1. General Warning:
Accredited investors are assumed to be better informed, and better able to access resources to protect their own interests, and therefore require less regulatory protection. Customers who agree to be treated as accredited investors are reminded to exercise utmost caution when dealing in digital payment tokens (“DPTs”).
2. Consent to Being Treated as an Accredited Investor:
When you agree to be treated as an accredited investor under the Guidelines on Consumer Protection Measures by Digital Payment Token Service Providers (PS-G03), you acknowledge that the enhanced protections applicable to retail clients (including the consent provisions) will not apply to you.
Being treated as an accredited investor allows you to access products and services that are not available to retail clients.
3. Effect of Being Treated as an Accredited Investor:
As an accredited investor:
(a) Access to additional services, including staking- Staking allows you to delegate your digital assets to help validate transactions on certain blockchain networks and earn potential rewards. While staking can generate returns, it also carries specific risks that you should understand before participating:
Slashing Risk
Some digital asset networks may reduce or confiscate (“Slash”) a portion of staked assets if a validator incorrectly validates transactions.
Gemini and its staking services provider will use commercially reasonable efforts to prevent any staked assets from being Slashed. However, if your staked assets are Slashed, Gemini will replace the affected assets at no additional cost unless otherwise provided in the Staking Agreement or your User Agreement.
For clarity, Gemini will not replace assets Slashed due to:
Network or protocol-level issues;
Failures or errors by network providers or operators; or
Circumstances covered under the Disclaimer of Liability or Force Majeure sections of your User Agreement.
Unbonding Period
Some networks impose a waiting period (“Unbonding Period”) when assets are unstaked. During this time, your staked assets cannot be transferred, traded, or withdrawn.
Gemini may also apply a short additional waiting period to facilitate the return of your assets to your Gemini Account after the Unbonding Period ends.
If any staking rewards are earned during the Unbonding Period, they will be credited to your Gemini Account once received by Gemini.
Rewards and Payouts
You are not entitled to any staking rewards until Gemini actually receives them from the relevant network. Once received, Gemini will distribute rewards to your account promptly.
Unless otherwise specified:
The staking rewards rate displayed for each Supported Digital Asset is an annualized historical rate based on rewards earned over the past 90 days.
These rates are estimates only and may change over time.
Gemini does not guarantee that you will receive any staking rewards or that published rates will continue in the future.
(b) Access to higher-risk opportunities- We may refer you to services that allow you to mortgage, lend, pledge, or otherwise use your DPTs as collateral. These services may offer higher potential returns, but also carry greater risk of loss.
(c) Incentives and promotions- We may offer rewards, gifts, or other incentives to you to encourage the use of DPT services. While these may influence your decisions, it is important that you independently assess the suitability and risks of these services before participating.
(d) Use of credit and leverage- You may have access to leveraged DPT products, credit or charge card payments or deposits. Borrowing to buy or hold DPTs can magnify both gains and losses and may lead to debt. Please carefully evaluate these risks before using such products.
The information above is provided to help you make an informed decision about whether to opt-in as an accredited investor. It is not exhaustive and does not cover all risks. You should consider your own financial circumstances, experience, and objectives before deciding. If you are unsure about the implications of being treated as an accredited investor, you should seek advice from a qualified professional.
4. Withdrawal of Consent to Be Treated as an Accredited Investor:
You can opt out of your accredited investor status at any time by contacting our customer support team .
Once processed:
Access to accredited investor-only features will be removed; and
Any accredited investor-only positions (such as staking) may need to be closed or withdrawn. In some cases, withdrawals may take time due to product-specific settlement periods.
Please note that any request to withdraw from being treated as an accredited investor will not affect the provision of or terms of any DPT services offered to and subscribed by you on the basis that you were an accredited investor prior to the withdrawal date.
