Gemini vs Kraken

Comparing: two exchanges
Decided by: Editorial rating
Last reviewed: 2026-08-23

The NYDFS-chartered trust company the Winklevoss twins founded, serving all 50 states including New York, listed on Nasdaq since 2025.

Kraken4.7

A 2011-vintage exchange with one of the cleanest security records in the business, heading toward a US stock listing.

Verdict: Kraken

Kraken rates higher on our rubric: 4.7 against 4.4 for Gemini.

Criterion: Editorial rating
Gemini: 4.4
Kraken: 4.7

Gemini and Kraken, fact by fact

Every row is from the two reviews as of their review dates, with sources on each. A check marks the side a decidable criterion favours; rows without one are information, not a score.

Gemini and Kraken compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
Fact	Gemini	Kraken
Editorial rating	4.4	4.7 (favoured on this row)
Published fees	0.5% + flat fee on easy buys	From 0.25% maker, 0.40% taker
Maker fee	Volume-tiered on ActiveTrader, falling with 30-day volume	0.25% on Kraken Pro below $10,000 in 30-day volume, decreasing at higher tiers
Taker fee	Volume-tiered on ActiveTrader, falling with 30-day volume	0.40% on Kraken Pro below $10,000 in 30-day volume, decreasing at higher tiers
Identity verification	Required	Required
Bitcoin-only	No	No
Payment rails supported	6	14
Countries ranked in	1	127
Ranks first in	0	10
Countries shared	1	1
Security record	10 dated events, 2 incidents, latest 2026-04-21	10 dated events, 2 incidents, latest 2026-06-30
Founded	2014	2011
Headquarters	New York, United States	San Francisco, United States
Last reviewed	2026-08-23	2026-08-23

Where both Gemini and Kraken are ranked

Each country guide ranks its own roster on published fees, security record and local payment support, so the two can sit in a different order from one country to the next.

Countries whose guide ranks both Gemini and Kraken, with each platform's position in that guide.
Country	Status	Gemini ranks	Kraken ranks	Comparison
United States	Legal	#3	#2

Security records of the exchanges ranked in this comparison

Dated events from each review, newest first: breaches, enforcement actions, licences, audits and proof-of-reserves publications. Every exchange ranked here carries one.

Gemini10 events

2026-04-21Enforcement
New York AG sues Gemini over unlicensed prediction markets
2026-02-05Licence
Gemini closes its UK, EU and Australia businesses
2026-01-23Resolved
SEC drops its Gemini Earn lawsuit

The full record, with sources, in the Gemini review

Kraken10 events

2026-06-30Proof of reserves
Latest proof of reserves shows bitcoin backed at 102.9%
2026-04-14Breach
Kraken refuses extortion after two support staff misused internal systems
2025-06-26Licence
Kraken wins a MiCA licence from the Central Bank of Ireland

The full record, with sources, in the Kraken review

Frequently asked questions

Is Gemini or Kraken better?

Kraken rates higher on our rubric: 4.7 against 4.4 for Gemini. The rating weighs published fees, security record and local payment support; the table above sets each beside the other so you can check the score against the facts.

Which is cheaper, Gemini or Kraken?

Gemini: 0.5% + flat fee on easy buys. Kraken: From 0.25% maker, 0.40% taker. Those are each platform's published headline rates; card purchases and instant-buy widgets cost more than the order book on both, and each review carries the full schedule.

Where can I use both Gemini and Kraken?

Both are ranked in our guides for United States. Gemini is ranked in 1 countries in all and Kraken in 127; each country guide ranks its own roster, so the two can sit in a different order from one country to the next.

Has Gemini or Kraken had a security incident?

Gemini carries 2 incidents among 10 dated events, the latest on 2022-12-16: Third party vendor breach exposed 5.3 million customer email addresses. Kraken carries 2 incidents among 10 dated events, the latest on 2026-04-14: Kraken refuses extortion after two support staff misused internal systems. Both reviews list every event with its source.

Do Gemini and Kraken require ID verification?

Gemini: required; identity verification is required to deposit fiat and trade.. Kraken: required; identity verification is required to deposit fiat and trade..

The full reviews: Gemini and Kraken, each with its sources, and every exchange we review.