Kraken has launched CFTC-regulated perpetual futures for eligible U.S. clients on Kraken Pro. This move finally provides domestic traders with a regulated gateway to perpetual futures, a contract type that accounts for a significant portion of global crypto derivatives trading volume.
Key Takeaways
- Kraken Pro now offers perpetual futures regulated by the CFTC.
- Eligible U.S. clients can access 16 perpetual contracts with no expiration dates.
- Traders can go long, short, or hedge their holdings 24/7.
- The new perps are integrated into the existing Kraken Pro trading view alongside spot and margin products.
- Kraken’s parent company, Payward, acquired Bitnomial, a regulated exchange and clearinghouse, to facilitate this offering.
These new perpetuals are integrated directly into the Kraken Pro interface, appearing alongside existing spot, margin, and CME-listed futures. A key feature is their perpetual nature: these contracts have no expiration date, meaning traders can maintain leveraged long or short positions indefinitely without needing to settle or roll them over, and without holding the underlying asset. At launch, traders can access perps for BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP, ADA, LINK, DOGE, LTC, and AVAX. Kraken has indicated plans to introduce more assets and collateral options in the future. Funding payments for longs and shorts occur at specific times (7pm, 3am, and 11am CT), fluctuating based on whether the perpetual contract price is above or below the spot price.
The infrastructure for these new perps is built upon Bitnomial, a regulated exchange, clearinghouse, and brokerage that Kraken’s parent company, Payward, fully acquired earlier this year. This strategic integration follows Kraken’s earlier expansion into CME-listed futures in July 2025 and a recent rollout of margin trading, further solidifying its U.S. derivatives trading stack.
US perpetual futures are live on Kraken Pro.
16 contracts. No-expiration. Trade 24/7.
Go long, go short, hedge your holdings.
CFTC-regulated, end-to-end through Kraken.
The wait is over.— Kraken Pro (@krakenpro) June 15, 2026
Potential Value Analysis
The introduction of CFTC-regulated perpetual futures represents a significant development for U.S. crypto traders. Previously, accessing this high-volume derivative product often meant trading on unregulated offshore exchanges, carrying increased counterparty risk and regulatory uncertainty. Kraken’s offering provides a regulated, U.S.-based alternative, potentially attracting a large segment of traders seeking both leverage and compliance. The availability of 16 major crypto assets at launch, with promises of more, alongside the flexibility of no-expiration contracts, positions Kraken Pro as a competitive venue. For active traders, the ability to hedge positions or speculate on price movements with leverage, now within a regulated framework, unlocks new strategic possibilities. The funding rate mechanism, while standard for perpetuals, requires traders to stay informed of market conditions to manage costs effectively. Given the global prominence of perpetual futures in driving trading volume, this regulated offering by Kraken could significantly reshape the U.S. crypto derivatives landscape.
Original article : www.bankless.com