News linked to both this project and an event.
According to The Block, Kraken has launched cryptocurrency perpetual futures trading in the U.S., with the related products available via Kraken Pro. This launch follows Kraken’s acquisition of Bitnomial—a CFTC-licensed exchange, clearinghouse, and broker—in May.
cryptocurrency exchange Kraken has announced the launch of a perpetual futures product regulated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), officially opening it to U.S. traders. This product marks a significant expansion of the compliant crypto derivatives market in the United States, enabling traders to participate in perpetual contract trading within a regulatory framework for the first time.
the Bitcoin treasury company Nakamoto officially announced that it generated approximately $48 million in net proceeds by selling about 600 BTC and related derivative positions, thereby repaying approximately $45 million in outstanding debt to Kraken. This move is expected to reduce annual financing costs by approximately $4 million.Following the transaction, the company signed a new loan term sheet with Kraken for the remaining 165 million USDT, with a principal of 105 million USDT deferred to June 30, 2027, and an annual interest rate that can be reduced to 7.75% upon meeting the Bitwise custodied wallet collateral threshold. Additionally, the company’s board of directors has authorized a share repurchase program of up to $25 million. Currently, the company still holds approximately 4,467 BTC on its balance sheet. Furthermore, according to a notice from Nasdaq, the company has regained compliance with listing requirements.
a joint letter initiated by Stand With Crypto, in collaboration with the Blockchain Association, the Crypto Council for Innovation, and The Digital Chamber, has been submitted to U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, urging a full floor vote on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (the "CLARITY Act") as soon as possible.Over 200 crypto enterprises, industry associations, and community organizations, including Coinbase, Ripple, Kraken, a16z, Circle, and Binance.US, have participated in signing the letter. The joint letter points out that the CLARITY Act would establish a comprehensive federal regulatory framework for the digital asset market, clearly delineate regulatory responsibilities, provide feasible registration pathways, protect software developer innovation, and simultaneously promote the return of more digital asset businesses to the U.S. market.The signatories stated that the bill would help retain innovation, jobs, investment, and market activity within the United States, further solidifying America's leading position in the global digital asset innovation sector.It is understood that the CLARITY Act received bipartisan support and passed committee review in the Senate Banking Committee last month. Senator Cynthia Lummis subsequently stated that the next step for the bill is to enter the full Senate deliberation stage.Additionally, 160 former national security and law enforcement officials have previously signed a letter supporting the bill. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and White House Crypto Advisor Patrick Witt have also publicly called for advancing the legislative process. However, the issue of conflicts of interest between the Trump family and the crypto industry is still regarded as one of the main obstacles to the bill's progress. (The Block)
According to The Block, Payward—the parent company of Kraken—announced that it will open up access to IPO offering-price subscriptions for U.S. publicly traded companies to Kraken users and select partner platform users via the xStocks framework in the coming weeks. Users may submit non-binding subscription indications prior to listing; Payward will aggregate demand and coordinate with underwriting syndicates to allocate tokenized shares at the offering price on the listing day. These stock tokens are fully backed 1:1 by the underlying equities held in custody by regulated entities and are tradable across blockchains including Ethereum, Solana, and TON. Payward stated that it plans to expand into additional markets and onboard more partners to the xStocks Alliance in the future.
xStocks, a framework under Kraken parent company Payward, will launch services allowing users on Kraken and partner platforms to participate in US stock IPOs at the offering price. Users will receive on-chain tokenized shares with a 1:1 correspondence to the underlying stock, which will be held by regulated custodians.Users can submit non-binding subscription intentions via partner platforms weeks before the IPO. Payward aggregates demand, coordinates with the underwriting syndicate for share allocation, and completes pricing, allocation, and token issuance on the listing date. xStocks tokens will be tradable across multiple blockchains including Ethereum, Solana, and TON, and can be integrated with DeFi protocols. (The Block)
Ink, an Ethereum Layer 2 network incubated by Kraken, announced last night that the network is experiencing a full-chain outage. Current network availability is intermittent, and services have not yet stabilized.According to the official statement, user transactions and cross-chain bridge operations may be unstable until the chain resumes normal operation. Ink is collaborating with its infrastructure partner Gelato to investigate the root cause of the failure and facilitate network recovery.As of press time, Ink has not yet disclosed further progress or a timeline for restoration.
