Summary: Uphold is the better overall cryptocurrency exchange when compared to Gemini because they offer more crypto assets, lower fees and a better staking experience. The Gemini Earn & Gemini platforms are currently risky to use because withdrawals have been halted due to their involvement with the Digital Currency Group & Genesis collapse.
Uphold on the other hand has no history of any financial problems and has been around since 2015. The exchange offers 250 different coins and provides an audited proof-of-reserves which prove that customers funds are always fully reserved.
- Uphold is available in over 150 countries globally.
- Uphold offers four asset classes including crypto, stocks, metals and environmental assets.
- Uphold provides crypto staking on 23 tokens with APY (Annual Percentage Yields) up to 25%.
Is Uphold better than Gemini?
For a quick summary, Uphold is a leading cryptocurrency exchange that offers superior trading and investment features compared to Gemini. With significantly more assets, faster processing speeds, higher security standards, and lower fees, Uphold is the clear choice for crypto investors looking for a better overall investing and trading experience.
Gemini is a popular cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2014 by the Winklevoss twins. While Gemini has gained popularity over the years, it falls short when compared to Uphold in terms of features and usability. At Uphold, users benefit from fast processing speeds, top-notch security measures, and minimal fees on all transactions.
Which platform is more secure?
Uphold is widely regarded to be one of the most secure trading platforms in the world. It has been operating for 9 years and has never once been subject to a cyber attack or hacking incident, proving its security measures are impenetrable. The exchange is registered as a Money Services Business by FinCEN in the US, and is regulated by the FCA in the UK.
Gemini is also regulated by the NY Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) in the US, Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in Singapore, and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK. However, the platform has been cyber attacked on multiple occasions and once had $36 million stolen by a hacker. They were fined by the IRA and now are deemed to be a non-secure exchange.
Winner: Uphold has never once had its security breached and is regulated in more countries than Gemini.
What features does Uphold and Gemini offer?
Uphold provides a large suite of features on its exchange including trading four asset classes (crypto, stocks, metals & environmental assets), crypto staking, a multi-asset spending debit card, 24/7 live customer support and automated trading services (DCA investing).
Gemini unfortunately only offers cryptocurrency trading and a crypto credit card. Besides that, the exchange lacks useful features.
Winner: Uphold provides a significantly more feature-rich platform with useful services like crypto staking and DCA-investing.
Gemini vs Uphold: Fees
Uphold provides free deposits via crypto and bank transfer, but charge 3.99% on card deposits. There are zero fees to withdraw funds from Uphold. As for the trading fee, it varies depending on what asset you are buying/selling and range from 0.65% to 1.4%. There are no additional fees charged on the Uphold exchange.
Gemini charges some of the highest fees in the world with trading fees varying between 1.49% - 2.37%, and a 'convenience fee' of 0.5% - 1% that is deducted from the total you will receive. Wire transfer deposits are free but PayPal incur a 2.5% fee and cards a 3.49% fee. The most outrageous fee that the exchanges charges is a $125 fee on fiat withdrawals.
Winner: Uphold offers significantly lower fees than Gemini and offers multiple free deposit and withdrawal options.
Does Uphold offer a better mobile app than Gemini?
Uphold has a mobile app that is available to download on both iOS and Android devices. The Uphold app is rated 4.5 stars from 23K reviews and is ranked #150 overall in the Finance category on the Apple App Store. On the Google Play Store the Uphold app is rated 4.7 stars from 32K reviews.
Geminis mobile application is rated an impressive 4.8 stars from 92K reviews on the Apple App Store. On the Google Play Store it is rated 4.5 stars from 45K reviews. Most of its reviews are positive and outline how easy the UI of the application is to use.
Winner: Gemini's mobile application is rated higher overall on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
Uphold and Gemini supported countries
Uphold is one of the largest exchanges in the world and is available in 156 countries globally. If you are interested in seeing the full list, visit here.
Gemini is unfortunately only available to use in 66 countries. If you would like to see the full list of supported areas, visit here.
Winner: Uphold is available to use in significantly more countries than Gemini.
Final Thoughts
Uphold and Gemini are two of the most popular crypto exchanges in the world, however each offers different features and services to its customers. Whilst Gemini is a well-known exchange that offers an excellent mobile app, Uphold provides more features at much lower fees. Ultimately it depends on what you need from an exchange as both platforms have their own unique benefits.
That said, Uphold is the overall winner for its security, low fees, wide array of features and supported countries.
I am a Finance graduate and market analyst that enjoys researching and writing about digital assets and how they intersect with Macro.
