30s Summary

The Winklevoss twins’ cryptocurrency exchange, Gemini, has launched in France. Gemini received a digital asset service provider (DASP) registration from French market watchdog, AMF, in 2024. French users can now trade and store over 70 types of digital assets, fund accounts in euros and pounds, and utilise an advanced investment platform. The exchange also caters to institutional investors with an Over-The-Counter (OTC) desk. Gemini has noted a higher level of trust and crypto ownership in France than in the US or UK.

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The Winklevoss twins’ crypto exchange, Gemini, is finally launching in France. This comes nearly a year after it got a green light with a digital asset service provider (DASP) registration. So, folks in France can now trade and store over 70 kinds of digital assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc., using Gemini’s website or app.

Gemini got its DASP registration from the French markets watchdog, AMF, in early 2024. “We’ve really focused on making sure our French users feel at home on our platform. Everything’s in French, and you can enjoy all our services without a hitch,” says Gillian Lynch, the big boss of Gemini in the UK and Europe.

Users in France can now start funding their accounts on Gemini using euros and pounds, either with their debit card, bank transfers, or even Apple Pay. Other cool features include an advanced investment platform meant for experienced traders, with more than 80 different trading pairs and an application programming interface (API) for integrating with other tools or services.

Gemini’s also got something for bigger, institutional investors. They have an Over-The-Counter (OTC) desk where you can buy and sell hefty amounts of crypto assets straight off the exchange. Gemini’s also got an eOTC system designed to handle big orders smoothly.

“We’re always looking for ways to better serve our French customers and improve accessibility. Right now, this means we’re exploring more payment options,” Lynch mentioned.

Interestingly, Gemini’s entry into France is a big move as folks there seem to like crypto more than people in the US or UK. According to Gemini’s own survey, France has seen a 2% increase in crypto owners over the past two years, which’s kind of a big deal.

Gemini also found out that people in France tend to trust crypto more than those in the US and the UK. This might be due to France’s DASP rules and the European Union’s crypto regulations, called the Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation (MiCA).

“We’re already seeing how MiCA is affected trust in crypto: it’s higher in France compared to other countries not in the EU,” Lynch noted, adding, “France is super important to us because of its positive attitude towards crypto and its advanced, forward-looking regulation, which goes hand in hand with Gemini’s vision.”