Kraken offers lower trading fees (0.16-0.26%) and more advanced trading features, while Gemini provides a simpler interface with better regulatory oversight and stronger consumer protections through its NY Trust Company charter.
Kraken vs Gemini — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Advanced cryptocurrency exchange with low fees, margin trading, and 550+ trading pairs.
Beginner-friendly cryptocurrency exchange with NY Trust Company charter and strong regulatory oversight.
Trading Fees (Maker/Taker). Available Trading Pairs. Regulatory Charter. Minimum Account Balance. Advanced Trading Tools. User Interface Complexity. Supported Cryptocurrencies
Choose Kraken if you're an active trader seeking lower fees, margin trading capabilities, and exposure to more altcoins. Choose Gemini if you prioritize regulatory safety, a clean beginner interface, and strong consumer protection guarantees from its NY Trust Company charter.
Kraken: Advanced/technical | Gemini: N/A
Kraken: Professional-grade | Gemini: N/A
Kraken: Enterprise-grade institutional | Gemini: N/A
Kraken: Kraken (FinCEN MSB registered) | Gemini: N/A
Kraken: Pending approval | Gemini: Approved
Kraken: Not specified | Gemini: Up to $250,000
Kraken: FinCEN MSB + 7 state licenses | Gemini: N/A
Kraken: 22 states | Gemini: 50 states (all)
Kraken: Not licensed | Gemini: Fully licensed
Kraken: 5x leverage | Gemini: Limited/unavailable
Kraken: 4.6/5 (85K reviews) | Gemini: N/A
Kraken: 5 major (USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, JPY) | Gemini: N/A
Kraken: Money Services Business (MSB) | Gemini: NY Trust Company
Kraken: Yes (up to 5x leverage) | Gemini: No
Kraken: Up to $250,000 (optional Crypto Custody) | Gemini: $250,000 per account
Kraken: 20+ cryptocurrencies | Gemini: Earn program with up to 8% APY
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Gemini 1.5 Pro (strong)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Advanced (image, video, text)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Google Search, Workspace, Maps
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Good but formulaic
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Conversational AI & LLM
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Consumer AI Product
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Free (premium paid options)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Text, Images, Video, Code
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: 1.5 billion+ (all Google products)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Free (Gemini Free or Premium $20)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: 1 million tokens (Gemini 2.0)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: 40+ languages with debugging
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Cloud-based primarily
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: PDF, Images, Web content, Video
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: 99.5% (Google Cloud SLA)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: iOS, Android (native Gemini app)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: 5 (text, image, audio, video, docs)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Gemini 3.1 Pro, 3.5 Flash
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: 1M tokens (3.1 Pro)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Competitive (3.1 Pro)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Native Search grounding
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Broadest (Google translation lineage)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Controlled generation + JSON schemas
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: ~2025 (Search compensates)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Agentic in Workspace
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Google integrations
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Polished; merges with Google app on Android
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Implicit + explicit context caching
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Cloud-only (Vertex AI)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: ~360 RPM / 4M TPM (3.1 Pro)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: 3.5 Flash (generous limits)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Google AI Pro $19.99/mo
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Ultra $100–$200/mo
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Workspace Business (varies)
Complex Reasoning Accuracy (AIME Benchmark)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: April 2024 knowledge cutoff
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Text, images, video, audio
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: $20/month (Google One Premium)
Code Generation Quality (HumanEval Benchmark)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Strict - refuses harmful/controversial
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Yes (with limitations)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Yes (Gemini Advanced)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Imagen 3 integrated
Code Generation - Codeforces Problems Solved
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Full commercial with SLA
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: $0 (Free tier available)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Text, images, audio, video
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Full access via Vertex AI and AI Studio
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Optimized with native debugging tools
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: Google Workspace, Drive, Gmail, Search
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: 20 months (April 2024)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: No (April 2024 cutoff)
Coding Performance (HumanEval Benchmark)
Kraken: N/A | Gemini: $20 (Gemini Advanced)
Kraken vs Gemini — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Kraken vs Gemini. Contains 150 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Kraken vs Gemini — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Kraken vs Gemini.
Gemini is safer for most users because it holds a NY Trust Company charter, the strongest regulatory classification available in the US for cryptocurrency exchanges. This means Gemini's crypto assets are held in segregated, regulated custodial accounts. Kraken is regulated as a Money Services Business (MSB) in multiple US states, which is lower tier. Both carry $250,000 insurance coverage, but Gemini's charter provides additional legal protections under NY banking law.
How much money can I save on fees with Kraken vs Gemini?
On a $10,000 trade, Kraken charges $26 (0.26% taker fee) while Gemini charges $60 (0.60% taker fee) — a savings of $34 per trade. Over 100 trades annually, that's $3,400 saved using Kraken. However, Gemini periodically offers 0% maker fees and 0.50% taker fees for promotional periods, temporarily narrowing this gap. For casual buyers making 10-20 trades yearly, the fee difference is minimal ($50-100).
Can I use margin trading or futures on either platform?
Yes, Kraken offers margin trading (up to 5x leverage) and perpetual/dated futures contracts for qualified users. Gemini does not offer margin trading or futures — it only supports spot trading. If you want to short sell or use leverage, Kraken is your only option between these two.
Which exchange has more cryptocurrencies?
Kraken offers 190+ cryptocurrencies across 550+ trading pairs, while Gemini offers approximately 100+ cryptocurrencies with 200+ pairs. Kraken includes many emerging DeFi tokens and altcoins that Gemini doesn't list. If you want exposure to newer or smaller-cap coins, Kraken is the better choice.
Yes, Gemini is specifically designed for beginners with a simple, clean interface that doesn't overwhelm new users. It also offers Gemini Earn for passive income (up to 8% APY on stablecoins) and strong regulatory protection. Kraken's interface is more complex and suited to intermediate/advanced traders. For first-time crypto buyers, Gemini is the easier choice.
Trading Fees (Maker/Taker): Kraken has 0.16% / 0.26%, while Gemini has 0.50% / 0.60%.
Available Trading Pairs: Kraken has 550+, while Gemini has 200+.
Regulatory Charter: Kraken has Money Services Business (MSB), while Gemini has NY Trust Company (strongest US charter).
Minimum Account Balance: Kraken has $0 (no minimum), while Gemini has $0 (no minimum).
Advanced Trading Tools: Kraken has Margin trading, futures, staking available, while Gemini has Spot trading only, no margin or futures.
User Interface Complexity: Kraken has Advanced/intermediate level, while Gemini has Beginner-friendly, simplified.
Supported Cryptocurrencies: Kraken has 190+ assets, while Gemini has 100+ assets.