How Gemini plans to quietly conquer Europe

[Mercury]

As crypto exchange Gemini prepares to launch in the UK, managing director Julian Sawyer explains its game plan.

Crypto exchange Gemini is preparing for the launch of its exchange in the UK—which will enable it to reach into Europe.

Gemini is a New York-based crypto exchange set up by the Winklevoss twins that focuses on a narrow range of coins, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Zcash (ZEC). It offers custody services for a wider range of coins, including Decentraland (MANA).

Speaking to Decrypt, Gemini’s managing director for Europe, Julian Sawyer, explained how it will tackle the UK and European markets.

Sawyer cofounded Starling Bank, one of the UK's challenger banks. Image: Shutterstock.

“The US has gone institutional compliance, security, regulatory first. We will continue doing that for sure,” Sawyer said. “But we’ve got a different ecosystem with Fintechs. A huge Fintech community. We’ve got to talk to those customers who engage with financial technology. We need to start to find the right narrative about security and safety, the things that are pretty boring until you need them.”

Pitting Fintech against crypto

Sawyer has plenty of Fintech experience to draw on; he’s the co-founder and former COO of Starling Bank, one of the UK Fintech scene’s most promising challenger banks—similar to Venmo. He explained that there is a strong similarity between the Fintech scene and the crypto scene, with both focusing on two pillars of innovation.

Fintechs, Sawyer told Decrypt, are challenging the customer experience, “in a nice way, with all the bells and whistles.” They’ve also challenged how they deliver services, he added. “They’re bringing out features and functions far quicker than any regular bank, while still being a bank.”

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