Kraken launched Kraken Derivatives US following its acquisition of futures platform NinjaTrader earlier this year.
Crypto exchange Kraken launched a derivatives platform for US traders, offering access to CME-listed cryptocurrency futures and expanding the availability of institutional-grade trading tools.
On Tuesday, the exchange announced the launch of Kraken Derivatives US, which provides access to futures contracts via the Kraken Pro platform. This move expands Kraken’s product suite, adding futures trading alongside its existing spot market offerings.
Kraken Pro initially rolled out access to Kraken Derivatives US in Vermont, West Virginia, North Dakota, Mississippi, and Washington, D.C.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regulates Kraken Derivatives US, following Kraken’s $1.5 billion acquisition of NinjaTrader, which became one of the largest mergers in crypto history.
Before the acquisition, NinjaTrader built a strong reputation as a retail futures brokerage, specializing in equity derivatives and offering access to commodity markets.
When the deal closed in May, Kraken stated it planned to expand its offerings across both the Kraken and NinjaTrader platforms to include stocks, options, and prediction markets.
Kraken remains one of the largest spot crypto exchanges in the world, with daily volumes exceeding $1.7 billion as of Tuesday, as reported by CoinMarketCap.
Crypto Derivatives Surge as DEX Activity Rises
The crypto derivatives market has grown substantially since CME Group and CBOE launched Bitcoin BTC futures contracts in late 2017.
OKX data suggests total crypto derivatives volume will surpass $23 trillion by 2025.
This surge has been led by Bitcoin derivatives, with open interest exceeding $70 billion in the first half of the year. In contrast, Ether and altcoins continue to face “liquidity challenges,” OKX noted.
Within the derivatives market, perpetual contracts have experienced faster growth than futures, according to CoinMarketCap data. Volumes on perpetuals, which have no expiration date, grew by 150% over the past year.
Crypto derivatives volumes are also growing on decentralized exchanges, also known as DEXs. Recent forecasts from dYdX project DEX derivatives volumes to reach $3.5 trillion in 2025—more than double the $1.5 trillion recorded last year.
