Gemini
Establishing credibility for New York’s first Bitcoin Exchange
For many years, Bitcoin exchanges operated in the dark corners of the web, perceived as controversial, risky, and amateur. But to many, those same exchanges also represented the future of money. In 2015, the founders of New York’s first Bitcoin exchange, the Winklevoss twins, took a different approach. They embraced regulation and made their exchange a fully compliant and registered enterprise, holding the highest levels of both capital reserves and compliance to banking standards.
Our challenge was to balance the excitement that new technology holds with the reliability and security of traditional investment vehicles. And it was from this desire for balance that the Gemini brand was born.
- Strategy
- Naming
- Branding
- UX / UI Design
- Web Development
- Product Design
Naming
Strength through balance
‘Gemini” was the perfect name for the platform, reflecting the nature of the business, the brand, and the founders. Banking, virtual or otherwise, is about striking the right balance between a seller and a buyer and creating the right place to come together to make a deal. The brand had to straddle the tech and banking worlds and required a name that had both ambition and stature. And because the founders are twins, the astrological reference makes for a nice inside joke.
Brand Elements
A new system of trust
To support the Gemini name, we needed a visual identity system that broke new ground while firmly establishing itself as a major player. The logo mark balances a sense of momentum with stability, speaking both the language of new tech and traditional finance.
We used a color palette reminiscent of banks, but dialed up the intensity to reference a new age of currency. The font choices are clean and minimal. And to clarify the complexity of the product, we created a system of iconography designed to help new audiences understand the platform and its terminology.
99Bitcoins, Gemini Bitcoin Exchange Review
“It is clear that the company has designed itself to stay completely above board every step of the way. Many now see it as one of the most—if not the most—legitimate trading platforms in the world.”
UX/UI Design
A home for the future
Two years later, Gemini asked us to redesign their entire website. They had launched new products and needed a smart and scalable way to showcase them. And their audience had also expanded; they wanted to appeal to people interested in learning about crypto and major institutional investors, not just hard-core crypto-fans. We worked closely with their team to design a clean and modular site, retaining their core futuristic vision while also being accessible and credible.
Results
Gemini quickly established itself as a trustworthy and forward-thinking player. It now has a dedicated user base, who trade regularly with confidence and the brand has continually established itself as the most secure crypto trading platform.
