Share this article
Gemini to Roll Out Bitcoin and Ether Block Trading
The exchange's new feature will allow institutional investors to place large trades without driving prices up or down.
By David Floyd
Updated Sep 13, 2021, 7:48 a.m. Published Apr 10, 2018, 12:00 a.m.
Cryptocurrency exchange Gemini said Monday that it will roll out block trading for bitcoin and ether starting later this week.
The feature – which will allow customers to make high-volume trades that won't appear in the exchange's order book until they've been filled – will go live at 9:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, Gemini explained in a blog post. There's a minimum threshold of 10 bitcoin or 100 ether for the block trades, meaning that smaller traders won't be able to use the feature.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
Gemini has positioned the block trading addition as a way to create "an additional mechanism to source liquidity when trading in greater size."
Block trading allows large traders such as hedge funds to buy or sell large quantities without having large immediate effects on the price. The alternative is to place over-the-counter trades, which happen outside of exchanges, or to split trades up into smaller chunks in order to minimize the impact to supply and demand.
Market takers – who place the orders – specify whether the trade is a buy or sell; the minimum quantity; and a price limit. This information, called an indication of interest, is broadcast to all market makers simultaneously.
"In accordance with our commitment to an equitable, transparent, and rules-based marketplace, block orders will be electronically broadcast to participating market makers simultaneously, ensuring best execution and price discovery for those participating in the program," the exchange explained in its blog post.
Gemini, founded by investors Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, had indicated last month that the exchange may move to add additional cryptocurrencies for trading in the future. Potential selections include bitcoin cash and litecoin, as reported at the time.
Coin stacks image via Shutterstock
More For You
What to know:
- As of October 2025, GoPlus has generated $4.7M in total revenue across its product lines. The GoPlus App is the primary revenue driver, contributing $2.5M (approx. 53%), followed by the SafeToken Protocol at $1.7M.
- GoPlus Intelligence's Token Security API averaged 717 million monthly calls year-to-date in 2025 , with a peak of nearly 1 billion calls in February 2025. Total blockchain-level requests, including transaction simulations, averaged an additional 350 million per month.
- Since its January 2025 launch , the $GPS token has registered over $5B in total spot volume and $10B in derivatives volume in 2025. Monthly spot volume peaked in March 2025 at over $1.1B , while derivatives volume peaked the same month at over $4B.
More For You
Japan’s Higher Rates Puts Bitcoin in the Crosshairs of a Yen Carry Unwind
A stronger yen typically coincides with de-risking across macro portfolios, and that dynamic could tighten liquidity conditions that recently helped bitcoin rebound from November’s lows.
What to know:
- The Bank of Japan is expected to raise interest rates to 0.75% at its December meeting, the highest since 1995, affecting global markets including cryptocurrencies.
- A stronger yen could lead to de-risking in macro portfolios, impacting liquidity conditions that have supported bitcoin's recent recovery.
- Governor Kazuo Ueda indicated a high probability of a rate hike, with officials prepared for further tightening if their economic outlook supports it.
Top Stories
