Kraken Pro
- Best for: Active traders who want low fees and a full toolkit
- What Sets It Apart: Spot, spot margin, futures, lending, and API access under one login on an exchange with no major hack of customer funds since 2011
- Cost: Maker fees from 0.16%; Taker fees from 0.26%; Volume discounts to 0.08% taker ($100M+ 30-day volume)
- Features: Spot Margin trading up to 10x leverage; Futures via CFTC-registered entity (U.S.); Full API access
- Pros: Low volume-based fees; Full trading toolkit; Desktop app available
- Cons: Not beginner-friendly; High-leverage futures restricted for U.S. users; Spot Margin and futures carry risk of loss
Kraken Pro starts at 0.16% maker fees and steps down further with volume, a fraction of what most retail crypto apps charge. If you’re trading frequently enough that fees are eating into returns, a professional exchange interface like Kraken Pro is worth a serious look.
Kraken Pro is the full-featured trading interface built on top of Kraken’s exchange, designed for users who want direct market access, tighter spreads, and a broader toolkit than the standard app provides. It is available on web, mobile, and as a dedicated desktop application.
Key Features
- Maker fees from 0.16%, taker fees from 0.26%, with volume-based discounts
- Spot trading across 650+ assets with advanced charting and real-time order books
- Spot Margin trading: up to 10x leverage on select assets, 5x across 150+ Spot margin-enabled markets
- Futures trading: U.S. clients access CME-listed contracts via CFTC-registered Kraken Derivatives US; non-U.S. clients can trade perpetual futures up to 50x leverage
- Flexline: borrow against existing crypto holdings
- Full API access for algorithmic traders and developers
Pros
- Significantly lower fees than the standard platform, with volume discounts down to 0.08% taker for institutional clients
- Broad toolkit in one place: spot margin, futures, lending, and API
- Desktop app available for users who prefer a native interface
Cons
- Steeper learning curve than the standard Kraken app
- Futures with high leverage (up to 50x) not available to U.S. clients
- Spot Margin and futures trading carry significant risk of loss
For active traders who have outgrown consumer-grade crypto apps, Kraken Pro is one of the most complete platforms available. The fee structure rewards volume, the toolkit covers nearly every trading strategy, and it all runs on an exchange with no major hack of customer funds since 2011. The desktop app is a nice touch for traders who spend hours in the interface and want a dedicated window for it. If you are trading seriously, this is where Kraken earns its reputation.
Not investment advice. Crypto trading involves risk of loss and is offered to US customers through Payward Interactive, Inc. View legal disclosures at kraken.com/legal/disclosures.
Using Kraken Flexline involves risk, may have tax implications, and may result in the loss of capital. Borrowed assets subject to withdrawal limits. Availability of Kraken Flexline is subject to certain limitations and eligibility criteria.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to use Kraken Flexline. See Kraken Flexline terms at www.kraken.com/legal
Margin may not be marketed in the EEA, UK or AU. It is not available in Canada
U.S. Futures services are offered by Kraken Derivatives US. Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for everyone. Losses may exceed the initial investment. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. View Disclosure: ninjatrader.com/disclosures/
Spot margin trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for everyone. Losses may exceed the initial investment, and additional collateral may be required. Leverage magnifies gains and losses and may vary by asset. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. See Kraken Terms of Service (kraken.com/legal/) to determine which legal entity you face, based on where you live. Geographic restrictions apply. Terms apply. View Disclosures: ninjatrader.com/disclosures/
Editorial & Advertiser Disclosure: The editorial content on this website is not provided, commissioned, reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser. Opinions expressed are ours alone, not those of any advertiser. The offers that appear are from companies from which we may receive compensation. However, this compensation does not impact where and how these companies are mentioned on the site. We do not include all companies or all available offers in the marketplace.
Related:
