Abstract:Kraken, a cryptocurrency exchange situated in the United States, was established in 2000. It offers over 420 digital assets for trading and includes margin trading, staking, and institutional services. However, it is not overseen by major financial regulators such as the FCA or ASIC.
Kraken Review Summary | |
Founded | 2000 |
Registered Country/Region | United States |
Regulation | No regulation |
Market Instruments | Cryptos, futures |
Demo Account | ❌ |
Leverage | Up to 5x |
Fees | Maker Fee: 0.16% |
Taker Fee: 0.26% | |
Trading Platform | Kraken App, Kraken Pro, Kraken Desktop, Kraken Wallet |
Minimum Deposit | $1 |
Customer Support | APP live chat |
Kraken, a cryptocurrency exchange situated in the United States, was established in 2000. It offers over 420 digital assets for trading and includes margin trading, staking, and institutional services. However, it is not overseen by major financial regulators such as the FCA or ASIC.
Pros | Cons |
Supports over 420 crypto assets | No regulation |
Offers margin and futures trading | No demo or Islamic account options |
Low trading fees with volume discounts | Withdrawal fees charged |
In its registration jurisdiction, the United States, Kraken is not officially regulated as a securities or forex broker and lacks licenses from prominent financial authorities including the FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), CySEC (Cyprus), or MAS (Singapore).
WHOIS records show the domain kraken.com was registered April 3, 2000 and last modified March 20, 2022. With a status of “client transfer prohibited,” it is now operational and protected, meaning it is safe against unauthorised modifications or transfers. The domain is hosted on dependable Cloudflare name servers, indicating that it is in stable operational state.
Kraken provides a broad range of crypto-focused products, including simple buying tools, complicated trading platforms, wallets, and institutional solutions. Services include over 423 cryptocurrency trading, staking, margin trading, futures, and DeFi tools.
Kraken has two account types: Personal account and Business account. It does not offer demo or Islamic accounts (swap-free). All trading is live, with typical trading and margin fees.
Kraken provides margin trading with 5x leverage. Traders can establish positions five times bigger than their account balance using this. Although leverage can boost gains, it also increases possible losses.
Kraken's trading costs are moderate to low by industry standards. Fees start at 0.16% (maker) and 0.26% (taker), with discounts dependent on trading volume. High-volume and market-making traders profit the most, whereas casual users may experience greater default rates while using the “Buy Crypto” feature.
Trading Platform | Supported | Available Devices | Suitable for |
Kraken App | ✔ | iOS, Android | Beginners seeking a simple interface for crypto buying |
Kraken Pro | ✔ | iOS, Android | Advanced mobile traders needing full features |
Kraken Desktop | ✔ | Windows, macOS, Linux | Professional or desktop-based advanced traders |
Kraken Wallet | ✔ | iOS, Android | Users managing on-chain assets securely |
Kraken does not charge fees on most deposits, but withdrawals generally incur fixed fees, depending on the method. The minimum deposit can be as low as $1 (via ACH in the U.S.), making the platform accessible for all user levels.
Kraken – Deposit & Withdrawal Methods (USD Example)
Payment Method | Minimum Deposit | Minimum Withdrawal | Deposit Fee | Withdrawal Fee | Processing Time |
ACH (Plaid) (USA only) | $1 | $0 | $0 | Deposit: Instant | |
FedWire (Dart Bank) (USA) | $1 | $20 | $4 | 0–1 business days | |
FedWire (Etana) (USA) | $10 | $100 | $30 | ||
SWIFT (Etana Custody) | $150 | $35 | 2–5 business days or instant | ||
SWIFT (Bank Frick) | $4 | $100 | $3 | $14 | 1–5 business days |
CUBIX™ Instant Transfer (USA) | – | $0 | $0 | Near-instant | |
Debit/Credit Cards (Buy only) | $10 | Vary | / | Instant (72-hour withdrawal hold) |