Cryptocurrency firm Gemini receives MiFID II license from Malta to offer derivatives in the EEA
Gemini Receives MiFID II License from Malta to Offer Derivatives in EEA
The licence, issued by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), will allow the company to offer perpetual futures and other derivatives throughout Europe.
Author: Kamomil Shumba | Edited by: Sheldon Rebeck, Aoyon Ashraf Updated: May 9, 2025, 3:26 PM Published: May 9, 2025, 2:51 PM
What you need to know:
- Gemini, the cryptocurrency exchange founded by the Winklevoss brothers, has received a MiFID II license from Malta, allowing it to offer derivatives throughout the European Economic Area.
- Crypto exchanges are looking to expand their derivatives offerings to boost revenue.
Gemini, the cryptocurrency platform founded by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, has announced that it has received a MiFID II license from Malta, allowing it to offer derivatives within the European Economic Area.
The licence, issued by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), will allow the company to offer perpetual futures and other derivatives in the 27-nation European Union, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, once all necessary conditions are met, Gemini said on Friday.
“There are technical and operational measures in place that will allow us to ensure that these products are launched compliantly and safely, and we hope to do so in the coming months,” a Gemini spokesman said.
Exchanges are turning to derivatives as the next stage of revenue growth. One of the largest cryptocurrency platforms, Coinbase (COIN), said Thursday that it had agreed to pay $2.9 billion to acquire Bitcoin BTC $103,199.45 and ETH on options platform Deribit for $2,345.29 . The purchase immediately gives it a “dominant position” in the derivatives market, Benchmark analyst Mark Palmer wrote in a report.
In Europe, Gemini follows the example of its rival Kraken, which received a MiFID license in February by acquiring a Cypriot investment company.
“This is a critically important development in our European expansion in 2025 as it brings Gemini one step closer to offering our derivatives products to both retail and institutional clients in the EU and EEA,” the company commented.
Read more: Coinbase agrees to buy Deribit in $2.9 billion deal to enter US options market
UPDATE (May 9, 15:26 UTC): Added Gemini's comment to the third paragraph.
