Kraken Exchange

Kraken is currently the third largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world in terms of volume traded. The only two exchanges above Kraken currently are Binance and Coinbase. While Binance and Coinbase

Kraken Exchange Review – Coins, Fees & Features

The introduction of cryptocurrency exchanges has increased drastically in the past two years. Naturally, this is the effect of the growing popularity of the blockchain sector. Instead of a simple platform where crypto can be stored, the exchanges introduced today have so many features, that participating in the blockchain sector can now be done in a single place. This article will review Kraken, which is a crypto exchange that has managed to deliver every aforementioned development within its own platform to a large audience.

Kraken exchange has already managed to grow considerably since its inception. However, with several competitors around, investors could need clarification as to which exchange one should go for. This guide will explore information about the exchange, its pros and cons, features, customer service and more in-depth. We will also compare it to top exchanges to get an idea of its standing against the competitors.

What is Kraken Exchange?

Based in San Francisco, Kraken is one of the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges used by many on a global level. The company was initially created in 2011 and was launched officially in 2013. The founder Jesse Powell, currently serves as the CEO of the company and is a highly influential name in the cryptocurrency space. He has been prominent on social media platforms, and for increasing awareness about the blockchain industry.

Powell initially was a part of the now-collapsed exchange Mt. Gox and had speculated the exchange to crash while working on a security issue. Kraken was the brainchild which was born in order to replace the former exchange if the organization indeed went bust. As expected, Mt. Gox died out in 2014, a year after Kraken was launched by Powell and his team.

Initially, the exchange only focused on providing trading or investing options for Bitcoin, Litecoin and some other limited digital assets. However, the platform has since grown into a full-blown centre of participation in the blockchain industry. It currently employs more than 3200 professionals and caters to a massive audience upward of 4 million. The company is backed by investors from the financial space itself and has managed to be affiliated with some of the biggest names in the blockchain industry.

Currently, Kraken is owned by its parent company Payward Inc. and is available in various locations across the globe. The Kraken exchange platform can be considered to be split into two parts. One is the basic Kraken exchange, which features investment options and a basic interface, Another is Kraken Pro, which is suitable for more advanced traders, and provides a plethora of features for users.

How does Kraken work?

Kraken describes itself as nothing but a cryptocurrency exchange. It states that the platform merely facilitates the trade of digital assets i.e cryptocurrencies between two parties. It does not feature a personal wallet service, which is something that many exchanges have started doing recently.

Many people in the space mistake some services or features provided by Kraken to be a part of their “bank”. This should make sense since the exchange had gained the appreciation of many for getting their application for a bank charter approved by the state of Wyoming. The company confirms that the website doesn’t host any banking services for businesses or individuals. In case this was to happen in the upcoming years, then the bank would function as an entirely different entity.

Kraken does, however, feature an OTC desk which can be utilized by major investors or institutions. This component of the organization works differently from the official Kraken exchange website and comes with all risks involved. Naturally, this is not a point of concern for retail investors for the most part.

Who are the backers of Kraken Exchange?

A simple method to analyse the quality of not only an exchange, but any major organization in the blockchain space is to take a look at their investors. Huge and reputed organizations only park their funds in companies that are considered extremely promising. This is surely something that Kraken has managed to achieve, which is directly evidenced by the kind of investors it boasts of.

The major stakeholders of Kraken Exchange constitute some of the most popular VC Funds, Individuals as well as blockchain companies in the space currently. While many of these investors would be names that one may be wary of, some of them might catch investors’ attention. A few investors, however, can be identified by investors due to their reputation and popularity in the finance sector. These investors include individuals like Roger Ver, Jimmy Furland, Kevin Bombino, Trace Mayer, Meni Rosenfeld etc. and companies like Blockchain Capital, Hummingbird Ventures, Digital Currency Group, Digital Horizon, RIT Capital Partners, Andra Capital, Skyvision Capital, 2bgc etc.

Products and Services by Kraken

Listed below are some services by Kraken that have been curated keeping in mind, the ease of use and comfort for investors. Many of the mentioned components may also be a part of several major exchanges. However, Kraken manages to marry the common components with some unique and innovative upgrades. Some of these services that can be thoroughly utilized by investors include-