Crypto is big money — and there’s potentially free money in it for you if you’re looking to try out a different crypto exchange or new to investing in crypto.
Worldwide, the crypto market cap is $3.4 trillion as of May 21, with Bitcoin holding about $2.16 trillion of that value, according to CoinMarketCap. Demand is high, and one way crypto exchanges compete for your business is by offering bonuses and promotions that you can add right into your account or portfolio.
It’s helpful to know the best offers so you can decide what crypto exchange you may want to invest with and if it’s a good time to take advantage of an offer.
Best crypto bonuses and promotions in May
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Coinbase: up to $200
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Gemini: $75 in crypto
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tastytrade: $50 and up
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eToro: $10
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Robinhood: Free stock
Coinbase: Up to $200
Coinbase is one of the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges. If it’s your first time signing up and creating an account, you can get up to $200 in crypto or U.S. dollars. However, some terms and conditions must be met.
Within the first year of opening an account, you must add a payment method (such as a bank account or credit card) and buy any cryptocurrency that you want. Complete those steps and within two days you’ll receive the amount and type of cryptocurrency for the promo code you redeemed.
You can also earn perks from referrals, such as an additional crypto bonus or reduced fees.
Gemini: $75 in crypto
If you decide to go with Gemini, which offers an array of crypto coins, you can earn up to $75 in the crypto of your choice or a percentage of trades for making a referral. Each friend must be a new Gemini user and sign up using your referral link.
Your referral has to make a minimum trade of $100 in their first 30 days, then you both get $75 in crypto. If your referral trades $5,000 or more, you both get a kickback on their trades for a year, starting at 15 percent.
Don’t have a referral? You can still get a $50 Bitcoin reward when you sign up for Gemini and trade $100.
tastytrade: $50 and up
Tastytrade is a brokerage platform that may appeal to active traders looking to buy and trade securities with low fees. Tastytrade offers 23 coins, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin and Solana.
New customers who open a tastytrade account and use MYNEWBONUS as the referral code will be eligible to receive a tiered cash bonus. To get the $50, you will need to add at least $2,000 to the account in cash or through an account transfer. You can earn $100 for a minimum deposit of $5,000, $500 for $25,000 and $2,000 for $100,000. Tiers go up to a $5,000 bonus for a $1 million deposit.
This promotion ends Aug. 31, 2025, and is limited to new customers who are older than 18, live in the U.S. and are not existing customers. IRAs are not eligible.
eToro: $10 crypto or cash
With eToro, users can find some of the best features of a crypto exchange and traditional broker plus the ability to follow other traders’ holdings and activity.
For new users, eToro is offering a $10 bonus in crypto (Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash or Ethereum) or cash depending on where you live.
To be eligible, you must open a new account, have it verified and make your first deposit.
Better yet, get a friend to refer you to eToro, and you could both get $30 after you open an account and deposit $100.
Does crypto make sense in your portfolio?
A financial advisor can work with you to create a balanced portfolio that meets your short- and long-term goals — and Bankrate’s AdvisorMatch can help you connect with a CFP® professional.
Robinhood: Free stock
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option and want to trade crypto in the same place as stocks, Robinhood might be a good option.
Robinhood may not offer as many options when it comes to crypto, but the brokerage does have some perks. When you open an account or invite a friend, you’ll receive a stock reward. The cash value you receive could be anywhere between $5 and $200, though approximately 99 percent of customers will get stock worth $5. You can use this reward to claim a fractional share of a stock that you can hold or sell within a few days.
Bottom line
If you’re looking to invest in crypto, which is super volatile, be sure to have your finances in order first and decide if crypto makes sense for your portfolio. Also, a sign-up bonus is only as good as the intention behind it. An account you will use is more beneficial than a bonus in an account that doesn’t work for you.
Editorial Disclaimer: All investors are advised to conduct their own independent research into investment strategies before making an investment decision. In addition, investors are advised that past investment product performance is no guarantee of future price appreciation.
