complex strategies to gain long or short exposure to crypto," Jennings said. Perpetual contracts allow traders to take leveraged directional bets without the constraints of fixed expiry dates, and settling contracts in USDC can appeal to users seeking stablecoin denomination.
Staking demand surges in regulated Europe
Staking is overseen indirectly under MiCA, which entered full effect in late 2024. Regulatory clarity has fueled institutional and retail interest in staking services across the EU. A CoinLaw study cited by Gemini shows EU staking participation rose 39% in 2025, outpacing a 22% increase in non-EU jurisdictions. Ethereum staking deposits in the EU reportedly jumped 28% year-over-year in 2025, reaching approximately $90 billion in staked ETH.
"Gemini Staking is available to retail and institutional investors, but we expect it to be especially attractive to sophisticated retail users and institutional participants who want to earn passive income while retaining the convenience of a centralized exchange," Jennings added.
How this fits into Gemini’s broader strategy
Gemini’s EU product expansion coincides with its broader corporate plans: the exchange recently filed an S-1 ahead of a planned initial public offering in the United States, proposing to sell up to 16.67 million shares at a proposed price range of $17–$19, aiming to raise up to $317 million. The new European offerings underline Gemini’s ambition to be a major regulated player across spot, staking and derivatives markets.
Takeaways for traders and investors
- EEA users now have integrated access to ETH and SOL staking plus USDC-settled perpetuals on Gemini.
- Regulatory clarity from MiCA and MiFID II is driving institutional staking and derivative adoption in Europe.
- Derivatives volumes remain substantial compared to spot trading, highlighting growing demand for advanced trading strategies.
For crypto traders, institutional investors and staking participants, Gemini’s expansion represents another step toward a regulated, comprehensive European crypto market where products from spot to complex derivatives are available within a single platform.
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