Kraken, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the United States, is expanding its services beyond digital assets as the company navigates continued positive regulatory developments and prepares for a potential initial public offering (IPO) early next year.
According to Monday’s announcement, the exchange is now venturing into the trading of US stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) through a new brokerage partnership with Alpaca.
Commission-Free Trading For 11,000 US Stocks And ETFs
This initiative marks an important expansion for Kraken, which has begun rolling out commission-free trading for over 11,000 U.S.-listed stocks and exchange-traded funds.
Initially available to clients in select states, including New Jersey, Connecticut, Wyoming, and Rhode Island, the offering is set to gradually extend to all eligible US clients. Furthermore, Kraken has ambitions to expand its services internationally, with plans to reach markets in the UK, Europe, and Australia.
According to the exchange’s blog post on the matter, US-based clients in several states, including Oklahoma, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Alabama, and the District of Columbia, can now trade stocks and ETFs directly from their Kraken accounts.
Kraken’s New Features
With this expansion, Kraken clients will be able to manage their stocks, cryptocurrencies, cash, and stablecoins all in one platform. This streamlined approach is aimed to eliminate the need for multiple accounts and interfaces, allowing users to effortlessly switch between different asset classes.
Key features of the new equities offering include seamless reinvestment capabilities, enabling clients to immediately reinvest in other stocks or cryptocurrencies after selling, as well as fractional trading options that allow them to own a portion of “high-priced stocks.”
Arjun Sethi, Kraken’s Co-CEO, highlighted the importance of this expansion, stating, “Crypto isn’t just evolving; it’s becoming the backbone for trading across asset classes, such as equities, commodities, and currencies.” Sethi further emphasized the growing demand for 24/7 global access and the need for a seamless trading experience.
He noted that expanding into equities is a natural progression for Kraken, paving the way for the tokenization of assets and reinforcing the notion that the future of trading will be “borderless and built on cryptocurrency infrastructure.”
This news comes on the heels of a significant surge in the total cryptocurrency market capitalization, which rose from $2.3 trillion to $2.6 trillion within just a few days.
This increase has been fueled by a renewed sense of optimism in the market, largely attributed to President Trump’s easing of tariff policies and a 90-day pause on certain trade restrictions.
Bitcoin (BTC), the leading cryptocurrency, has successfully reclaimed the $85,000 mark, experiencing a 7% increase in the weekly time frame. This upward momentum has also been mirrored by substantial gains in other major altcoins, including XRP, Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA).
Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
