Kraken Launches Kraken Prime for Institutional Crypto Clients

Kraken, a leading cryptocurrency exchange, has introduced Kraken Prime, a full-service prime brokerage tailored for institutional crypto clients. This new service is designed to offer institutional investors a comprehensive suite of trading, custody, and financing solutions through a single, streamlined interface. Kraken Prime aims to provide deep, multi-venue liquidity and sophisticated trading tools, catering to the growing demand from institutional investors for reliable and efficient trading solutions.

Kraken Prime is built to meet the execution quality and service expectations of today's institutional investors. The platform offers access to liquidity covering over 90% of the digital asset market across more than 20 global venues, along with 24/7 white-glove support. Clients can execute trades directly from qualified custody held by Kraken Financial, a U.S. state-chartered bank. Additionally, the platform provides asset-backed lending, T+1 credit facilities, and connectivity to on- and off-platform liquidity via a proprietary order routing system.

Kraken's co-CEO, David Ripley, emphasized the robustness and expertise behind Kraken Prime, stating that the infrastructure has been battle-tested across several market cycles. The launch of Kraken Prime is a key step in Kraken's push to serve the growing institutional demand with the performance, reliability, and compliance standards of a traditional prime broker. As regulatory clarity improves and market infrastructure evolves, a broader set of institutions, including asset managers, hedge funds, and corporates, are moving into the crypto space. These firms require a partner with technical sophistication, institutional-grade compliance, and round-the-clock support to engage with digital assets at scale.

Kraken Prime's entry into the market is marked by its commitment to delivering execution quality, service depth, and institutional rigor that exceed traditional finance expectations. The platform prioritizes quality, reliability, and consistency, which are especially critical in volatile markets. While Kraken may not be the first to offer prime brokerage services, it aims to set the bar for institutional crypto by providing a premium experience tailored for institutions.

Kraken joins other exchanges like Coinbase Prime and FalconX in offering prime brokerage services to institutional crypto clients. This move is part of Kraken's expanding product suite, which includes incubating its own Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain, expanding regulated crypto derivatives offerings in Europe, venturing into commission-free stock trading in the U.S., and plans to launch tokenized stock trading for various companies outside the U.S. In March, Kraken agreed to acquire NinjaTrader for $1.5 billion, the largest-ever crypto and tradfi deal, designed to accelerate Kraken’s multi-asset-class ambitions. Kraken reported earning $472 million in revenue during the first quarter of 2025, a 19% jump year-over-year, amid its plans for an initial public offering as soon as Q1 next year.