Winklevoss Twins’ Gemini Secures Licence To Offer Crypto Perpetuals in EU & EEA
Cryptocurrency exchange Gemini has received in-principle approval for an Investment Firm licence from the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA). This will allow the exchange to offer regulated crypto derivatives, including perpetual futures, across the European Economic Area (EEA).
Gemini Secures Licence To Offer Crypto Perpetuals in EU & EEA
According to a recent report, cryptocurrency exchange Gemini has secured an in-principle Investment Firm licence under the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II). This approval will enable Gemini to provide regulated options and futures products in the EEA.
Perpetual futures contracts, which do not have an expiry date, are among the key products the crypto exchange plans to introduce in the region. The company aims to offer these derivatives to both retail and institutional investors, expanding its market presence.
Mark Jennings, Gemini’s Head of Europe, stated,
“Interest in crypto derivatives, particularly from institutions, has increased significantly in recent years, as crypto matures into a recognised asset class.” He further added that Gemini is committed “to providing a best-in-class offering for retail and institutional investors.”
Gemini Strengthens Its European Operations
The crypto exchange has been actively expanding its operations in Europe. The exchange selected Malta as its European hub and obtained a Virtual Financial Assets (VFA) Service Licence from the Maltese regulator.
This licence allows it to operate under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework. Additionally, the crypto exchange holds a similar licence in France.
While the VFA licence enables the exchange to offer various crypto services, it does not cover crypto derivatives. The MiFID II licence, once fully granted, will bridge this gap, allowing Gemini to provide derivative products legally across the EEA. Concurrently, Gemini, according an announcement last week, is reportedly considering an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in the United States.
Growing Interest in Crypto Derivatives
Crypto exchanges are increasingly moving into the derivatives market as demand for such products rises. Several firms, including Coinbase and Kraken, have recently obtained MiFID II licences to offer similar services in the region.
Coinbase entered the derivatives market by acquiring the Cypriot unit of BUX, a company that previously offered Contracts for Difference (CFDs). Kraken also secured a MiFID II licence through the acquisition of a Cypriot firm, though the name of the company remains undisclosed.
Gemini’s move aligns with this trend, as the exchange positions itself to compete in the regulated derivatives space. Crypto.com has already expanded into CFDs by acquiring a broker in Australia, suggesting that more crypto exchanges could follow a similar path.
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