# Are crypto sign-up bonuses worth it?
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.
Canonical: https://dealaka.com/guides/are-crypto-sign-up-bonuses-worth-it
By The Dealaka Team. Published Jul 20, 2026. Facts re-checked Jul 20, 2026.
Offers cited: https://dealaka.com/offers/gemini-new-user-incentive-sign-up-bonus
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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.

## The three kinds of crypto bonus

**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.

**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.

**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.

## What to watch for before you sign up

- **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.
- **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.
- **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.
- **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.
- **Remember the tax.** A crypto sign-up reward is taxable income, and selling the crypto later is a separate taxable event.

## The honest bottom line

A 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.

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Reference information, not financial advice. Verify each offer against the institution's own terms.