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Kraken Review
Overall rating
4.4/5
Minimum deposit
No minimum
EUR/USD spread
Varies
Use this review to validate safety, fees, platform fit, and where this broker falls short.
Written by
BrokerAnalysis Research Desk
Fact Checked by
BrokerAnalysis Editorial Team
Updated
Oct 9, 2026
Is Kraken a good broker?
Sources & References
- BrokerAnalysis ranking methodology— BrokerAnalysis
- BrokerAnalysis data sources— BrokerAnalysis
- BrokerAnalysis editorial policy— BrokerAnalysis
Should you choose Kraken?
Use this short answer before you dive into the full review.
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Trust Score: 88/100
Based on regulatory status, company history, and financial transparency
Kraken Score Breakdown
- Exchange since 2011
- Kraken Pro: maker 0.40% / taker 0.80% at the entry tier
- MiCA licence (Central Bank of Ireland)
- Proof-of-reserves reports
Founded
2011
Headquarters
San Francisco, USA
Clients
13+ million (company-reported)
Why choose Kraken
Kraken is one of the longest-running cryptocurrency exchanges, founded in 2011 and operated by Payward, Inc. It offers spot crypto trading through the Kraken app and Kraken Pro, staking where local rules allow, and derivatives in selected regions. It is a crypto exchange, not a forex or CFD broker. Its licences and registrations are per entity and per country, and crypto-assets are largely unregulated as investments, so you should not expect investor-compensation protection.
Pros
- Long operating history with no exchange-wallet hack found in our research
- MiCA licence for the EU (Central Bank of Ireland, June 2025)
- Kraken Pro fees fall sharply with volume
- Free SEPA and ACH deposits
Cons
- Kraken app buys cost 1% plus a variable spread
- Pro entry-tier fees rose in July 2026 (0.40% maker / 0.80% taker)
- Not available in Japan, New York or Maine; flagged by the Philippine SEC
- Past US enforcement: SEC staking settlement ($30M, 2023) and OFAC settlement (2022)
Kraken
Fast decision summary
Min Deposit: | No minimum |
Regulated: | Yes |
Inactivity Fee:
None
See how the best brokers compare to Kraken
Kraken Pro uses a maker/taker schedule: 0.40% maker and 0.80% taker at the entry tier (from 9 July 2026), falling to 0.22%/0.38% from $10K monthly volume and 0.00%/0.10% from $10M. Stablecoin and FX pairs are 0.20%/0.20%. Buying in the Kraken app costs a 1% fee (1.5% on custom orders) plus a variable spread.
| Instrument | Standard | Raw/Pro |
|---|---|---|
| BTC (Kraken Pro, entry tier) | 0.40% maker / 0.80% taker | From 0.00% maker / 0.10% taker at $10M+ volume |
SEPA / ACH / FPS deposit
Free
Debit card deposit
3.75% + 0.25
Inactivity
None
Non-trading fees
Deposit fee
Free via ACH (US), SEPA (EU) and Faster Payments (UK); debit card 3.75% + 0.25
Withdrawal fee
Varies by asset and method
Inactivity fee
None
Fees and conditions last verified: October 2026.
Fees may vary depending on account type and jurisdiction. We aim to keep this data updated regularly.
Kraken's entities are registered or licensed separately: Payward Interactive (US FinCEN money services business and state money transmitter licences), Payward Financial (Wyoming special purpose depository institution), Payward Ltd (UK FCA cryptoasset registration, which is an anti-money-laundering registration and not authorisation), Payward Europe Solutions (MiCA licence from the Central Bank of Ireland, June 2025), a CySEC-licensed Cyprus entity, Bit Trade Pty Ltd (AUSTRAC-registered in Australia) and Payward Canada (restricted dealer, FINTRAC-registered). Kraken publishes proof-of-reserves reports (agreed-upon-procedures reviews, not full audits) and holds ISO/IEC 27001 certification.
Regulatory Status
| Regulator | Country | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Central Bank of Ireland (MiCA) | EU | 1 |
| FCA (cryptoasset registration) | United Kingdom | 1 |
| FinCEN (MSB) | United States | 1 |
| CySEC | Cyprus | 2 |
| AUSTRAC | Australia | 2 |
| FINTRAC / OSC | Canada | 1 |
Safety Features
| Segregated Accounts | Yes |
| Negative Balance Protection | No |
| Investor Protection | Crypto-assets are not covered by the UK FSCS, US SIPC/FDIC or EU investor-compensation schemes. |
Compare Kraken with top alternatives
Use the side-by-side comparison tool once you have checked fees and safety.
Bank transfers are the cheapest way in: ACH and FedWire in the US, SEPA in Europe and Faster Payments in the UK are free. Debit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay are faster but cost more. Methods vary by country.
Deposit Options
| Method | Processing Time | Fee | Min. Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEPA (EU) | Same/next day | Free | €1 |
| ACH (US) | 1-3 days (7-day withdrawal hold) | Free | $1 |
| Faster Payments (UK) | Usually instant | Free | £1 |
| Debit card | Instant | 3.75% + 0.25 | 10 |
Withdrawal Options
| Method | Processing Time | Fee | Min. Withdrawal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer / crypto | Varies | Varies by asset and method | Varies |
Base Currencies
USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, CHF
Sign up with an email, verify your identity, then fund by bank transfer, card or crypto. Features depend on your country: UK users face a 24-hour cooling-off period before their first crypto purchase, and derivatives are not available to UK retail clients.
Account Types
| Account Type | Min. Deposit | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Kraken app | None |
|
| Kraken Pro | None |
|
Verification Steps
- Time to open: Minutes to a few days, depending on verification
- Demo Account: No
- Islamic Account: No
The Kraken app is built for simple buying and selling; Kraken Pro is a separate app for order-book trading. Krak is Kraken's payments app.
App Features
- Instant buy/sell
- Recurring buys
- Staking (where permitted)
Kraken Pro in the browser: order book, advanced order types, charting and API access.
Supported Platforms
- Kraken Pro: Advanced crypto trading interface.
600+ crypto trading pairs (company-reported). Staking where local rules allow (US staking relaunched in January 2025 in most states). Tokenised US stocks (xStocks) are offered in some regions but not in the US, Canada, the UK or Australia. Futures are available in selected regions only.
Available Instruments
| Forex Pairs | 0 |
| Indices | 0 |
| Stocks | 0 |
| Commodities | 0 |
| Cryptos | 600 |
Leverage Limits
| Instrument | Max Leverage |
|---|---|
| Forex | Not offered |
| Indices | Not offered |
| Stocks | Not offered |
| Crypto | Margin and futures only in eligible regions; not for UK retail |
Got Questions?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Review Team
Why Traders Shortlist Kraken
Key points from our latest editorial review and testing process.
- Exchange since 2011
- Kraken Pro: maker 0.40% / taker 0.80% at the entry tier
- MiCA licence (Central Bank of Ireland)
- Proof-of-reserves reports
Compare Kraken before you commit
If this broker looks close but not perfect, compare it against the strongest alternatives first.
Compare AlternativesWhy this review is trustworthy
- Freshness dates and fact-checking are shown on the page.
- Broker scoring follows our public methodology and disclosure standards.
- Country-specific differences still matter, so compare the exact entity before you deposit.
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Our Verdict
Kraken is recommended for Kraken Pro advanced trading
Kraken Pro advanced trading
Kraken app buys cost 1% plus a variable spread
Use this final check alongside the fee, safety, platform, and funding sections above. If Kraken still fits your country, account size, and risk tolerance, open the account through the tracked broker route below.
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