Binance's US stock business adopts a dual-core structure of "introducing broker + clearing broker," with Nest Trading responsible for order referral, and US fintech company Alpaca Securities handling the entire process of trade execution, clearing, settlement, and asset custody.Nest Trading, formerly known as BCI Limited, obtained a broker-dealer license from the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) FSRA at the end of 2025 and officially began operations on January 5, 2026. Together with Nest Exchange and Nest Clearing and Custody, it forms Binance's compliance "troika" in ADGM. Registered on Reem Island in Abu Dhabi, Nest Trading handles key Binance services such as OTC, Convert, and Earn.Alpaca is an SEC-registered broker-dealer and a member of FINRA and SIPC, commanding a 94% market share of tokenized US stocks and ETFs, facilitating 1:1 on-chain asset conversion for platforms like Ondo Finance. In January 2026, Alpaca completed a $150 million Series D funding round at a valuation of $1.15 billion, achieving unicorn status with investments from Citadel Securities, Kraken, MUFG, and others. As of early 2026, Alpaca serves over 300 institutions, covering 9 million brokerage accounts. By the end of 2025, it held total assets of $1.386 billion and net capital exceeding $100 million.Public information indicates that Binance and its core team had no prior connection with Alpaca. This collaboration establishes a cross-border US stock trading loop characterized by "ADGM licensed connectivity + US compliant clearing."
According to CoinTelegraph, Kraken announced on May 30 that it plans to launch CFTC-regulated Bitcoin perpetual futures contracts via its subsidiary Bitnomial exchange within the next 30 days, targeting U.S. institutional clients. Earlier the same day, the CFTC formally approved perpetual futures contracts linked to the Bitcoin spot price, with KalshiEX becoming the first exchange to receive approval for listing such products. Meanwhile, Coinbase Financial Markets swiftly followed suit, leveraging Deribit—the world’s largest crypto options exchange, which it acquired in August 2025—to provide U.S. institutional clients with access to global crypto options and perpetual futures markets.
Kraken has announced plans to launch CFTC-regulated perpetual futures contracts in the United States within the next 30 days. The exchange stated that, upon approval, the relevant contracts will be listed on Bitnomial Exchange; Bitnomial is a CFTC-regulated exchange recently acquired by Kraken's parent company, Payward. Kraken said it submitted an application on Friday and indicated that US customers will soon be able to trade perpetual futures on Kraken Pro. As of early Sunday morning, no application specifically for Bitcoin perpetual futures had been identified in Bitnomial's recent CFTC filings. On April 17, Payward announced it would acquire crypto derivatives platform Bitnomial for up to $550 million to offer its perpetual futures products to Kraken Pro clients. Previously, the CFTC had approved KalshiEX to trade Bitcoin perpetual futures contracts, and Coinbase Financial Markets also began providing US institutional clients with access to global crypto options and perpetual futures markets through regulated futures commission merchant Deribit. (cointelegraph)
digital asset management firm Grayscale stated in its latest report that the decentralized trading platform Hyperliquid is rapidly evolving from a crypto perpetual contract exchange into a blockchain-based financial infrastructure platform. In the future, it may even challenge the traditional derivatives trading and exchange systems, growing into a "financial services giant."The report shows that Hyperliquid generated approximately $800 million in revenue in 2025, with a full-year perpetual contract trading volume of about $2.9 trillion and open interest of roughly $7 billion, capturing a significant share of the crypto derivatives market. Grayscale believes the platform is no longer limited to crypto trading. Through the HIP-3 and HIP-4 systems, it is expanding into tokenized stocks, commodities, and prediction markets, gradually building a 24/7 on-chain trading infrastructure.In another report, FalconX also pointed out that Hyperliquid is competing with traditional derivatives exchanges like the CME Group, as well as prediction market platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket, and is making progress in new markets like Pre-IPO.The report also emphasized that regulation remains a key variable. Although Hyperliquid currently restricts access for US users, as the regulatory framework gradually clarifies and institutions like Coinbase, Robinhood, and Kraken explore perpetual contract products, this sector may see broader growth potential in the future. (CoinDesk)
Kraken has announced plans to launch its first perpetual futures product regulated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in the U.S. market within the next 30 days.Eligible U.S. clients will be able to trade perpetual futures on digital assets including BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP, ADA, LINK, DOGE, LTC, and AVAX through Kraken Pro. Kraken stated that it will gradually expand contract types and product features in the future, as well as provide more collateral options.It is reported that the perpetual futures on Kraken Pro are provided by NinjaTrader Clearing, LLC (operating as Kraken Derivatives US), which is a CFTC-registered Futures Commission Merchant. The related spot margined and perpetual futures products will be available on the Bitnomial Exchange, a CFTC-regulated exchange that was recently acquired by Payward, Kraken's parent company.
