Kraken, one of the world’s longest-standing, most liquid and secure cryptocurrency platforms, today announced the launch of crypto spot margin trading in the United States, giving US clients access to CFTC-regulated crypto spot margin on Kraken Pro, with no accredited investor requirement.
Until today, US crypto traders have lacked access to regulated, onshore margin trading. The gap has been significant given the size and sophistication of the US market, where margin is a core tool for professional trading strategies globally. Kraken’s launch introduces a regulated pathway for US traders to access enhanced capital efficiency and more advanced trading strategies directly from a US-regulated platform.
The launch is made possible by Payward’s recent acquisition of Bitnomial, a US-regulated derivatives exchange, broker, and clearinghouse. Bitnomial spent more than a decade securing its regulatory licenses to operate this fully integrated stack with digital assets in mind. This foundation allows Payward to expand its offering of advanced trading products across Kraken, NinjaTrader, and its broader ecosystem, with spot margin as the first rollout for US clients.
“Margin is a foundational component of global crypto markets, enabling more efficient capital deployment and a broader range of trading strategies,” said Darius Tabatabai, Head of Kraken Pro. “For too long, US traders have been excluded from accessing this functionality in a regulated environment. This launch brings a critical piece of market structure onshore in a way that prioritizes transparency, risk management, and regulatory compliance.”
The launch further cements Kraken’s position as the destination for serious crypto traders in the US. Kraken Pro already offers one of the deepest and most liquid spot markets available to US traders, alongside advanced order types, professional-grade execution, and access to futures via NinjaTrader. Spot margin rounds out the core toolkit that active traders expect from a world-class trading venue, and does so on a regulated platform that meets the compliance and security standards that the most demanding traders require.
On Kraken Pro, US clients can now trade with up to 10x leverage – long or short – across eligible crypto assets round-the-clock, using existing holdings as collateral. Traders can also view key risk metrics, including liquidation price, borrowing costs and available margin. Stop-loss functionality is available 24/7, and risk is isolated to the collateral allocated to each position rather than the entire portfolio. Margin trading is available to US clients who meet specific eligibility criteria.
Payward is committed to advancing regulatory clarity and innovation across its products and services through active global policy engagement. Comprehensive market structure legislation in the US remains a top priority.
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