Kraken Stock Investing Review For 2026
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Stock Trading at Kraken
Main Points:
• Kraken now lets you trade stocks and ETFs, not just cryptocurrencies.
• You can trade stocks at Kraken with no commission.
• You can buy and sell stocks and ETFs on Kraken's website and mobile app.
If you use Kraken for crypto, you might want to check out its program for stocks and ETFs. Here’s what you need to know:
Securities at Kraken
Kraken, known for being a major name in crypto, now owns Kraken Securities LLC, a licensed broker-dealer. This company gives you the option to trade stocks and ETFs on your own. Right now, there are no other investment options like mutual funds or bonds. Kraken’s securities program does not offer advice or portfolio management.
Kraken acts as an introducing broker and uses Alpaca to clear trades. Right now, Kraken allows brokerage accounts for people in certain U.S. states and territories. These are:
- Alabama
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Oklahoma
- New Jersey
- Rhode Island
- Wyoming
Kraken does plan to let more U.S. customers open stock accounts soon.
Regulations and Insurance
Kraken is registered with FINRA and the SEC. Its FINRA number is 324343 and its SEC ID is 8-71030. Kraken has been registered since 2024 and has no disclosures on BrokerCheck. It is registered in 53 states and territories, so the list above should grow.
Kraken is a member of SIPC, which protects accounts up to $500,000.
Alpaca, Kraken’s clearing partner, has the same memberships as Kraken.
Opening a Stock Account
To trade stocks at Kraken, you need to open a separate securities account. You cannot trade stocks in your crypto account. To open the account, log in to the app and tap your initials or the account icon in the upper-left. This takes you to account settings. Scroll down and find the link to open an equities account. It only took a few minutes for us to open and fund the account using Plaid.
Kraken Stocks Fees and Minimums
When your stock or ETF account is ready, trading costs $0. There are no fees for the account, like low-balance or annual charges. Kraken has no account minimum.
Kraken+ is a premium program with extra benefits, mainly for crypto trading. It costs $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year.
Kraken Website
Software
Kraken has five platforms:
- Mobile app
- Pro mobile app
- Website
- Pro website
- Desktop platform
You can trade stocks and ETFs on three of these: the regular mobile app, the Pro mobile app, and the Pro website. You cannot trade stocks on the regular website or desktop platform, which is disappointing because the desktop software has advanced orders like take profit and trailing stop.
The regular mobile app shows basic details for stocks, such as market cap and volume. The chart is simple, with only a line graph. There is a purple buy button at the bottom. You can only place market orders.
The Pro app gives you more options. Now you can place both market and limit orders. The charts are better, with more styles, drawing tools, and technical indicators. The graph can also be turned sideways. The Pro app includes an order book and time & sales data.
On the Pro website (pro.kraken.com), Kraken has a list of stocks and ETFs you can sort by things like:
- Stock or ETF
- 52-week high
- Industry
- % change
You can make your own custom watchlist. The Pro website has the same order types and features as the Pro app.
Margin
Kraken does not have margin accounts. All brokerage accounts are cash only, so you must pay for trades in full. You cannot short stocks.
Extra Features
Initial Public Offerings: IPOs are not available at Kraken yet.
Dividend Reinvestment Plan: Kraken does not have a DRIP at this time.
Fractional Shares: You can buy stocks or ETFs with as little as $1.
Individual Retirement Accounts: Kraken only offers taxable accounts, not IRAs.
Fully-paid Securities Lending Program: Kraken lets you earn extra money by lending your shares. To sign up, go to the Pro website, click the head-and-shoulders icon at the top right, select Settings, then Account, and scroll to the Stock Lending link under Rewards.
Automatic Purchases: You cannot set up recurring purchases at Kraken.
Extended-hours Trading: Kraken allows trading stocks and ETFs before the market opens and after it closes.
Our Recommendations
Long-Term Investing & Retirement Planning: Without IRAs, Kraken is not a good choice. Charles Schwab is a better option.
Beginners: Kraken’s self-directed tools are easy, but a robo account at a firm like Robinhood is a better way to start.
Small Accounts: With a $1 minimum trade and no account minimum, Kraken is a good choice for small investors.
Frequent Stock Trading: Kraken does not have advanced orders for stock trading, so it is not recommended for active traders. Charles Schwab is better.
Mutual Funds: Charles Schwab is a good pick.
Final Judgment
Kraken now offers stocks and ETFs for its crypto customers. However, its stock service has a lot of limits, so for now, many people may be better off with a different broker.
Updated on 1/22/2026.
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.
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