What is Kraken?
Kraken was founded in 2011 by Jesse Powell and is headquartered in San Francisco, USA. It is one of the oldest and most trusted cryptocurrency exchanges globally, with an excellent security record spanning over 13 years — notably one of the few major exchanges that has never been hacked.
Why Choose Kraken?
Kraken stands out for regulatory compliance and an unmatched security record among global exchanges, making it a strong choice in the US, EU, Singapore, Hong Kong and much of Asia. One important exception: Kraken withdrew from the Japanese market in 2022 and no longer serves Japanese residents. In Japan, use an FSA-registered exchange such as bitFlyer, Coincheck or Binance Japan instead.
Kraken Fees
Kraken uses a tiered maker/taker fee model: 0.16%/0.26% at the base level, decreasing with volume. While higher than Binance's 0.1%, Kraken's fees are reasonable for the security and regulatory compliance provided.
Kraken Security
Kraken has an exemplary 13-year security record with no major hacks. Features include: 2FA (TOTP/hardware keys), Master Key for account recovery, Global Settings Lock, and extensive cold storage. Regularly undergoes proof-of-reserves audits.
