A vertical transistor structure includes a material stack having a source material, a drain material, and a channel material therebetween. The vertical transistor structure further includes a gate electrode adjacent to a sidewall of the stack, where the sidewall includes the channel material, and at least a partial thickness of both the source material and the drain material. A gate dielectric is present between the sidewall of the stack and the gate electrode. The vertical transistor structure further includes a first metallization over a first area of the stack above the gate dielectric layer, and in contact with the gate electrode on sidewall of the stack. A second metallization is adjacent to the first metallization, where the second metallization is over a second area of the stack, and in contact with the source material or the drain material.