Crypto exchange Gemini, founded by billionaire twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, today unveiled its new self-custodial smart wallet, designed to lower barriers to decentralized finance (DeFi) and onchain applications.
The Gemini Wallet, accessible via https://onchain.gemini.com, is designed to eliminate traditional hurdles like seed phrases and separate app downloads, blending embedded and portable functionalities for a seamless user experience.
Key features include passkey-based login with biometrics for instant access, social recovery tools to regain control without privacy compromises, and an integrated dashboard for managing assets, exploring dapps, and earning yield.
Users benefit from gas-free transactions on select blockchains for initial actions, free ENS subdomains, and upcoming integration with Gemini’s exchange for direct onchain trades without manual transfers.
We’ve built a first in class self custody wallet that unlocks DeFi and Web3 for every crypto user across the globe.
A fully embedded experience powered by passkeys.
Meet the Gemini Wallet. pic.twitter.com/BCuB59Ttlv
— Gemini.eth (@Gemini) August 14, 2025
The announcement has also revealed partnerships with networks like Arbitrum, Polygon, Optimism, and Base, with the Gemini Wallet incorporating security from Blockaid, alongside WalletConnect, Bungee, and Morpho for enhanced functionality.
Gemini highlights the transformative potential of smart wallets in expanding cryptocurrency adoption, emphasizing how passkeys provide enhanced security through hardware-bound encryption and seamless syncing across devices. This innovation is seen as a major advancement in self-custodial wallet technology, simplifying user experiences by eliminating outdated practices like managing seed phrases or installing dedicated apps.
The company envisions these wallets will integrate effortlessly into everyday digital interactions, empowering users with full control over their assets.
“By leveraging the security and convenience of passkeys, we believe smart wallets are the key to onboarding the next one billion people onchain,” said Eric Kuhn, Gemini’s head of onchain. “Building on smart wallets is like leapfrogging from landlines to Starlink. Gone are the days of downloading separate apps or backing up 12-word secret recovery phrases into steel.”
According to Kuhn, “the next one billion users won’t need to grapple with these complexities” as they simply want a wallet that is melting into the background.
“With a tap of the Gemini button on any app, they’ll be able to do just that, using their own keys for a wallet they control,” he added.
The move positions Gemini in a competitive Web3 landscape, where rivals like Coinbase have rebranded their wallet into the Base App for all-in-one finance and dapp access.
As centralized exchanges push deeper into DeFi, Gemini’s wallet could accelerate mainstream onchain adoption by prioritizing user-friendliness, though balancing convenience with true self-custody principles remains a key concern that users should approach with caution.