Kraken has launched perpetual futures trading for its retail audience. The new product, “Kraken Perps,” allows everyday investors to speculate on the future price movements of cryptocurrencies without the need to own the underlying assets.
This launch marks a major expansion beyond the exchange’s professional-tier platform, Kraken Pro, where such derivatives were previously offered. The initiative comes as Kraken is reportedly preparing for a potential public listing in early 2026.
A key feature of perpetual futures is the absence of an expiration date, enabling traders to maintain their positions for as long as they can meet margin requirements. This innovative instrument, pioneered by BitMEX in 2016 to suit the 24/7 crypto market, uses a funding rate mechanism to keep its price aligned with the spot market.
Kraken’s entry into the retail perps market signals a growing institutionalization of crypto derivatives, a sector that has seen volumes explode in recent years and is now dominated by platforms like Hyperliquid.
