US Traders Gain Access to Perpetual Futures on Kraken via CFTC-Regulated Platform
After purchasing Bitnomial, Kraken introduces the new service as part of an industry-wide effort to relocate cryptocurrency derivatives trading to regulated US platforms.
On Monday, Kraken introduced perpetual futures trading capabilities for qualified users in the United States via Bitnomial, broadening its suite of domestic derivatives products several months following the completion of its acquisition of the federally-regulated exchange platform.
Accessible via Kraken Pro, the newly launched products feature contracts connected to leading digital currencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Solana (SOL), XRP (XRP), Cardano (ADA), Chainlink (LINK), Dogecoin (DOGE), Litecoin (LTC) and Avalanche (AVAX).
Based on the announcement released Monday, these contracts utilize the identical futures wallet as the platform's current CME-listed cryptocurrency futures offerings, enabling market participants to oversee both position types within a unified account.
According to Kraken, perpetual futures, which represent derivative contracts without any set expiration date, produced over $60 trillion in worldwide trading volume throughout 2025 and have predominantly been executed on international platforms outside of regulated United States venues.
Over the previous twelve months, Kraken has broadened its trading product lineup for US customers, incorporating support for CME-listed cryptocurrency futures in July 2025 and introducing margin trading capabilities for qualified US clients at the beginning of this month.
The Monday product launch arrives after Kraken's announcement in late May regarding its intentions to roll out Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regulated perpetual futures via Bitnomial, the cryptocurrency derivatives trading platform that was purchased by its parent entity Payward during April.
US exchanges compete for crypto derivatives market
The launch by Kraken emerges during a wider industry movement by United States-based exchanges to relocate cryptocurrency derivatives trading to domestic shores.
On May 29, the CFTC granted approval for Kalshi's Bitcoin perpetual futures contract and released a no-action position regarding Coinbase, creating a pathway for regulated perpetual futures offerings within the domestic marketplace.
On that identical day, the company made public that its Coinbase Financial Markets division would offer US institutional customers access to international crypto perpetual futures and options trading markets, which according to the exchange represent approximately 80% of worldwide crypto trading volume.
Kalshi additionally rolled out perpetual futures contracts on May 29, characterizing these products as the company's most substantial expansion beyond its prediction markets business and a move toward establishing itself as a more comprehensive derivatives trading exchange.
These regulatory approvals came after multiple months of conversations surrounding the introduction of crypto perpetual futures to the United States market.
The CFTC's approval of the KalshiEX BTCPERP is not the end of the regulatory story; it is the beginning.
Gontran de Quillacq, CEO and founder of Navesink International
During a January address, CFTC Chair Michael Selig stated the regulatory agency would leverage its current authority to facilitate perpetual futures and additional innovative derivatives products within the US, contending that prolonged periods of regulatory ambiguity had driven trading activity to offshore locations.
During his remarks at the Milken Institute's Future of Finance conference several months thereafter, Selig indicated the CFTC was engaged in efforts to create a comprehensive framework for "true perpetual futures" within the United States.
