Kraken company
Overview
Kraken (Payward Inc.) is a U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange that offers spot and futures trading, margin lending, and staking services. Founded in 2011, it is one of the oldest exchanges and has obtained regulatory licenses in multiple jurisdictions, including a special-purpose depository bank charter in Wyoming and a MiCA licence in the EU. As of 2026-07-15, Kraken has confidentially filed for a US IPO with the SEC (first submitted around November 2025) and expects a public listing in Q3 2026; a December 2025 deal saw it agree to acquire tokenized-equities firm Backed Finance.
Within the DeFi Intel graph, Kraken connects to 29 tracked entities, most strongly to SEC, Financial Conduct Authority, EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation.
Relations
Top connections in the DeFi Intel knowledge graph (confidence-weighted, 10 of 29 total).
| Relation | Connected entity | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
submitted_to | SEC | 95% |
regulated_by | Financial Conduct Authority | 95% |
complies_with | EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation | 95% |
acquired | Backed Finance | 95% |
regulated_by | Securities and Exchange Commission | 95% |
regulated_by | Central Bank of Ireland | 95% |
complies_with | UK Money Laundering Regulations 2017 | 95% |
acquired | NinjaTrader | 95% |
holds_license | Crypto Facilities (Kraken) FCA Authorisation | 95% |
founded_by | Jesse Powell | 95% |
Frequently asked questions
What is Kraken?
Kraken (Payward Inc.) is a U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange that offers spot and futures trading, margin lending, and staking services. It was founded in 2011 and is one of the oldest exchanges.
Which regulators oversee Kraken?
Kraken is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, the Central Bank of Ireland, and the Securities and Exchange Commission. It also complies with the EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation.
What licenses does Kraken hold?
Kraken holds a special-purpose depository bank charter in Wyoming, a Crypto Facilities FCA Authorisation, and a Kraken (Payward Global Solutions) MiCA CASP Authorisation in Ireland.