{"slug":"are-crypto-sign-up-bonuses-worth-it","title":"Are crypto sign-up bonuses worth it?","dek":"Crypto exchanges advertise bonuses up to thousands of dollars. Most of that is a mirage. Here is how to tell a real, earnable bonus from a mystery box, and what to watch for before you sign up.","kind":"guide","tags":["crypto","requirements","getting-started"],"author":"dealaka-team","publishedOn":"2026-07-20","updatedOn":"2026-07-20","reviewedOn":"2026-07-20","citesOffers":["gemini-new-user-incentive-sign-up-bonus"],"citesInstitutions":["gemini"],"status":"published","body":"Crypto exchanges run some of the loudest sign-up promotions on the internet: \"earn up to $2,000,\" \"get free Bitcoin.\" A few are genuinely worth a few minutes. Most are structured so the headline number is one you will almost never see. Here is how to tell them apart.\n\n## The three kinds of crypto bonus\n\n**1. A fixed, public reward.** You sign up, make a small first purchase or trade, and get a stated amount, the same for everyone. This is the only kind we treat as a real, listable offer. For example, [Gemini's new-user incentive](/offers/gemini-new-user-incentive-sign-up-bonus) pays a fixed $20 in Bitcoin for trading $100 within 30 days, on a public promo code. You know exactly what you are getting before you start.\n\n**2. A randomized \"mystery box.\"** The headline says \"up to $2,000,\" but the terms say the reward is chosen at the exchange's discretion somewhere in a wide range, and the fine print usually admits that almost everyone lands at the bottom. A common structure: 99% of users get $10 to $100, and 1% get the big number. The \"$2,000\" is real for a lottery winner and misleading for everyone else. We do not list these, because there is no honest figure to put next to your name.\n\n**3. A referral payout.** The bonus only exists through a friend's referral link, and often the person who gets paid is the existing customer doing the referring, not you. That is not a new-customer sign-up bonus.\n\n## What to watch for before you sign up\n\n- **Is the amount fixed and public?** If the reward is \"random,\" \"up to,\" or \"determined in our sole discretion,\" treat the headline as marketing, not a number you will earn.\n- **Is it paid in crypto, and is that crypto volatile?** A \"$20 in Bitcoin\" reward is a real $20 the day it lands, but its value moves. A reward in a small, obscure token is worth whatever the exchange decides it is worth.\n- **What is the trading or deposit requirement?** A fixed bonus for a $100 trade is easy. A bonus that needs thousands in trading volume can cost you more in fees and spread than the bonus is worth.\n- **Is the exchange regulated in the US?** Stick to established, regulated exchanges. A bonus is not worth handing money to a platform you cannot get it back from.\n- **Remember the tax.** A crypto sign-up reward is taxable income, and selling the crypto later is a separate taxable event.\n\n## The honest bottom line\n\nA concrete, public bonus in the $10 to $50 range from a reputable exchange, for a small first trade, can be worth the few minutes. Anything advertised as \"up to\" a large number is almost always a randomized reward you should mentally price at the low end. We only list crypto offers with a fixed, public figure you can actually count on, and you can see the current ones on the [crypto bonuses](/crypto-bonuses) board. This is reference information, not financial advice."}