Kraken Expands Into Stock Trading
Hey FinTech Fanatic!
Kraken is the latest crypto exchange to step into traditional finance, launching stock and ETF trading for U.S. users. The move follows Crypto.com’s rollout earlier this year and mirrors a shift first made by Bitpanda, as crypto platforms expand beyond digital assets into broader market access.
In a move that signals a quiet but meaningful shift in digital finance, Kraken has opened the door to stock and ETF trading for select U.S. users. What began as a crypto-native exchange is now testing the waters of traditional finance, bringing equities and digital assets into a single trading experience.
The initial rollout includes more than 11,000 U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs, accessible to clients in ten U.S. states, with plans for broader national coverage in the coming months. It’s a phased expansion, but one that hints at a much wider ambition.
For Kraken, this is less about pivoting and more about layering. Crypto is still central to its identity, but the product now stretches across asset classes — crypto, stocks, cash, and stablecoins — all from one account, in one app. “Crypto isn’t just evolving, it’s becoming the backbone for trading across asset classes, such as equities, commodities and currencies,” said Arjun Sethi, Kraken’s Co-CEO.
It’s a steady shift — one that reflects growing demand for seamless, all-in-one access to financial markets. First Bitpanda, then Crypto.com, and now Kraken. It’s no longer a question of if crypto platforms will offer stocks — it’s when, and how fast.
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INSIGHTS
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FINTECH NEWS
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PAYMENTS NEWS
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REGTECH NEWS
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DIGITAL BANKING NEWS
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BLOCKCHAIN/CRYPTO NEWS
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PARTNERSHIPS
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🌍 FinTechOS teams up with Fort to advance cybersecurity readiness. The company intends to ensure compliance with cybersecurity and digital resilience demands across all worldwide jurisdictions, aligning with third-party risk assessment criteria imposed by global banks, insurance firms, and FIs in their procurement processes.
DONEDEAL FUNDING NEWS
💰 Over the last week, there were 11 FinTech deals in Europe, raising a total of €111 million in equity, 6 deals in the UK, 2 deals in France, and one deal in each of Germany, Czech Republic, and Spain.
🇬🇧 BBVA closes its first venture debt financing deal in the UK with Plum, for £15 million. This will help Plum expand its business and improve profitability with the company aiming to sharpen its customer offering and broaden its range of products.
🇬🇧 UK FinTech BKN301 with Italian roots closes £18.6M round to create a world without financial barriers. This funding will support BKN301’s international growth and enhance its BaaS Orchestrator platform, which offers core banking, payment processing, digital wallets, and other services for third-party integration.
🇺🇸 Tapcheck raises $225 million in equity and debt funding to redefine payday for America’s Workforce. This infusion of capital will further strengthen its capacity to empower employees nationwide and alleviate financial pressure by granting access to earned wages ahead of traditional pay schedules.
M&A
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MOVERS AND SHAKERS
🇺🇸 Mastercard onboards Susan Muigai as Chief People Officer. Susan will lead Mastercard’s human resources strategy and function, focusing on all aspects of the organisation, from culture to learning & development to talent acquisition and engagement to compensation and benefits.
🇮🇪 TransferMate promotes Product Chief Gary Conroy to CEO. Conroy will take over from Sinéad Fitzmaurice, who is stepping down after six years in the role. While Fitzmaurice will remain "involved with the business", TransferMate has not disclosed the nature of her future position.
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