Wall Street investment bank Jefferies stated that as institutional investors accelerate their shift towards blockchain-based financial infrastructure, the crypto and blockchain sectors could see a new wave of IPOs over the next two years, forming a public market worth $1 trillion within five years.Jefferies released a report indicating that the current industry focus is shifting from speculative crypto asset prices to the comprehensive integration of blockchain infrastructure by banks, exchanges, asset managers, and payment institutions. Companies like Payward (parent company of Kraken) and Securitize are advancing their IPO plans, and it is expected that more crypto-related companies will enter the public market in the future. Tokenization is seen as a key driver of this structural transformation, with money market funds, private credit, and on-chain settlement systems already entering practical implementation phases. Increasing regulatory clarity will further accelerate institutional adoption.Currently, the market is moving from short-term hype to long-term technological reassessment. Crypto IPOs could serve as a crucial gateway connecting traditional capital markets with the on-chain economy. (CoinDesk)
the "Transparency Alliance," initiated by Blockworks, has been officially established, garnering support from over 40 crypto enterprises including Coinbase, Kraken, and Binance.US. The alliance aims to jointly develop unified token information disclosure standards to enhance market transparency and attract institutional capital. Based on Blockworks' Token Transparency Framework, the alliance seeks to establish a standardized information disclosure mechanism for crypto assets, similar to that of the stock market, enabling investors to gain a clearer understanding of token structures and risks.Reportedly, the framework covers details such as token issuance structure, internal holdings allocation, market maker arrangements, exchange listing terms, and repurchase mechanisms. It distinguishes between two types of document systems: "one-time pre-issuance disclosure" and "ongoing update disclosure." To date, 44 projects, including Morpho, Jupiter, Spark, and dYdX, have completed the relevant filings.Industry insiders point out that this initiative aims to establish a unified information infrastructure for the crypto market to meet institutional investors' demands for transparency and compliance. Blockworks stated that it has communicated with relevant personnel from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Analysts believe that this alliance signifies the crypto industry is accelerating its shift towards an "institutionalized information disclosure system." However, its ultimate impact will depend on whether the market translates these disclosure standards into widespread industry consensus. (CoinDesk)
According to Businesswire, Payward, the parent company of Kraken, announced that it has received preliminary approval from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) in the United Arab Emirates for brokerage, trading, investment, and management licenses. Payward plans to expand its crypto business in the UAE and expects to offer spot, margin, and OTC trading, staking services, and Kraken Prime—its institutional offering—through a locally regulated entity. It will also support peer-to-peer crypto-asset transfers.
According to The Block, IG Europe has partnered with Bitpanda to expand its digital asset product offerings across the European Union, driven by rising client demand for exposure to crypto assets. IG Europe stated that this move will provide European investors with a broader range of asset classes. IG Europe is part of IG Group and is regulated by Germany’s Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). Recently, IG Group acquired Australian crypto exchange Independent Reserve, secured a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) license enabling it to offer crypto products and services across the EU, and sold its previously acquired futures trading platform Small Exchange Inc. to Kraken. As of the end of 2025, Bitpanda had at least 7.4 million registered users.
According to an official announcement, Plume stated that it has obtained a Digital Asset Business License from the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA), making it the world’s first regulated on-chain vault manager. Plume noted that this positions it alongside other BMA-regulated entities such as Circle, Coinbase, and Kraken, and said it brings the company closer to realizing its vision of open finance.
According to CoinDesk, U.S. President Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday local time, directing the federal government to update its regulatory framework to integrate digital assets and innovative technologies into traditional financial services and payment systems. The order requires financial regulatory agencies to review existing rules within three months to identify barriers hindering collaboration between fintech firms and federal regulators, and to implement measures to encourage innovation within six months. Additionally, the executive order specifically directs the Federal Reserve to review regulations governing non-bank financial institutions’ access to payment accounts and services—a move that could directly benefit Wyoming’s Special Purpose Depository Institutions (SPDIs) and companies operating under similar frameworks. Firms such as Kraken have previously actively sought access to Federal Reserve master accounts.
centralized exchanges Coinbase, Kraken, and Gemini are urging U.S. senators to remove a specific clause in the digital asset market structure bill. The clause restricts trading platforms from listing tokens that are susceptible to market manipulation.The exchanges have submitted amendment proposals requesting the removal of this restriction, arguing that this regulatory standard, derived from traditional commodity futures, would hinder the listing of low-liquidity small-cap tokens on compliant exchanges and limit industry innovation. (crowdfundinsider)
Kraken’s parent company, Payward, disclosed that its adjusted revenue for the first quarter of 2026 increased by 3% year-on-year to $507 million. During the period, daily average revenue-generating futures trades rose by 51%, helping the company sustain growth amid a weakening cryptocurrency spot trading market. Adjusted EBITDA for the same period declined to $18 million, primarily due to continued investments in acquisitions, product development, and compliance infrastructure. Payward stated that total platform trading volume for the first quarter reached $357 billion; funded accounts increased year-on-year to 6.1 million; and platform assets under management grew to $40 billion. Kraken’s spot market share rose to 5.2% in March.