Fee Schedule
Deposit Method
Currency / Country
Fees
Bank Wire MIN100
minimal24 hours
Crypto MIN.01 btc
USDUSA
MinimalMoments to minutes
Overview
- Official Website: kraken.com
- HQ: Los Angeles, CA
- USD fiat exchange – Buy Bitcoin with USD and sell Bitcoin and get $$ (also Euro)
- Licensed and Regulated (a USA based company)
- First crypto exchange to be granted a bank charter
Notable:
Fully licensed, regulated and legit. They also became the first crypto exchange to win bank charter approval (source).
They offer some of the largest liquidity for EUR/BTC traders in a regulated, fiat/crypto exchange.
They serve as a great fiat on/off ramp where you can turn your crypto into dollars or euros and vice versa.
Thoughts on Kraken
I started exchanging BTC for USD on Kraken in 2016 and a lot during the 2017 bitcoin bull run. Back then, the company behind the exchange was awesome but the actual exchange itself had some challenges. It was not the most user friendly but they were 100% of the time honest, reputable and legit. The same holds true today.
The exchange today is miles better than it was back in 2017. The new trading interface is much more user friendly, altho it is still more ‘trader centric’. The volume is massive and the customer support is pretty solid. They have a very liquid BTC/EUR exchange as well as BTC/USD. You can trade a growing number of alt-coins on Kraken as well.
If you are somewhat familiar with charts and trading then Kraken will feel easy and simple to use. If you have never traded forex, stocks or crypto before then it might take you a while to get up to speed on all the trading options and how things work. Deposits from banks are fast and fairly easy.
Kraken is one of my top recommended bitcoin exchanges. Trade there in confidence.
Pros & Cons
Fiat on/off ramp
Security is paramount.
Much improved trading engine
Regulated and Licensed
Not as many alt-coins as other exchanges
U.S. Traders can not trade fiat/fiat pairs.
Verification
Types of Verification
Government ID, Selfie, Email, Phone, Multiple / SSN
Verification Process
Fully KYC compliant USA regulated brokerage. Expect full vetting of your person when creating an account here.
Limits & Liquidity
Extremely liquid for BTC, EUR, ETH, and most major trading pairs.