Kraken Launches Regulated Derivatives Trading in the U.S.

Kraken has launched a regulated feature for trading cryptocurrency derivatives, enabling users in the United States to participate in futures trading, as outlined in a recent news announcement.

Dubbed Kraken Derivatives US, this new service will integrate with the crypto exchange’s Kraken Pro platform to provide U.S. customers access to cryptocurrency futures listed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The exchange emphasized the combination of futures trading with spot trading.

“With this launch, Kraken clients in the U.S. can now trade futures alongside one of the world’s most liquid cryptocurrency spot markets,” remarked Shannon Kurtas, head of exchange at Kraken. “This is a significant leap toward enhancing traders’ access to broader markets and improving capital efficiency in a regulated and high-performing environment.”

Kraken Derivatives US will also provide customers with instant funding options for seamless asset transfers used as collateral. It boasts a cohesive interface that users can leverage to explore advanced trading strategies. Now, users can manage risk more effectively while benefiting from a regulated platform.

Plans to Expand into Commodities and Fixed Income

Although currently focused on crypto futures trading, Kraken Derivatives US aims to broaden its support to include commodities, fixed income, foreign exchange, and equity futures.

“Kraken Derivatives US further elevates our unified trading experience, allowing access to digital and traditional assets side by side without compromising features, performance, or liquidity,” Kurtas added.

This new derivatives feature for U.S. users follows Kraken’s recent introduction of commission-free equities trading in the country.

In April, Kraken achieved a significant milestone by offering access to over 11,000 stocks and exchange-traded funds for its users. The exchange also announced crypto futures for European clients in May and recently launched a tokenized equities platform while acquiring the U.S. retail futures platform NinjaTrader.

Other platforms are also making strides to enhance their presence, including Coinbase’s purchase of Deribit and Robinhood’s significant move to acquire Bitstamp.