Overview
Kraken is a large and reputable cryptocurrency exchange popular with retail and institutional investors. Buy and sell over 50 crypto-assets through its website or mobile trading app. Speculate on cryptocurrency prices or hedge your positions through futures. Trade with or without leverage, up to 5 times your initial investment.
- Pros
- Easy account opening.
- Outstanding customer support.
- Competitive fees, albeit not the lowest.
- Cons
- Supports fewer coins and tokens than other exchanges.
- Its mobile trading app only offers a limited set of features.
- US customers cannot fund their account with a debit card or a credit card.
- Buying options
- Fiat currencies: USD and 6 others
- Payment methods: 4
Instant Buy Fees
Fees
Buy, sell or convert over 50 cryptocurrencies with a credit card or debit card through Kraken’s Instantly Buy service.
This is the easiest way to buy crypto, but isn't the cheapest. You'll pay fees to Kraken and to all other third parties involved in the transaction. This includes your card company (Visa or Mastercard) and bank.
On Kraken, these fees will add up to 8.9% + €0.50 if you buy any stablecoin (USDT, USDC or DAI) with USD or another stablecoin, and 9.5% + €0.50 for all other purchases. These fees are substantial and higher than that charged by most other exchanges.
We've listed these fees below to help you make an informed decision.
| Exchange fee | 0.9% fee if you buy stablecoins, and 1.5% otherwise. |
|---|---|
| Card processing fee | 3.75% + EUR 0.25 |
| Digital wallet payment processing fee | 3.75% + EUR 0.25 |
| Bank fee (interchange fees) | 0.5% |
Trading Fees
Fees
Kraken’s trading fees follow a tiered structure: the more you trade, the lower your fees. Of note, futures trading volume discounts are separate from FX, spot and stablecoin volumes. The fees shown on this page are entry-level fees. Please visit Kraken’s website for the full schedule.
Like most exchanges, Kraken has a maker-taker fee schedule. Taker fees apply when your order takes liquidity away from the market, as is the case with market orders. Maker fees apply when your order adds liquidity, as is the case with limit orders. Most exchanges set maker fees lower to increase liquidity on their platform.