While Coinbase went public and FTX went to prison, Kraken just kept doing its job — being the exchange that serious crypto traders actually trust. Jesse Powell built it specifically because he watched Mt. Gox collapse and thought "someone should build one of these that doesn't lose everyone's money." Kraken has never been hacked. In crypto, that's basically a superpower.
Founded
2011
HQ
San Francisco, California
Total Raised
$113 million
Founder
Jesse Powell
Status
Private
Website
www.kraken.comTHE ORIGIN STORY
Jesse Powell was a regular at Mt. Gox, the early Bitcoin exchange based in Tokyo.
In 2011, Mt. Gox was hacked and Powell flew to Tokyo to help with the aftermath.
He saw firsthand how poorly built the exchange was — terrible security, no proper accounting, amateur infrastructure. He decided to build an exchange that was actually engineered properly.
Kraken launched in 2013 after two years of development, which was an eternity in early crypto. The extra time building security paid off — Kraken has never suffered a major hack, which is almost unheard of in crypto.
WHAT THEY ACTUALLY DO
Kraken makes money the same way every exchange does — trading fees. Users buy and sell crypto, and Kraken takes a small percentage of each transaction.
Fee rates depend on your trading volume — high-volume traders pay as low as 0.00% maker fees. They also offer margin trading (lending users money to trade with, which is extremely profitable for the exchange), staking services (users lock up crypto and earn yield, Kraken takes a cut), and futures trading.
Unlike Coinbase, which targets beginners, Kraken leans heavily toward professional and institutional traders who generate higher volume.
THE PRODUCTS
Kraken Pro (advanced trading platform), Kraken Futures, Kraken NFT marketplace, Kraken Wallet, Kraken Custody (institutional), OTC trading desk. Supports 200+ cryptocurrencies and multiple fiat currencies.
HOW THEY GREW
Kraken grew by being the exchange for people who actually understand crypto. While Coinbase simplified everything for beginners, Kraken offered advanced trading tools, more coin listings, and lower fees for high-volume traders.
They expanded internationally faster than US competitors — Kraken is available in 190+ countries. They've also leaned into institutional services, offering custody, OTC trading, and prime brokerage for hedge funds and family offices.
THE HARD PART
Regulation has been Kraken's biggest recurring headache. In 2023, the SEC fined Kraken $30 million and forced it to shut down its US staking program, calling it an unregistered securities offering.
Kraken has also had to navigate an ever-changing patchwork of global regulations — they've been banned, unbanned, and re-regulated in multiple countries. Powell himself was a lightning rod for controversy — his blunt public statements about DEI and company culture led to significant internal backlash and his eventual transition from CEO to chairman.
MONEY TRAIL
2014 · Led by
$NaNM raised
2019 · Led by
$NaNM raised
2021 · Led by
$NaNM raised
WHO BACKED THEM
Hummingbird Ventures, Money Partners Group, SBI Investment, Digital Currency Group, Blockchain Capital, Tribe Capital
Head-to-Head
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