Kraken
Crypto exchange for spot, margin, perps, staking and stock trading
Not available in: Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Congo - Kinshasa, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Libya and 5 more. Details
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Pricing
Pricing unknown
API
Yes
Company
Payward, Inc.
Founded
2011
Platforms
What is Kraken?
Kraken is a centralized exchange for buying, selling and trading cryptocurrencies, with stocks, ETFs and futures offered alongside. The site lists 600+ crypto pairs and 11,000+ stocks and ETFs. You can trade on the web, in the mobile app or through the API. It has operated since 2011 and reports more than $2T in total transaction volume.
Casual users can buy assets like BTC, ETH, TSLA and AAPL, set up recurring buys and earn APY through staking. Active traders get Kraken Pro, which offers margin, perpetual futures with up to 10x leverage, a desktop app, TradingView integration and the Kraken CLI. The CLI can also be used by AI agents and supports paper trading.
Other products include a self-custody multi-chain wallet, a crypto card, borrowing, and Prime services (OTC and custody) for institutions. Availability depends on the jurisdiction. For example, equities are offered only in the U.S.
Key features
- 600+ crypto trading pairs
- 11,000+ stocks and ETFs (U.S. only)
- Perpetual futures with up to 10x leverage
- Staking and auto earn on assets
- Recurring buys (dollar cost averaging)
- Self-custody multi-chain wallet
- Kraken CLI for traders and AI agents
- OTC trading and institutional custody via Prime
Use cases
Who it's for
Buying crypto for the first time
Open a free account and buy BTC, ETH or XRP, with the option to automate recurring buys.
Active leveraged trading
Trade spot, margin and perpetual futures on Kraken Pro, with TradingView charts and a desktop app.
Algorithmic and agent trading
Connect via the API or Kraken CLI, including paper-trading simulations for AI agents.
Institutional OTC and custody
Qualifying institutions can use Kraken Prime for OTC trades, custody and staking.
Kraken pricing
From the vendor's site, checked Nov 4, 2026. Prices change — confirm on their pricing page.
The vendor does not publish plan details.
Fee on a $1,000 spot trade: $80.8% × $1,000. Worked out from the figures in Kraken in numbers below.
Get an email when Kraken changes its prices
One mail per change, a stop link in each. Nothing else.
Kraken in numbers
- Spot taker fee
- 0.8%
- Spot maker fee
- 0.4%
- Futures taker fee
- 0.05%
- Futures maker fee
- 0.02%
- Coins listed
- 629
- Max leverage
- 100x
- Not available in
- Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Congo - Kinshasa +9
- Fiat deposits
- Yes
- P2P market
- No
- Copy trading
- No
Fees shown are Kraken Pro Tier 1 rates and fall with 30-day volume, while 100x leverage applies only to small BTC and ETH perpetual positions and is not offered to EU or US users. From Kraken's own pages, checked Nov 6, 2026. Each figure links to the page it is from; fields the vendor doesn't state are left out.
How Kraken compares
- Fee on a $1,000 spot trade: $8 at Kraken, less than 2 of 4 similar services that state it.
- Kraken has the weakest futures maker fee of the 5 services here: 0.02%.
- Kraken has the best coins listed of the 4 services here: 629.
| Tool | Fee on a $1,000 spot trade | Spot taker fee | Futures taker fee | Coins listed | Not available in | Proof of reserves | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KKraken | $8 | 0.8% | 0.05% | 629 | Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Congo - Kinshasa +9 | Regular cadence, Merkle tree, independent accountant; latest 30 Jun 2026 | |
C Coinbase | $9 | 0.9% | 0.03% | — | — | — | Kraken vs Coinbase |
G Gemini | $12 | 1.2% | 0.07% | 80 | United Kingdom, Australia, Austria, Belgium +28 | — | Kraken vs Gemini |
B Binance | $1 | 0.1% | 0.05% | 600 | United States, Canada, Netherlands, Cuba +2 | Monthly, Merkle tree + zk-SNARK, no third-party auditor named | Kraken vs Binance |
O OKX | $1 | 0.1% | 0.05% | 300 | Afghanistan, Canada, Cuba, Hong Kong SAR China +13 | Monthly, zk-STARK/Merkle tree, self-verifiable; no named auditor | Kraken vs OKX |
Figures from each vendor's own pages; — means the vendor doesn't state it. The closest alternatives in our directory by category. “Starts at” is the cheapest paid plan per month, as each vendor lists it.
Pros and cons
Strengths
- Operating since 2011, with $2T+ in reported transaction volume
- Over 600 crypto pairs plus stocks and ETFs
- Trade on the web, in the mobile app, or through the API and CLI
- Publishes proof of reserves
Limitations
- Stock trading is available only in the U.S. and not in every state
- Products and features vary by region because of geographic restrictions
- UK cryptoasset services are unregulated and not covered by the FSCS
Kraken FAQ
What can I trade on Kraken?
Kraken offers 600+ crypto pairs, stocks and ETFs (U.S. only), margin, perpetual futures and futures.
Is opening an account free?
Yes. The site invites users to create a free account. Trading fees are listed on a separate fee schedule.
Does Kraken have an API?
Yes. Kraken offers API trading and the Kraken CLI, which also supports AI agents.
Can I earn rewards on my crypto?
Yes. Staking and auto earn are available. Rewards are not guaranteed, and availability depends on your region.
Does Kraken offer a self-custody wallet?
Yes. Kraken Wallet is a multi-chain self-custody wallet that works on web and mobile.
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Kraken
Pricing unknown
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