Kraken

Spot

Established 2011

🇺🇸

United States

Kraken is a veteran cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2011 by Jesse Powell and officially launched in 2013, making it one of the oldest still-operating platforms for buying Bitcoin. Headquartered in San Francisco, the company serves clients in 190+ countries and consistently ranks among the top exchanges by euro and USD BTC volume, highlighting its deep liquidity and global reach. The platform offers spot trading on 200+ crypto assets, margin trading with up to 5× leverage, a regulated futures market for Bitcoin and other majors, staking on a dozen coins, and an OTC desk for high-volume trades. Kraken emphasizes security—storing 95% of client funds in offline cold wallets, running real-time proof-of-reserves audits, and maintaining an industry-leading bug-bounty program. Fees are competitive, starting at 0.16% / 0.26% for maker/taker spot trades and dropping with volume. Kraken is regulated as a Money Services Business with FinCEN in the U.S., holds a Special Purpose Depository Institution (SPDI) charter in Wyoming, is registered with FINTRAC in Canada, and complies with AML/KYC standards across the EU through its Irish and Dutch entities. The exchange has never suffered a major hack, bolstering its reputation as a secure, transparent venue to buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin.

Trading Fees

Maker Fee0.00% - 0.25%

Taker Fee0.08% - 0.40%

Deposit FeeFree for crypto/wire; varies for card

Withdrawal Fee0.00015 BTC (network fee)

Full fee schedule

Trading Info

Markets700

Assets250

24h Volume$0

KYC RequiredYes

Mobile AppYes

Platform Features

KYC VerificationRequired

Mobile AppiOS & Android

HeadquartersUnited States

Security Features

Cold storage (95% of funds)2FAGlobal Settings LockPGP-signed emailsproof of reserves audits

Supported Fiat Currencies

USDEURGBPCADAUDCHFJPY

Customer Reviews

2 reviews

Anonymous

Maybe the best exchange in the US

Kraken has been one of the most secure and reliable platforms out there. In the wild ecosystem of crypto, Kraken has remained without a major exploit or hack for many years, proving their level of security and organization is excellent. They have a clean, simple interface with decent fees for trading. I use their DCA tool to buy Bitcoin, which makes the whole process incredibly simple: buy the Bitcoin, and withdraw to self-custody whenever I want. The app is always ready for those powerful, unplanned smash buys. It's a way better experience than what their competitors offer

5/27/2026

Anonymous

My Go-To Exchange After Years of Use

Been on Kraken since like 2020 or so—still my safest pick. Never had any drama with funds, fees stay low once you hit some volume, and staking has been paying nicely on my ETH. Solid as ever in 2026

2/24/2026

Frequently Asked Questions About Kraken

Kraken charges a maker fee of 0.00% - 0.25% and a taker fee of 0.08% - 0.40%. Actual fees may vary by trading volume tier.

Yes, Kraken requires identity verification (KYC) to comply with anti-money laundering (AML) regulations. You will need to provide a government-issued ID and possibly proof of address.

Kraken is a spot exchange, where you can buy and sell Bitcoin directly using fiat currency or other digital assets.

Kraken lists the following security features: Cold storage (95% of funds), 2FA, Global Settings Lock, PGP-signed emails, proof of reserves audits. We recommend reviewing their custody practices and withdrawal policies before depositing funds.

Kraken is headquartered in United States. Availability may vary based on your country of residence due to local regulations.