Catenaa, Wednesday, May 13, 2026- Kraken launched CFTC-regulated crypto spot margin trading for US retail users on Wednesday, expanding access to leveraged trading products that had largely remained unavailable through regulated domestic platforms.
The exchange said eligible users can now trade digital assets with up to 10x leverage while using existing crypto holdings as collateral instead of selling assets outright.
Kraken said the lack of regulated margin trading products in the United States previously pushed traders toward offshore exchanges operating outside US regulatory oversight.
The rollout follows growing demand for regulated crypto derivatives and leveraged trading services among retail and institutional investors.
Bitnomial Acquisition
The launch comes days after Kraken parent company Payward completed its acquisition of Bitnomial, a Chicago-based crypto derivatives exchange holding multiple licenses from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
The acquisition gives Kraken access to futures, clearing and merchant infrastructure needed to expand regulated trading products in the United States.
Payward said the deal would eventually support regulated perpetual futures, spot margin and options trading offerings for US customers.
Derivatives Push
Darius Tabatabai said margin trading remains a core component of global crypto markets because it improves capital efficiency and broadens trading strategies.
Kraken has steadily expanded its derivatives business as US regulators adopt a more defined stance toward digital asset trading platforms.
The exchange is also preparing for a possible public listing after confidentially submitting a draft S-1 filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission in November.
Kraken has also strengthened its international presence through acquisitions and derivatives expansion efforts across Europe and the UK.
In March 2025, the company acquired NinjaTrader in a $1.5 billion deal aimed at expanding institutional trading infrastructure.
Kraken remains one of the largest crypto exchanges operating in the United States, regularly processing between $20 billion and $40 billion in monthly trading volume, according to industry data.
The move reflects broader efforts by major exchanges to bring leveraged crypto products into regulated US markets as lawmakers and agencies continue developing federal digital asset rules.
