Key facts
Kraken Pro Level 1 (from $0 volume); from $2,500 it is 0.30%/0.60%, from $10,000 0.22%/0.38%. Stablecoin and FX pairs: 0.20%. Futures are not offered everywhere.
About
Kraken is one of the oldest crypto exchanges, operating out of the US since 2011. Beyond spot it offers margin, futures, staking and xStocks tokenized equities, with more than 450 assets in total.
It has a clean security record and publishes regular proof of reserves, and it secured a MiCA licence in Ireland in 2025. Entry-level Kraken Pro fees, however, are now 0.40%/0.80% at zero volume, pricier than most rivals, which hurts small traders.
Pros
- No major hack in 15 years
- Regular proof of reserves
- MiCA licence in the EU
Cons
- High entry-level Kraken Pro fees
- Unavailable in Russia since 2022
- Futures not available in every country
Verification (KYC)
Mandatory identity verification; access levels depend on the documents provided.
For users in Russia
Not available: in October 2022 Kraken stopped serving Russian residents under the EU's 8th sanctions package, leaving withdrawals only.
Security
Kraken has never had a major hack with loss of client funds. It was among the first exchanges to publish proof of reserves, back in 2014, and still does so regularly.
Licenses and registrations
- MiCA licence from the Central Bank of Ireland (June 2025)
- FinCEN registration (US)
- FCA registration (UK)
Products
Sources
Other top-3 exchanges
Binance
Bybit
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