Trading and Investing
Kraken operates as both a broker and a cryptocurrency exchange, so it goes beyond basic crypto trading. U.S. customers can trade stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), while clients outside the United States typically get access through tokenized stock and ETF products. Kraken’s crypto platform is available in most places worldwide with only a few restrictions, and it supports hundreds of tradable coins.
Futures trading is another part of Kraken’s lineup. Even though the broker doesn’t list hundreds of contracts, it still has a solid spread across commodities, equities, and cryptocurrencies. There are also spot forex pairs available, including AUD/USD and EUR/CHF.
Kraken also supports perpetual futures, commonly called perps. Since these contracts don’t expire, they stay open indefinitely unless you close the position.
Kraken once offered an NFT marketplace, but that feature has been discontinued, and NFT buying is no longer available directly through Kraken. However, customers can still purchase NFTs on third-party platforms and store them using a wallet (covered later).
In addition to trading access, Kraken provides a number of extra programs. Clients can stake select assets and receive rewards paid in the same cryptocurrency. Institutional users may qualify for additional services such as OTC trading, custody solutions, financing tools, and other extras.
Kraken also runs the Breakout program, which lets participants trade using outside capital. Funding can reach up to $200,000, and traders may keep as much as 90% of the profits they generate.
Kraken+ is the company’s paid membership that adds benefits not included with standard accounts. Examples include:
- Kraken Drops, the broker’s launchpad program and airdrops
- Priority customer support
- Free tax services from Koinly
- Boosted yields on some stablecoins
- Free access to Beta services
To use Kraken’s full set of products, you’ll need to open an account first. Kraken offers both personal and business accounts, although availability of specific services can depend on the country.
Banking Tools
Kraken has added several cash and payment features that complement its trading platform. One option is Krak, a peer-to-peer transfer app that can send money to people in many parts of the world. More than 160 countries are supported, and over 300 crypto assets can be transferred. In some cases, Krak balances can also earn interest.
Another add-on is the Krak Card, a Mastercard debit card tied to a Krak balance. It can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted, and it can draw from more than 400 cryptocurrencies as a funding source. Because the card is currently offered in Europe and the UK, purchases will typically be made in Euros or British Pounds. The Krak Card is not available in the U.S. right now, and users can earn rewards for spending.
Stablecoin balances held at Kraken may generate interest, depending on the coin. USDC can earn up to 4.25% in some situations, and locking USDC into a time deposit can increase the yield to as much as 5.25%.
Kraken supports multiple ways to move money in and out, including ACH, wire, PayPal, debit card, and Google/Apple Pay. In some locations, crypto can also be purchased using a credit card, though Kraken does not issue a credit card itself.
Customer Support
Kraken’s support center at support.kraken.com includes answers to many common questions. The site offers an AI helper that can handle a lot of basic issues, and human support is available if the AI doesn’t solve the problem.
You can access similar support tools in the regular Kraken mobile app by tapping your initials in the upper-left corner and selecting Support.
During our review, we could not find a public phone number for Kraken, which is a con. Kraken+
subscribers receive priority support, which is more effective.
Website
Kraken’s standard website is a simple platform for researching assets and placing trades. It includes
both light and dark themes, along with a few useful research features. Clicking Explore in the left-side
menu to browse categories such as:
- Most popular
- Highest APR
- Newly listed
Clicking an asset opens its profile page, with the trade ticket displayed on the right-hand side.
Mobile App
Kraken’s regular mobile app includes many of the same functions as the website and supports similar order types (market, stop, and recurring). Unlike the website, eligible accounts can access stocks and ETFs through the app. Charting on the regular app is limited and does not include advanced tools, but Kraken offers a more powerful experience through its higher-end software.
High-End Software
Traders who want more tools can use Kraken Pro on mobile. This version adds futures access and landscape charting with many built-in features, along with an order book and time & sales data. The Pro trade ticket also includes more order types, including trailing stop limit and iceberg orders. Kraken also offers a Pro mode on its website.
Kraken Desktop is the top-level platform. It is a downloadable desktop program with more than 20 color themes. It continues with the Pro-style order ticket and adds many drawing tools for chart-based traders.
Wallet
Kraken offers a digital wallet that works similarly to other exchange wallets. It is a hot wallet with self-custody and can hold DeFi assets, NFTs, and cryptocurrencies. Crypto can be sent and received using QR codes and a device camera.
Tap the middle icon in the bottom menu to open the Explore page. This section includes links to third-party NFT marketplaces where NFTs can still be purchased.
Margin
Kraken provides leverage in more than one way. One method is crypto margin trading, where leverage usually ranges from 2x to 10x depending on the trading pair. In our testing, BTC/USD showed up to 10x buying power. Margin trading like this is available through Kraken Pro and Kraken Desktop, but not on the standard website or regular app. Pro and Desktop order tickets show the leverage level for a given trade.
Futures trading is also leveraged by default. Some contracts can offer leverage as high as 50x. Kraken includes automated risk controls intended to help keep a futures account from going negative.
Pricing
Kraken accounts for crypto, futures, and securities typically do not have ongoing account fees, such as annual charges or low-balance penalties. There is also no minimum balance requirement.
Kraken does charge transaction fees in certain cases. For many fiat or crypto purchases, a 1% trading fee is common, and some funding methods may add a surcharge on top of that. These charges are separate from any spread included in the trade price.
Stocks and ETFs in securities accounts trade commission-free. For xStocks (Kraken’s stock tokens), there is no commission when the trade is funded in USD or USDG; using other assets triggers a 1% fee. Perpetual futures carry a 0.25% fee applied to the contract’s notional value.
Traders who want lower costs may want to use Kraken Pro or subscribe to Kraken+. Kraken+ includes zero-commission trading through the standard website or app up to $10,000 in monthly volume, while Kraken Pro uses maker-taker pricing that decreases as volume grows.
Kraken+ costs $4.99 per month, and the annual plan is priced at $49.99.
Kraken Referral Promotion
Additional Features
Individual Retirement Accounts: Kraken does not provide IRAs.
Coin Launches: Kraken regularly lists new coins, and in some situations it may offer access on day one. There are no equity IPOs available right now.
Fractional-Share Trading: Crypto and securities can be traded in whole-dollar increments starting at $1.
Recommendations
Beginners: New traders can start with the regular website or the standard mobile app.
Small Accounts: Kraken tends to work best with higher monthly volume and Kraken+, but smaller accounts can still trade with percent-based fees and no account charges.
Frequent Trading: Kraken Pro and Kraken Desktop are stronger choices for active traders.
Long-Term Investing & Retirement Planning: Kraken does not offer retirement planning tools,
but Robinhood does, and it also provides crypto trading in a smaller selection of coins.
Securities Trading: Kraken can be a workable option for U.S. stock traders, although the platform does not include a deep lineup of stock research tools.
Kraken Review Judgment
Kraken provides a wide menu of products and services while keeping minimums low and fees generally competitive. Since some features depend on location, certain users may still need to look at alternatives.
Kraken Bonus
Visit Kraken Website
Updated on 2/10/2026.
Chad Morris is a financial writer with more than 20 years experience
as both an English teacher and an avid trader. When he isn’t writing
expert content for Brokerage-Review.com, Chad can usually be found
managing his portfolio or building a new home computer.
|