If Bitcoin is to break through as the frictionless payment method many believe it can be, it must evolve into "an ecosystem that is free of hacking, fraud and security breaches," wrote Cameron Winklevoss in a blog post announcing the Gemini exchange.

Obviously the cryptocurrency isn't there yet, and the brothers — who waged a high-profile legal tussle with Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg — claim the risks associated with Bitcoin right now are crippling its potential. "A growing number of US investors, traders, financial institutions and businesses wanted to get involved with bitcoin directly, but had no options other than to trade overseas or sit on the sidelines."

So what's the answer? Gemini claims to have assembled "the nation's top security experts, technologists, and financial engineers to build a world-class exchange from the ground up with a security-first mentality." So far, that's a team of 14 people (including Tyler and Cameron), with 11 of those spots filled by engineers. Gemini has also picked up the backing of a New York-based bank, though the twins aren't getting more specific than that. "This means that your money will never leave the country," said Winklevoss. And US currency on Gemini will qualify for FDIC insurance, a measure that should have investors confident that funds will be "as safe and secure as they are in your bank account today."