Is Gemini available in Europe? Why it left despite MiCA

Gemini is the odd one out in the MiCA story. While Binance, MEXC and Bitfinex fell foul of the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation (MiCA) by not obtaining a licence, the Winklevoss twins' exchange did the licensing work - MiCA authorisation in Malta plus a MiFID II licence - and then left Europe anyway. Here is what happened and what former Gemini users should do.

The short answer

No. Gemini wound down its retail operations in the EU/EEA and the UK in early 2026, as part of a broader international restructuring that also covered Australia. The timeline was tight: accounts went withdrawal-only on March 5, 2026, and UK accounts closed on April 6, 2026 - roughly one month between the two stages.

This was a business decision, not a regulatory failure: Gemini held both MiCA and MiFID II authorisations, one of the strongest regulatory footprints in European crypto, when it decided the economics of the European retail market no longer justified the operation.

Why a licensed exchange left

Gemini's exit is the counterintuitive lesson of MiCA. The regulation raised the fixed cost of serving Europe - capital requirements, local governance, compliance staffing, disclosure obligations - at a time when Gemini's European retail market share was modest against giants like Coinbase, Kraken and the local champions (Bitvavo, Bitpanda).

Holding a licence is not the same as making money with it. Alongside the European wind-down, the company reduced international headcount and refocused on its core US market following its 2025 Nasdaq listing.

For users, the takeaway is worth internalising: even a fully licensed platform can exit your market with about a month's practical notice. Diversifying where you hold assets is not paranoia.

What happened to Gemini EU customers' funds

Gemini's wind-down followed the pattern licensed firms must follow under EU supervision:

1. Advance notice and a delisting schedule (non-MiCA-compliant tokens, including USDT, were restricted first - a preview of what we cover in Is USDT banned in Europe?)
2. A withdrawal-only period from March 5, 2026
3. Automatic conversion of remaining balances to euro at the prevailing market rate after the cutoff
4. Restrictions on outbound transfers: withdrawals of certain tokens were only permitted to registered TRUST VASPs or self-hosted wallets

If you still have an unresolved balance, contact Gemini support - converted euro balances do not disappear, but retrieving them gets slower the longer you wait.

Where former Gemini users should go

Gemini attracted users who cared about regulation and security - which, fortunately, describes the post-MiCA European market well. The licensed options (full list in our MiCA-licensed crypto exchanges guide):

eToro - with a transfer bonus

eToro is the first option to look at. eToro (Europe) Ltd was one of the first platforms to obtain a MiCA licence, authorised by CySEC in February 2025 for crypto trading and custody across the EU, alongside its long-standing MiFID investment firm licence.

It offers over 130 cryptocurrencies at a flat 1% fee per buy and sell, and adds something Gemini never offered: stocks and ETFs in the same regulated account.

Its current offer is well timed for anyone relocating assets: transfer your crypto to eToro between July 1 and August 31, 2026 and earn 5% cashback paid in stocks, up to $2,000 per month, on eligible net deposits. T&Cs apply - see our eToro review for the full picture.

^{eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.}

Coinbase

The closest cultural match: US-headquartered, Nasdaq-listed, compliance-first. Coinbase holds its MiCA authorisation in Luxembourg through the CSSF (June 2025) and offers around 260 cryptocurrencies. Simple-interface buys cost roughly 1.49% plus spread; Coinbase Advanced brings fees down to 0.40% maker / 0.60% taker at the base tier.

Kraken

Licensed through the Central Bank of Ireland since June 2025, with MiFID and e-money licences on top - the deepest regulatory stack among the majors, and the clearest home for regulated derivatives access now that Gemini's MiFID venue is gone from retail.

Kraken offers over 400 cryptocurrencies, Kraken Pro fees from 0.25% maker / 0.40% taker, and a security record with no major hack since its 2011 founding - the attribute Gemini users tend to care about most.

OKX

OKX serves Europe through OKX Europe Limited, MiCA-licensed by Malta's MFSA on January 27, 2025, plus a MiFID II entity and a Payment Institution licence. Several hundred cryptocurrencies at spot fees from 0.08% maker / 0.10% taker, with monthly zk-STARK proof-of-reserves reports - the kind of verifiable-reserves transparency Gemini championed.

Robinhood Europe

Robinhood Europe, licensed by the Bank of Lithuania as a brokerage firm and crypto-asset service provider, offers 65+ cryptocurrencies at a flat 0.50% fee (EURC fee-free) and is running a 5% crypto deposit match during July 2026 (reward locked for 2 years) - our Robinhood Europe review has the details.

Bottom line

Gemini's European exit was orderly, regulated and complete - and a reminder that in the post-MiCA landscape, platform choice is as much about business commitment to Europe as it is about licences. The venues above combine both. For a feature-by-feature comparison, see our guide to the best crypto exchanges in Europe.

_{This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Crypto assets are highly volatile; you may lose the money you invest.}