How to buy Ethereum on Gemini: not in the EU since April 2026
Gemini closed all EEA and UK accounts on 6 April 2026, so EU residents can't buy ETH there. Licensed EU alternatives, plus the US steps and fees for ether.
You can’t buy Ethereum on Gemini if you live in the EU: Gemini closed all UK, EEA and Australian accounts on 6 April 2026. If you are in Europe, use a MiCA-licensed exchange instead, such as Kraken, licensed by the Central Bank of Ireland; our guide on how to buy Ethereum on Kraken walks you through it.
The rest of this guide is for readers in the US, where the Gemini exchange still operates, and explains how buying ether (ETH) on the platform works there and what it costs. We checked Gemini’s support pages, fee schedules, developer documentation and SEC filings on 23 October 2026. We haven’t used Gemini ourselves, and nothing here is investment advice.
Can you buy Ethereum on Gemini in the EU?
No. Gemini closed every UK, EEA and Australian account effective 6 April 2026, after a withdrawal-only period that started on 5 March 2026, so EU residents can no longer access the platform to buy or sell crypto. It continues to serve customers in the US and Singapore.
Gemini announced the exit from the UK, the EU, other European markets and Australia in February 2026, together with up to 200 job cuts, about a quarter of its staff. It had already left the Netherlands on 17 November 2023, citing requirements of De Nederlandsche Bank. To help customers move their digital assets before the closure, Gemini partnered with eToro.
ESMA’s interim MiCA register still lists an August 2025 authorisation for Gemini Intergalactic EU Ltd in Malta, without an end date. That licence is not in use for retail clients: there is no Gemini account for EU residents to open.
Where EU residents can buy Ethereum instead
EU residents can buy ETH with euros on several MiCA-licensed exchanges. These three list ETH against the euro, and their entry-tier trading fees on a €1,000 buy are:
| Exchange (licence) | Limit order | Market order | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bybit EU (FMA, Austria) | €2.50 (0.25%) | €2.50 (0.25%) | Buy ETH on Bybit |
| Kraken Pro (Central Bank of Ireland) | €4.00 (0.40%) | €8.00 (0.80%) | Buy ETH on Kraken |
| Coinbase Advanced (CSSF, Luxembourg) | €6.00 (0.60%) | €12.00 (1.20%) | Buy ETH on Coinbase |
Each has a catch: Bybit’s group lost about $1.5bn in a 2025 hack, Kraken’s simple app charges 1% plus a spread, and Coinbase’s fees are the highest of the three. All three accept free SEPA deposits.
Who can still use the Gemini exchange?
Only customers in the US and Singapore can still open a Gemini account, which gives access to more than 65 digital assets, including bitcoin and ether. Gemini was founded in 2014 by the Winklevoss twins, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, and its parent company, Gemini Space Station, Inc., listed on Nasdaq under the ticker GEMI in September 2025.
In the US, Gemini Trust Company, LLC is a limited purpose trust company regulated by the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), and Gemini built its brand on regulatory compliance in New York. It offers custody services as a qualified custodian. For security, it keeps assets in offline cold storage with hardware security modules and multi-party computation, and it has completed SOC 1 and SOC 2 examinations.
The Gemini Dollar (GUSD)
Gemini also issues the Gemini Dollar (GUSD), a US dollar stablecoin on the Ethereum blockchain. Gemini says each Gemini Dollar is backed by cash or cash equivalents and can be redeemed for $1 on Gemini.
How to buy Ethereum on Gemini in the US, step by step
If you live in the US, buying ETH on Gemini takes five steps, from opening a Gemini account to moving the ether to your own wallet. Gemini’s public API listed the ETH/USD market as open on 23 October 2026, with a minimum order of 0.001 ETH.
- Create a Gemini account with your email address and a strong, unique password, and turn on two-factor authentication.
- Verify your identity. Gemini requires full identity verification before you can trade or withdraw crypto or fiat currency.
- Fund your account in US dollars. ACH transfers from your bank account and wires are free on Gemini’s side, though your bank may charge for a wire. Debit card purchases cost 3.49% and PayPal deposits 2.50%.
- Buy ether. Place an instant order for a dollar amount, or open ActiveTrader and place a limit order on ETH/USD for a lower, published fee. You can also set up recurring buys.
- Withdraw to a secure wallet of your own (optional). Gemini shows the network fee before you start the withdrawal. Check the address and network, and send a small test amount first.
Instant buy or ActiveTrader: order types and trading fees
ActiveTrader is the cheaper way to buy ETH on Gemini if you place limit orders, because its fees are published and start at 0.60% for a maker order. Instant and recurring orders include a spread in the quoted price plus a fee calculated when you place the order.
Gemini’s annual report says the convenience fee on instant buys is typically around 1% above the market price. ActiveTrader gives you advanced trading tools and these order execution options, according to Gemini’s developer documentation:
- Maker-or-cancel: the order only adds liquidity to the order book, so it pays the maker fee or is cancelled.
- Immediate-or-cancel: the order only takes liquidity, filling straight away or not at all.
- Fill-or-kill: the whole order fills immediately or is cancelled.
Gemini also offers perpetual contracts, a form of derivatives trading, from 0.02% maker and 0.07% taker at the lowest tier. A leveraged position can lose more of your money than you expect, and most retail traders who use leverage lose money.
