Kraken Exchange Review
Best For
- Advanced Traders
- Institutions
Kraken is a western market focused centralized cryptocurrency exchange based in San Francisco. A wide variety of trading options including OTC, futures, margin trading, and standard spot trading are available. Founded in 2011, Kraken is a trusted option for institutions and high volume traders.
Kraken Exchange - 2020 Comprehensive Review
Kraken Exchange Overview
| Trading Fees | Maker: 0.16% / Taker: 0.26% |
|---|---|
| Exchange Type | Centralized |
| Fiat Trading | Euro, US Dollars, Canadian Dollar, Japanese Yen |
| Purchase Options | Bank Transfer, Crypto Deposits |
| Android App |  |
| iOS App | |
| Trading Options | Spot Trading, Margin Trading, Futures Trading, Forex Trading |
| Order Types | Limit, Market, Stop Loss, Take Profit, Settle Position |
| Exchange Token | |
| Token Benefits | NO TOKEN |
| Charting Software | CryptoWatch |
| KYC Check |  |
| KYC Rules | Required For Withdrawals Greater Than $5,000 Per 24 hours. |
| IEO Platform | |
| Education Resources | |
| Convert Micro Balance |
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| Institutional Accounts | |
| Trading API | |
| Deposit Insurance | |
| Withdrawal Speed | Fast |
| Customer Service | 24/7 Live Chat, support tickets, Monday to Friday phone support. |
| Promotions | Earn a fixed rate of 6% staking XTZ. COSMO & DASH coming soon |
Kraken General Trading Fees (Maker & Taker)
Tier Monthly Volume Requirement Maker Taker Maker
Discount Taker
Discount Level 1 $0.00 0.16% 0.26% - - Level 2 $50,001.00 0.14% 0.24% - - Level 3 $100,001.00 0.12% 0.22% - -
| Tier | Monthly Volume Requirement | Maker | Taker | Maker Discount | Taker Discount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $0.00 | 0.16% | 0.26% | - | - |
| Level 2 | $50,001.00 | 0.14% | 0.24% | - | - |
| Level 3 | $100,001.00 | 0.12% | 0.22% | - | - |
High volume & professional trading tier fees available here.
Kraken Withdrawal Fees
| Asset | Withdrawal Fees | Minimum Withdrawal |
|---|---|---|
| BitcoinBTC | 0.0001 | 0.0005 |
| EthereumETH | 0.005 | 0.01 |
| XRPXRP | 0.02 | 25 |
| TetherUSDT | 5 | 10 |
Complete list of Kraken withdrawal fees per asset is available here.
Kraken does not charge deposit fees as long as minimum deposit requirements are met.
Kraken Markets & Volume
Rank 53 |
Total Assets 33 |
Total Markets 135 |
Volume 24h $106,481,156.00 |
Volume 7d $1,239,524,374.92 |
Volume 30d $6,919,204,885.30 |
Kraken Top Markets
| Crypto Assets | Price | Pairs | 24h Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| BitcoinBTC | $35,326.87 | 49 | $628,017,161.90 |
| EthereumETH | $1,206.89 | 44 | $285,300,180.47 |
| XRPXRP | $0.27 | 8 | $14,899,955.60 |
Kraken Supported Stablecoins
| Stablecoin Assets | Price | Pairs | 24h Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| TetherUSDT | $1.00 | 17 | $102,292,085.25 |
| USD CoinUSDC | $1.00 | 5 | $20,522,804.24 |
| DAIDAI | $1.00 | 5 | $4,470,992.86 |
Kraken Exchange Alternatives
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | 8/10 |
| Trading Fees | Maker : 0.16% Taker : 0.26% | Maker : 0.1% Taker : 0.1% | Maker : 0.15% Taker : 0.25% |
| Fiat Trading | | | |
| Purchase Options | Bank Transfer, Crypto Deposits | Crypto Deposits, Credit Cards | Bank Transfer, Crypto Deposits, Credit Cards |
| Trading Options | Spot Trading, Margin Trading, Futures Trading, Forex Trading | Spot Trading | Spot Trading, Margin Trading |
| IEO Platform | | | |
| Mobile Apps | | | |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California, United States | Hong Kong | San Francisco, California, United States |
| Learn More | Review | Review | Review |
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Established Exchange - Kraken is one of the oldest and most reputable cryptocurrency exchanges in the market. The exchange has an excellent track record and has been in operation since 2011.
- Fiat Deposits - Kraken accepts bank wire fiat deposits.
- Margin Trading - Margin trading with up to 5x leverage is available for all registered Kraken accounts including US customers.
- Regulated - Kraken is regulated and licensed to offer its services in all operational jurisdictions.
- Futures Trading - Kraken is one of the few cryptocurrency exchanges licensed to offer futures trading to US customers.
- Customer Service - Kraken has 24/7 live chat support, a well documented support ticket system, and even offers a weekday phone number that users can call during normal office hours.
- OTC Services - Kraken has a 24/7 OTC desk available to clients in dozens of countries. Supported fiat currencies include USD, EUR, CAD, and JPY. Supported crypto assets include BTC, ETH, USDT, and more.
Cons
- No Mobile App - Kraken does not have a mobile app for Android or IOS making trading on the go quite difficult.
- Trading Fees - Maker and taker fees on Kraken start at 0.16% and 0.26% respectively for retail traders. While these are competitive trading fees compared to other regulated North American exchanges like Gemini and Coinbase, they are still considerably higher than the global industry standard.
- Promotions - Kraken does not run many promotions of any considerable value for its users.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kraken a safe exchange?
Does Kraken have a mobile app?
Does Kraken offer margin trading?
What are the trading fees on Kraken?
Does Kraken accept US customers?
Summary
Kraken is one of the most reputable cryptocurrency exchanges on the market. Services include a cryptocurrency exchange, a 24/7 OTC trading desk, and a futures trading platform. Kraken is regulatory compliant in all jurisdictions of operation and accepts US customers.
Kraken recently raised $13.5M from over 2,000 investors at a valuation of $4B USD. These funds have been allocated optimally, as the exchange has seen it’s trading volume grow exponentially despite adverse market conditions.
A secure track record, fiat deposits, multiple trading options, and excellent customer service have advanced Kraken's reputation as one of the most reputable cryptocurrency exchanges.
Blockfer highly recommends Kraken for both US and international users and is an excellent choice for high networth individuals looking to purchase large amounts of crypto assets.
| Learn More | Best Features |
|---|---|
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Legal & Regulation - Facts & Figures
| Legal Name | Payward, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Incorporated Country | United States |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, CA United States |
| Year Founded | 2011 |
| CEO | Jesse Powell |
| Total Employees | 11-50 |
| Regulators | Money Services Business with FinCEN, UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) |
| Links | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Blog, LinkedIn |
About The Author
Delton has been writing about blockchain finance & technology, decentralized applications, and crypto assets since 2017. His work has been published and featured by several independent news publications and blockchain projects.
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