Kraken Crypto Exchange: Fees, Regulation and Profile

Overview of Kraken

Founded in 2011 by Jesse Powell and headquartered in San Francisco, Kraken holds licences in several countries. It is registered as a Money Services Business with FinCEN in the US, its UK company Payward Limited states in Kraken's terms that it is registered with the FCA as a cryptoasset business, and it holds a banking charter (SPDI) in Wyoming.

Kraken offers access to over 600 cryptocurrencies, futures markets, and institutional OTC services. Unlike crypto CFD brokers where you speculate on price movements, Kraken is a spot exchange platform that gives you actual ownership of the underlying digital assets. You can also withdraw your coins to their Kraken wallet.

The exchange relies on deep liquidity and transparent 1:1 Proof of Reserves which is suitable for security-conscious traders. However, it's fragmented by strict regional restrictions, as US users cannot access futures and on-chain staking is limited to eligible US states and territories, while residents of New York and Washington are barred entirely. While the Kraken Pro terminal interface is convenient for day traders, the multi-app model can feel disjointed compared to all-in-one platforms like Coinbase.

Crypto Trading Fees

Kraken Pro applies a tiered spot fee schedule for Australian clients, with the rate charged on any trade determined by the account tier and the specific pair involved. Tiers are based on qualifying trading volume or assets held on the platform, and separate schedules apply to stablecoin-base, pegged-token and FX books, as well as to special maker-rebate pairs.

Fees apply to executed, matched orders. A maker order adds liquidity to the book, while a taker order removes it; however, order type alone does not guarantee maker status, as a limit order that executes immediately can still take liquidity.

Instant Buy is a separate service rather than part of the Pro schedule: the displayed price includes a spread, and additional payment fees may apply. A Kraken+ membership fee waiver does not extend to Kraken Pro trades. Deposit and withdrawal charges vary by method and currency, and the fee shown at confirmation is the fee incurred.

Crypto Markets

Kraken offers a wide range of over 600 available cryptocurrencies and over 1,000 trading pairs, though some advanced instruments may depend on your regional regulatory status. It offers spot trading, margin, and advanced options like futures trading.

The firm focuses on high-liquidity assets and verified projects for trading against fiat currencies like USD and EUR. Instead of a token-based discount system, Kraken launched their subscription service Kraken+ in 2025.

Available Cryptocurrencies

BTC

ETH

SOL

ADA

XRP

LTC

DOGE

Kraken gives you access to a curated mix of majors, mid-cap altcoins, and niche tokens in DeFi and Layer 1 sectors.

Cryptocurrency	Symbol
Bitcoin	BTC
Ethereum	ETH
Solana	SOL
Cardano	ADA
Ripple	XRP
Polkadot	DOT
Chainlink	LINK
Polygon	MATIC
Litecoin	LTC
Cosmos	ATOM
Aave	AAVE
Curve DAO	CRV
Decentraland	MANA
Algorand	ALGO
Enjin Coin	ENJ

New coins are typically added every few weeks.

Fiat-to-Crypto Markets

Kraken allows you to trade digital assets directly against seven fiat currencies: USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, and CHF.

Trading Pairs and Liquidity

Trading is available 24/7, although certain markets may be restricted in jurisdictions like New York, Washington, or Japan.

Staking and Earning

Kraken offers on-chain staking on over 20 coins with yields ranging from 4% to 22% APY via their Kraken Earn program with Bonded and Flexible staking models.

Trading Platforms and Tools

Kraken's trading platform ecosystem is available in web, mobile, and dedicated desktop formats, all using the Pro Kraken version. The standard Kraken app is not available on desktop.

The main user interface is intuitive for newcomers, but the Pro version is preferred for advanced traders because it offers significantly lower trading fees and futures trading.

Kraken Mobile App

Kraken's mobile app has two distinct versions: the standard Kraken App for casual investing and the Kraken Pro App for advanced technical trading. The Pro app has advanced charting and full order-type support.

Kraken Web Platform

Kraken's web platform is the flagship interface for active traders, featuring a fully customizable, multi-widget dashboard. It has high technical transparency for funding, staking, and standard trading with live depth charts and detailed order books in real-time. The Futures tab is hidden for users in restricted regions.

Kraken Desktop App

Kraken's desktop app is a Rust-native application built for responsiveness and multi-window support with customizable boards and custom themes. The primary difference from the web version is the exclusive Ladder trading module for streamlined point-and-click execution.

