Kraken Crypto Exchange Review

Kraken Overview 

Kraken, founded by Jesse Powell, is one of the most active crypto exchanges, with a daily adjusted trading volume of $1.58 billion according to CryptoRank. Since its launch in 2011, Kraken has expanded across multiple jurisdictions and is now licensed in several countries, including the U.S., Canada, Cyprus, and the European Economic Area (EEA). It does not serve clients from 14 jurisdictions, including Russia, Belarus, Iran, North Korea, and Afghanistan. From a technical perspective, Kraken has added new features over time, including its Layer 2 blockchain, Ink, for DeFi applications, announced in October 2024. CER.live rates Kraken as a crypto exchange with a 90% security score.

In practice, Kraken is easy to use and intuitive. Based on our experience, account creation and verification are fast. You can sign up via email, and the platform guides you through the registration steps. Kraken offers standard and Kraken Pro versions for advanced and institutional traders. We first tested the main Kraken platform, which charges a $1 fee for instant trading and conversion. Overall, we enjoyed Kraken’s simplicity and the availability of 562 trading assets. However, compared to other platforms like Coinbase and Binance, where entry fees are below $1, Kraken’s baseline fees are relatively high. Some users also report support and withdrawal issues during upgrades.

Here are the main takeaways from our Kraken exchange review, based on our testing and user feedback from social media, review platforms, and app marketplaces.

Trading Experience: Kraken vs. Kraken Pro 

As part of our Kraken crypto review, we tested both the standard Kraken platform and Kraken Pro to see how they compare in practice. Switching to Kraken Pro felt like moving from a basic setup to a more advanced trading environment. We accessed it directly with our existing login, without any extra signup. Kraken Pro offers detailed charts, order book depth, and advanced order types such as stop-limit and one-cancels-the-other (OCO).  

Compared to the standard Kraken platform, Kraken Pro doesn’t charge a fixed fee for every trade. Instead, your fees depend on how much you trade each month – the more you trade, the less you pay. This system, known as the maker-taker model, affects how much you pay in trading fees.

If you place an order that stays on the market until someone matches it, you’re a maker – you’re adding liquidity, so your fee is usually lower. If you buy or sell instantly at the current price, you’re a taker – you’re removing liquidity, so you’ll pay a slightly higher fee.

This way, Kraken Pro encourages active traders to trade more and helps keep prices stable. There’s no difference between Kraken and Kraken Pro in terms of available assets – both let you trade the same cryptocurrencies, stocks, and tokenized ETFs. What sets them apart is the trading features and interface.

If you’re just getting started, the standard Kraken may be preferable. For more advanced traders who trade frequently, Kraken Pro’s features and lower fees could be a better choice. Both are free to try, so you can see which works better for you. 

Trustworthiness Check 

Kraken is registered with regulators in the countries where it operates, including the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), and the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Historically, it has faced several significant regulatory and legal actions. 

• In February 2023, Kraken settled with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over the unlawful offer and sale of its crypto asset staking services. Kraken agreed to pay a $30 million penalty and cease offering the staking-as-a-service program to U.S. customers.
• In November 2023, the U.S. SEC filed a civil enforcement action alleging that Kraken operated as an unregistered exchange, broker, dealer, and clearing agency in November 2023. However, this case was jointly dismissed with prejudice on March 27, 2025, with the SEC stating the decision was to facilitate ongoing efforts to reform its regulatory approach to the crypto industry, not on the merits of the claims. 
• In June 2024, a bug-bounty dispute led to around $3 million being withdrawn via a deposit-credit flaw; Kraken says systems were patched and funds were returned following public back-and-forth with the reporting firm. In May 2025, reports said Kraken fended off a social-engineering attempt, with no customer data compromised. 
• In December 2024, the Australian regulator fined Bit Trade Pty Ltd, Kraken’s Australian operator, A$8 million (~$5.1M USD) for offering a margin product to 1,100+ customers without proper approval, causing losses.

GNcrypto’s Overall Kraken Rating 

Methodology – Why You Should Trust Us

We use a weighted, category-based model, collect standardized data from each platform (open data + hands-on testing). The results are normalized into a 1.0–5.0 star rating, in 0.1-point steps.

Our analysis focuses on spot trading quality. We measure actual trading fees, minimum order size, asset selection, platform usability, and overall user experience. These are the core factors that matter most to everyday crypto investors.

How We Collect Data

We combine public information with first-hand testing to ensure a balanced, transparent assessment.

– Public data: fee schedules, supported pairs, proof-of-reserves statements, status pages.
– First-hand testing: we place test trades, measure slippage and spreads, check UI features, and speed. 

We do not evaluate solvency or guarantee financial stability. Our ratings reflect user experience and operational quality rather than the exchange’s financial health. 

Categories & Weights

– Liquidity & Volume – 25%
– Fees & Total Cost to Trade – 25%
– Asset Selection & Trading Pairs – 15%
– Execution Quality (Market Quality) – 10%
– Tools & Order Controls – 10%
– Fiat Access & Minimum Trade Size – 5%
– Reliability & Transparency – 10%