What it costs to buy ETH on Gemini
Buying ETH on Gemini costs $0.60 to $1.20 on $100 with ActiveTrader at the entry tier, or around $1.00 plus a spread with an instant buy, after a free ACH deposit. Gemini only accepts US dollars and Singapore dollars, so we show the costs in dollars.
| Cost | $100 buy | $1,000 buy |
|---|---|---|
| ACH deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Instant buy (convenience fee around 1%) | About $1.00 plus spread | About $10.00 plus spread |
| ActiveTrader limit order (maker 0.60%) | $0.60 | $6.00 |
| ActiveTrader market order (taker 1.20%) | $1.20 | $12.00 |
| Debit card purchase (3.49%) | $3.49 | $34.90 |
| PayPal deposit (2.50%) | $2.50 | $25.00 |
| ETH withdrawal | Dynamic network fee, shown before you withdraw (no fixed fee) | Same |
Trading fees fall with volume: 0.40% maker and 0.80% taker from $10,000 of 30-day volume, and 0.25% and 0.50% from $25,000. For comparison, the same €1,000 limit order costs €4.00 on Kraken Pro and €2.50 on Bybit EU. Our Gemini fees page has the full schedules.
Staking ETH on Gemini, and what Gemini Earn taught users
Gemini offers staking on selected proof of stake networks in the US, where you stake ether so that validator nodes can secure the network in return for rewards. We haven’t verified its current ETH staking terms, lock-ups or commission, and rewards are subject to change, so check them before you stake. On Ethereum itself, staked ETH can be withdrawn since the Shanghai/Capella upgrade of 12 April 2023, but exits go through a queue, so unstaking can take time.
Staking rewards and other yield products carry platform risk, and Gemini’s own history shows it. Genesis, the lending partner behind Gemini Earn, froze withdrawals in November 2022 after FTX collapsed, and Earn users only got their assets back in kind in May and June 2024, about $2.2 billion according to Gemini’s annual report. The NYDFS fined Gemini $37 million over the programme in 2024, plus a $40 million contribution to Earn users, and a June 2024 settlement with the New York Attorney General required a further distribution of about $50 million.
Where to keep your ETH after buying
You can keep ether in your Gemini account, where Gemini Trust acts as custodian, or move it to a wallet you control. For larger, long-term holdings, your own wallet removes the exchange risk but makes you responsible for your recovery phrase.
- A software wallet on your phone holds your own keys, but is online.
- A hardware wallet keeps the keys offline and suits larger amounts.
Read our glossary entry on self-custody and our guide to wallet types before you move coins. If you are an EU reader who still has crypto on another exchange that is leaving the EU, moving it to a licensed exchange or your own wallet is the same process.
Common mistakes when buying ETH on Gemini
These mistakes cost Gemini users the most:
- Trying to sign up from the EU or UK. Gemini no longer serves either; choose a MiCA-licensed exchange instead.
- Paying by debit card without checking. At 3.49%, a debit card costs more than the trading fee itself.
- Using instant buys for every order. A limit order on ActiveTrader costs 0.60%, against around 1% plus a spread.
- Ignoring network fees. ETH withdrawal fees follow demand for transactions on the network; Gemini shows them before you confirm.
- Chasing yield without reading the terms. The Earn freeze locked users’ assets for about 18 months.
Taxes on ETH for EU readers
If you live in the Netherlands, ETH you buy elsewhere counts towards your box 3 assets: for 2026 the tax is based on a fixed notional return of 6.00% on what you hold on 1 January, taxed at 36% above an allowance of €59,357 per person. In Germany, gains on crypto held for more than one year are currently tax-free under the private-sale rules; plans to change this from 2027 have been reported but were not law on 23 October 2026. We don’t cover US taxes.
The bottom line from our Gemini review
Gemini is not an option for anyone in the EU or the UK since 6 April 2026, so EU readers should buy ETH on a MiCA-licensed exchange such as Kraken, Coinbase or Bybit EU. In the US, Gemini is a NYDFS-regulated crypto exchange with high entry-level trading fees and a costly Earn history. Our full Gemini review covers security, fees and the EU exit in detail.
Questions people ask
Can I buy Ethereum on Gemini in Europe?
No. Gemini closed all UK, EEA and Australian accounts on 6 April 2026, after a withdrawal-only period that began on 5 March 2026. It continues to serve the US and Singapore.
Where can EU residents buy ETH instead of Gemini?
What happened to Gemini accounts in the EU and UK?
Gemini announced its exit from the UK, the EU and Australia in February 2026, moved those accounts to withdrawal-only on 5 March 2026 and closed them on 6 April 2026. It partnered with eToro to help customers move their assets.
How much does Gemini charge to buy ETH in the US?
On ActiveTrader the entry tier is 0.60% maker and 1.20% taker, so $6.00 or $12.00 on $1,000. Instant buys include a spread plus a convenience fee that Gemini's annual report puts at around 1% above the market price, and debit card purchases add 3.49%.
Is the Gemini exchange legal in the US?
Yes. Gemini Trust Company, LLC is a limited purpose trust company regulated by the New York State Department of Financial Services, and it acts as a qualified custodian.