Kraken
Kraken is a cryptocurrency exchange and bank alternative that allows users to buy, sell, and trade various cryptocurrencies. It was founded in 2011 and is known for its security features, low trading fees, and support for a wide range of digital assets. Kraken also offers features like margin trading, staking, and access to stocks and ETFs. Kraken began 2025 building on 2024’s solid momentum, navigating a shifting and softening market to outperform, even growing volume share.
Kraken is one of the oldest, largest, and most trusted crypto exchanges in the world, operating since 2011. The platform is tailored
for professional traders and institutional investors.
Seven Rivers Capital and its investors own Kraken thru Investment Fund shares
Kraken is the first crypto company to receive a banking license in the U.S. (an SPDI license in Wyoming). Kraken Bank is developing nextgeneration banking products: deposits, payment solutions, custody, IRAs, and digital asset-backed lending. Growing interest in crypto among institutional clients is opening up a vast market for Kraken – one that demands Wall Street-level infrastructure combined with the flexibility and speed of Web3. Kraken has also secured licenses in Ireland, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands, ensuring full access to EU markets.
In early 2025, Kraken rolled out fully regulated futures and margin products under Europe’s MiFID II framework. This move provides institutional clients – such as banks, asset managers, and hedge funds—with the legal certainty and deep liquidity they expect from traditional venues.
Leveraging the Solana blockchain, Kraken introduced xStocks™, enabling 24/7 trading of tokenized shares and ETFs of leading U.S. companies. Traders outside the U.S. can now buy and sell positions in Apple, Tesla, the S&P 500, and more around the clock, rather than being limited by traditional market hours.
Through its FINRA-licensed subsidiary Kraken Securities, the firm launched commission-free trading on over 11,000 U.S. stocks and ETFs in select states. This offering seamlessly integrates equity brokerage into Kraken’s existing interface, allowing users to manage crypto and traditional assets side by side.
To support high-frequency trading strategies, Kraken partnered with Beeks Financial Cloud to deploy co-located servers across Europe. Clients can now execute orders with sub-1 millisecond latency, matching the performance of top institutional trading desks.
Recognising the needs of professional traders, Kraken implemented a FIX-based API that grants direct, programmatic access to its futures and derivatives order books. This integration facilitates algorithmic trading, portfolio hedging, and advanced execution techniques.
Payward, Inc.—the Delaware-incorporated entity behind Kraken – has filed a Form D with the SEC, announcing the sale of $400M of equity securities under Rule 506(b) of Regulation D. Pre-IPO planning began mid-2024. Debt financing: up to $500M expected on top of the equity round. This milestone underscores strong institutional appetite for crypto platforms.
