Summary
Kraken launched CFTC-regulated perpetual futures for eligible US customers through its partner platform Bitnomial, available via Kraken Pro. The contracts cover BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP, ADA, LINK, DOGE, LTC, and AVAX, and share the same futures wallet as Kraken's existing CME-listed crypto futures products. The launch follows Kraken's late-May plan to bring onshore perpetuals to the US and lands amid a broader CFTC push to bring crypto perpetual derivatives onto regulated venues.
Key Facts
- Available via Kraken Pro through Bitnomial (acquired by Payward in April 2026)
- Assets: BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP, ADA, LINK, DOGE, LTC, AVAX
- Same futures wallet as existing CME-listed crypto futures — simplified account management
- Perpetual futures generated $60T+ in global trading volume in 2025
- Follows CFTC approval of Kalshi's Bitcoin perpetual futures and Coinbase's no-action position (May 29)
- CFTC Chair Michael Selig signaled support for regulated perpetual futures framework
Why It Matters
Kraken's launch represents a direct attempt to bring the most widely traded crypto derivatives format — historically dominated by offshore venues — onto US-regulated soil. With $60T+ in global perp volume in 2025, the onshore shift could meaningfully redirect liquidity from offshore platforms to regulated US venues. The competition is intensifying: Coinbase, Kalshi, and now Kraken are all racing to capture US institutional perp flow under CFTC oversight.