Kraken: How to Get Started on the Crypto Exchange


Crypto staking is no longer available to U.S.-based customers of Kraken. Approved customers in other locations can still stake select coins on Kraken. Although many of the world’s major currencies, such as U.S. dollars, the British pound and euros are supported, to name a few.

What Is Kraken Pro?

Our editors are committed to bringing you unbiased ratings and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and companies, so all are measured equally. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and the investing methodology for the ratings below. I’m a fintech writer focused on the cryptocurrency market and blockchain industry. Kraken has hundreds of trading pairs thanks to the platform’s “convert” function, which can essentially convert your holding in one crypto to another. Up to 5% for debit card purchase, though fees on KrakenPro are lower.

On Uphold’s WebsiteDon’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment, whats a pip in forex and you shouldn’t expect protection if something goes wrong. For a full list of the cryptocurrencies available on Kraken, see the company’s Prices page.

Ways to Invest

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Additionally, Pro users can trade futures with collateral options and advanced staking options. Kraken Pro, the crypto exchange’s advanced trading platform, offers expert trading tools, additional order types (e.g., market, limit, stop-loss, and take-profit orders), margin trading, and more. Novice cryptocurrency traders and experienced investors can benefit from Kraken’s easy-to-use interfaces, generally low trading fees, educational resources, and Pro trading platform. Technically, Kraken offers futures trading, but it’s unavailable in the U.S. Kraken offers a trading platform with advanced features for individual cryptocurrency enthusiasts as well as large trading firms. It has a variety of available services (OTC trading, Margin trading, account management, etc.) and Kraken account types that cover the needs of all kinds of traders and investors.

Kraken Pros

  • For more details about Atomic Brokerage, please see the Form CRS, the Atomic Brokerage General Disclosures, and the Privacy Policy.
  • That being said, Kraken still has lower-than-average fees for ots most basic transfer option when compared with other exchanges such as Coinbase.
  • These security measures do not replace regular security practices and can be combined with them.

Through our research, Investopedia has provided you with a list of the best crypto exchanges, guided by data-driven analysis and an unbiased and fair approach to helping readers find the best crypto exchange. Investopedia’s in-house team of researchers collected nearly 450 data points through online Day trading patterns research of 14 leading cryptocurrency exchange provider websites. To fill in any gaps, our research team reached out to the individual exchanges. In some instances, our researchers did much deeper online research to get the information they needed to complete the data collection.

Yes, Kraken is a real and legitimate cryptocurrency exchange platform. It was founded in 2011 and has since become one of the most well-established and reputable exchanges in the industry. Consider a scenario where you invest $100 in Ethereum and opt for a 5x margin. Conversely, if Ethereum experiences a decline in value, your losses will also be magnified.

Today, we completed the acquisition of NinjaTrader — a significant milestone for our business. This transaction marks the largest-ever deal combining traditional finance (TradFi) and crypto. More than an expansion of our business, this strategic acquisition strengthens our position in derivatives for both TradFi services and crypto. We also outpaced broader industry benchmarks, signaling both expanding market share and deeper client engagement. Assets on platform continued to grow, although the value decreased sequentially due to headwinds in broader cryptoasset market pricing. Kraken began 2025 building on 2024’s solid momentum, navigating a shifting and softening market to outperform, even growing volume share.

How to Deposit Cryptocurrency on Kraken?

Kraken is a cryptocurrency exchange, which facilitates currency exchanges and transactions. Kraken again denied the SEC’s allegations, arguing that its spot trading platform is not an exchange and that it would “vigorously defend” itself in court. In February 2024, the exchange filed to have the case dismissed, but in August, a district court judge ruled that the lawsuit had merit and could proceed. Kraken denied the SEC’s allegations but agreed to settle with the SEC for $30 million. The company also agreed to cease offering crypto asset staking services. Kraken’s performance in Q shows that we’re positioned to thrive during market volatility and we’re building momentum as we make long-term investments in our platform.

Business Insider’s personal finance team compared Kraken to the best crypto exchanges. We found its security and library of educational content to be an industry leader. On the other hand, Kraken can be quite difficult for newbies – with so many coins and so much functionality; beginners will find it coinberry review difficult to adjust. The limited starter account (Tier 1), slow account funding, and unsatisfactory customer support are other minor drawbacks of the exchange. Tier 1 permits you to trade solely in digital currencies, restricting the use of fiat currencies for deposits or withdrawals. Tier 2 eases the restrictions on fiat currencies, allowing you to withdraw $2,000 per day and $10,000 per month, depending on which country you are located in.

Unlike many other cryptocurrency exchanges out there, Kraken has never been hacked. However,  in May 2017, Kraken and the bitcoin exchange Poloniex were hit with Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, leading to huge losses for market participants. Kraken is widely considered one of the most secure cryptocurrency exchanges available in the crypto world, having never been hacked in the past.

  • Keeping in mind that the US has struggled to create a comprehensive body of regulations for cryptos is worth remembering.
  • On Uphold’s WebsiteDon’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.
  • To withdraw cash from Kraken, click on “Withdraw Cash” and select the currency you’d like to withdraw.
  • The company expressed strong opposition to the BitLicense, arguing it was “abominable” and overly onerous.
  • At Kraken, the fees you pay to trade will depend on whether you are using the basic Kraken or Kraken Pro platform.

Verification is a lengthy process

The SEC alleged that Kraken’s staking program offered investors returns in exchange for their tokens and that these returns were similar to the dividends paid by traditional securities. As a result, the SEC argued that Kraken’s staking program was an unregistered security and that it should have filed a registration with the SEC. In April 2024, Kraken acquired Tradestation Crypto from the online trading and brokerage service Tradestation Group, which Monex Group Inc., a Japanese global financial services company, wholly owned. According to reports, the acquisition of Trade Station, a licensed money transmitter, is intended to expand the exchange’s presence in the U.S. Before Kraken became a leading crypto exchange, it primarily served European customers through a now-cancelled partnership with Germany-based Fidor Bank and had just started operating in Japan. It also tried to help creditors of the defunct exchange Mt. Gox locate their bitcoin.

Trading Experience

If you moved $100 to Kraken, you would end up with $98 worth of crypto as opposed to the $100 you transferred. Remember that you can not deposit and withdraw fiat and crypto until you complete the know your customer (KYC) procedures. To access the main account functions, you will need to verify your identity with a self-photo and a government-issued ID.

For as low as $10, you can easily diversify your crypto portfolio and learn the ins and outs of the decentralized trading industry. Kraken is an excellent choice for newbies just getting into the world of crypto trading. It is highly recommended due to its high-grade security protocols, low transaction fees, and wide support for different cryptocurrencies. Nonetheless, investors are advised not to stay on the beginner status for too long to avoid losing vast amounts of invested funds to fees on its training wheels platform.

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