Several exchanges that have already been authorized by EU regulators are attempting to bring in users from companies unlicensed under the Markets in Crypto-Assets rules, offering transfer bonuses and prizes. Cryptocurrency exchanges already approved to operate in European Union member states under the soon-to-be enforced Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework are incentivizing users from companies that failed to gain license approval. With MiCA restrictions set to be enforced starting on July 1, executives of cryptocurrency exchanges including Coinbase and OKX have taken to social media to sway users from soon-to-be unauthorized companies, like Binance and Bybit Global. The world’s largest crypto exchange, Binance, said that it would restrict services for EU-based users after withdrawing its MiCA application last week. Bybit Global on Monday said access to services for users in the European Economic Area “will be progressively limited” starting on July 1, though its Bybit EU arm is authorized to operate u...
Kraken's new facility with Maple brings a traditional warehouse financing model onchain, allowing the exchange to expand its institutional crypto lending business using blockchain-based structured credit. Crypto exchange Kraken and onchain asset manager Maple have launched an onchain warehouse financing facility for crypto-backed loans, applying a lending structure widely used in traditional credit markets to institutional digital asset lending. According to Thursday's announcement, the facility will fund Kraken's OTC lending business using a bankruptcy-remote special purpose vehicle (SPV) and USDC-denominated financing. Unlike traditional bilateral crypto loans, the facility is structured through the SPV, with Maple providing senior financing and Kraken retaining a stake in the transaction. The arrangement is intended to let Kraken expand its institutional lending business without tying up additional balance-sheet capital. Read more
The offering follows Kraken's acquisition of Bitnomial and comes amid a broader push to bring crypto derivatives trading onshore. Kraken on Monday launched perpetual futures trading for eligible US users through Bitnomial, expanding its domestic derivatives offerings months after acquiring the federally regulated exchange. The products are available through Kraken Pro and include contracts tied to major cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Solana (SOL), XRP (XRP), Cardano (ADA), Chainlink (LINK), Dogecoin (DOGE), Litecoin (LTC) and Avalanche (AVAX). According to Monday's announcement, the contracts share the same futures wallet as Kraken's existing CME-listed crypto futures products, allowing traders to manage both positions from a single account. Read more
The crypto exchange will promote digital asset adoption through fan activations and product experiences at the first 48-team FIFA World Cup. Kraken has been named the official crypto exchange supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026, giving the crypto exchange a presence at one of the world's largest sporting events. The company said Tuesday that the partnership will include fan activations and product experiences throughout the tournament. The 2026 World Cup is expected to be the largest in FIFA history, with an expanded field of 48 teams and 104 matches across 16 host cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada. FIFA projects the competition will attract a cumulative global audience of more than 6 billion viewers during its seven-week run. Read more
Eligible users in more than 110 markets can register for tokenized SpaceX equity ahead of the company's highly anticipated public listing. Crypto exchange Kraken is giving customers access to the upcoming SpaceX initial public offering through xStocks, a tokenized equities platform, highlighting the growing convergence between crypto infrastructure and traditional capital markets. Kraken announced Friday that SpaceX will be the first public offering available through xStocks IPO Access, which allows eligible users to participate in the offering through tokenized equity instruments. To participate, users must have a verified Kraken account on the Kraken mobile app and submit an application for IPO access. The offering is not available through Kraken Pro or the company’s desktop platform. Read more
Kraken and xStocks Alliance will let eligible users seek allocations in US IPOs at the offering price through tokenized shares in coming weeks. Retail investors will soon be able to participate in US initial public offerings (IPOs) at the offering price through a new tokenized equities program from Payward Services, a Kraken-affiliated company. In a Wednesday announcement, Payward Services said customers of Kraken and select members of its xStocks Alliance will be able to express interest in US-listed IPOs before companies go public and receive allocations of tokenized shares on listing day. According to the company, the shares will be issued at the IPO offering price and backed 1:1 by the underlying stock held in custody by a regulated entity, allowing eligible retail investors to access allocations that are typically reserved for institutional clients. Read more
In the wake of CFTC approval of perpetual futures contracts tied to the spot price of Bitcoin, Kraken expects to offer those to US institutional clients within "the next month." Kraken said late Friday that it expects to launch CFTC-regulated perpetual futures contracts in the US in the next 30 days, hours after the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission approved the instruments. The exchange said when it gains approval, the contracts will be listed on Bitnomial Exchange, a CFTC-regulated exchange recently acquired by Kraken's parent company, Payward. Payward said on April 17 that it was acquiring crypto derivatives platform Bitnomial for as much as $550 million, aimed at providing Kraken Pro customers with access to Bitnomial's perpetual futures offering. Read more
Kraken’s parent company, Payward, received preliminary approval from Dubai's VARA, paving the way for UAE dirham funding, margin and OTC trading and institutional access via Kraken Prime. Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken moved closer to a launch in the United Arab Emirates after its operator, Payward, received preliminary approval from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), according to the company. Payward on Thursday announced its UAE expansion alongside receiving preliminary approval for a broker-dealer, investment and management licence from VARA. A spokesperson for Kraken told Cointelegraph the preliminary approval was granted on Thursday, with a full launch date to be confirmed. Read more
Kraken has cut 150 staff due to the rising use of AI, adding to more than 5,000 layoffs across the crypto sector so far this year, Bloomberg reports. Crypto exchange Kraken has reportedly laid off some of its staff as a cost-cutting measure, which could delay its planned initial public offering in the US until next year. The company, whose corporate name is Payward, laid off about 150 workers due to efficiencies from deploying artificial intelligence across the business, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing a person familiar with the matter. The person said AI is being used more extensively throughout Kraken, but the company is not planning further job cuts at the moment. Read more
LayerZero has come under scrutiny since it was exploited in April, as crypto protocols reevaluate their cross-chain providers and seek safer alternatives. Crypto exchange Kraken announced Thursday that it had changed its cross-chain provider from LayerZero to Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol, joining a number of protocols that have made the move following the Kelp DAO exploit in April. Kraken said it is deprecating its existing cross-chain provider and migrating to Chainlink CCIP as its exclusive cross-chain infrastructure to secure Kraken Wrapped Bitcoin (kBTC) and all future wrapped tokens. The company added that it chose Chainlink CCIP because it “offers enterprise-grade infrastructure with strict security and risk management requirements.” These include certifications, secure-by-default design, 16 independent nodes and native rate limits. Read more