Kraken is a crypto exchange. It is based in United States and was founded in 2011. It holds a full MiCA licence for the EU (IE). Its charliedesk score is 97 out of 100.
Key facts
- Founded
- 2011
- HQ
- United States
- MiCA / CASP
- Licensed · IE · 7/3/2026
- Ranking (CoinGecko)
- #3
- 24h volume
- $1.7B
- Open interest
- $267M
- Reserves
- –
- Fees (spot maker/taker)
- 0.16% / 0.26%(base tier)
- KYC
- Required
- Fiat deposit
- SEPA, Card
Fees, KYC and fiat curated by charliedesk (base tier, verified 7/3/2026). Check current rates on the exchange.
Objective composite: trust (35%), liquidity (25%), MiCA/regulation (25%) and age (15%). Unknown factors (e.g. unverified MiCA) are dropped and weights renormalised. No community votes, no paid placement.
This exchange holds a full MiCA/CASP authorisation for the EU. A licence from one member state passports across the whole EU and EEA.
- Authorized entity
- Payward Europe Solutions Limited
- Regulator
- CBI · IE
- Authorized since
- 6/25/2025
Security & incidents
We have no significant security incidents on record for this exchange. This does not mean nothing ever happened, only that our curated record has nothing.
Curated by charliedesk from public sources. Amounts are the value at the time of the incident. Each entry links to its source.
About the exchange
Kraken is a San Francisco-based cryptocurrency exchange, offering a wide range of trading services for various cryptocurrencies and known for its robust security and regulatory compliance efforts.
Description: CoinGecko
Derivatives & reserves
Derivatives (OI, liquidations, volume) are an aggregate across BTC, ETH and SOL. Source: Coinglass via syndicate · updated 8/25/26, 9:52 AM
Community rating
Ratings from readers' own experience. Votes weighted by account age, no rewards, kept separate from affiliate links.
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Anti-shill: 1 account = 1 vote, votes weighted by account age, suspicious reviews can be reported. No paid placement.
FAQ
Is Kraken licensed in the EU (MiCA)?
Yes. Kraken holds a full MiCA/CASP authorisation via Payward Europe Solutions Limited, regulator CBI (IE). The licence passports across the whole EU.
Is Kraken safe and trustworthy?
Kraken's charliedesk score is 97/100 (trust, liquidity, MiCA and age). We show verifiable facts with sources and never advise what to buy, the decision is yours.
Has Kraken ever been hacked?
We have no significant security incident on record for Kraken.
Where is Kraken based and when was it founded?
Kraken is based in United States and was founded in 2011.
What are Kraken's fees?
Kraken's base spot fees: maker 0.16%, taker 0.26%. Check current rates and discounts on the exchange.
Does Kraken require verification (KYC)?
Yes, Kraken requires identity verification (KYC).