IPO to Make It Third Public Crypto Exchange

The Winklevoss twins-run exchange is next in line for a public debut on a stock index.

Coinbase and Bullish have already taken the leap, and have raised a few eyebrows. What’s next for Gemini?

Proceedings Underway

Shared via a press release, Gemini Space Station, Inc., the parent company of the exchange, announced earlier this week that it has begun the initial public offering (IPO) process, with the offer of over 16.6 million shares of class A common stock.

This follows the registration statement on the S-1 form filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the United States. Along with the offer, Gemini and the shareholders who will be selling their stock plan to provide underwriters (a financial institution/professional that assesses and assumes the risk of a potential loan) with an option of purchasing additional shares for a period of one month.

Those amounts are 2,396,348 and 103,652 shares of class A common stock, respectively, which will be used to cover over-allotments (an option allowing underwriters to sell up to 15% more shares than initially planned). The IPO price for the stock is currently set at a range between $17 and $19, depending on the economic climate and other conditions.

Additionally, the announcement reads that there is no guarantee as to when and if the offering will be completed, or the actual size of it. Gemini has applied for a listing on the NASDAQ index with the ticker “GEMI.” Leading bookrunners (underwriters) are financial giants Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and Morgan Stanley.

Will We See Another Stellar Performance?

Recall Coinbase in 2021, which went straight for a direct listing on the NASDAQ, rather than the usual IPO. Before the listing, the reference price per share was $250, and at the end of the first trading day, it closed at $328.28, a 31% jump. Earlier this week, COIN traded at arond $303, which represents a minor decline over the past few years.

More recently, the Bullish exchange, which went live on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) last month, also saw an impressive debut after its IPO, which raised $1.1 billion, making its initial valuation $5.4B, with the share value being $37.

Its first trading day went well, with the shares opening at $90 and reaching peaks of $118, representing increases of 143% and 218%, respectively, before finishing the day at $68. At print time, the stock price is holding steady at around $62.

Notably, this IPO was unique in itself, as it was the first ever to be fully settled in stablecoins.

“Getting your IPO proceeds in stablecoins is a baller move. Big moment for all of crypto. Soon this will be the new normal.” – Brian Armstrong, Coinbase CEO