Charting, Indicators, and Order Types

All platforms offer proprietary tools with deep native integration and TradingView-powered charting with over 100 technical indicators and drawing tools. The platform supports Stop Loss, Take Profit, Trailing Stops, and Iceberg orders.

The lack of custom-coded indicators is limiting compared to platforms like OKX and Binance that natively support Pine Script.

Addons

Kraken acquired Capitalise.ai in 2025 bringing natural-language, no-code automation to the Pro platform.

Safety and Regulation

Kraken operates with a multi-jurisdictional licensing model. The exchange has a compliance-first approach with a full-reserve banking model, legally prohibited from lending out client fiat deposits without explicit consent.

As of 2026, it holds a Wyoming SPDI banking charter, and its EU entities Payward Europe Solutions Limited and Payward Global Solutions Limited were authorised under the EU's MiCA framework by the Central Bank of Ireland on 25 June 2025 (ESMA MiCA register).

• United States: Registered as an MSB with FinCEN; Wyoming SPDI Banking Charter
• European Union: Licensed as an EMI and CASP (MiCA compliant) via the Central Bank of Ireland
• United Kingdom: Regulated by the FCA (CryptoFacilities subsidiary)
• Australia: Registered as a DCE and Independent Remittance Dealer with AUSTRAC
• Canada: Registered Restricted Dealer with the OSC and FINTRAC

In November 2023, Kraken faced legal challenges from the SEC regarding its operations as an unregistered securities exchange, but the SEC agreed to drop the lawsuit with prejudice.

The firm has a dedicated Security Labs team and bug bounty program.

Custody and Asset Storage

Account Security Features

• Two-factor authentication (2FA) with FIDO2 passkeys support
• Global Settings Lock (GSL) to prevent unauthorized access to key actions
• Master Key feature making it difficult for attackers to reset passwords
• Equity Protection Process that automatically liquidates positions before they reach negative balance

Kraken Account Types

Funding and Withdrawals

Kraken has a network of global banking partners offering multiple payment methods like SEPA, SWIFT, FedWire, and ACH, supporting seven major fiat currencies: USD, EUR, CAD, GBP, CHF, JPY, and AUD.

Transfers are processed 24/7 based on blockchain confirmations, while fiat transactions are subject to standard banking hours. Kraken does not charge hidden foreign exchange fees on deposits. You can also send fiat or crypto instantly with zero fees through the Krak app.

Deposit Methods

First-time fiat deposits via ACH, debit/credit, digital wallets, and PayPal require a temporary 72-hour withdrawal hold as a security measure.

Withdrawal Methods and Fees

Funding Limits by Account Verification Level

Trading Rules and Limitations

Kraken has a regulation-first approach to crypto trading rules, strictly prohibiting wash trading, layering, and spoofing to protect liquidity. It maintains a fair trading environment but does not natively offer social or copy trading.

Kraken relies on discretionary maintenance modes during extreme volatility. Unlike Binance and Coinbase, Kraken does not have automated circuit breakers. The exchange uses an automated Instant Margining System, and traders are expected to maintain sufficient collateral. The Zero Volume feature lets you instantly flatten all open positions in a specific pair.

Allowed Trading Strategies

Kraken supports scalping, hedging, and automated trading via API. High-frequency strategies are not penalized as long as they don't cross into prohibited market manipulation.

Kraken employs a strict First-In, First-Out (FIFO) rule for closing margin positions. If your account Margin Level falls to 40% or lower, the system triggers automatic liquidation.

Leverage and Margin Availability

Kraken supports margin trading with over 250 margin-enabled markets and over 200 perpetual futures contracts. On Kraken Pro, you can access up to 5x leverage across BTC, ETH, and DeFi blue-chips, and up to 10x on major stablecoins. Starter accounts cannot access leverage.

For qualified professional clients, Kraken Derivatives provides up to 50x leverage. Due to local regulations, futures and margin trading are restricted for US users, and Kraken launched its on-chain staking product for clients in 39 US states and territories in January 2025.

Geographic Restrictions

Kraken says more than 13 million people use it worldwide (Kraken), but it has restricted services in Afghanistan, Belarus, Crimea, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Russia, Syria, and certain regions of Ukraine.

Is Kraken Available in Australia?