Kraken
More info
- Creator
- Jesse Powell
- Released
- 2011
- Type
- Cryptocurrency exchange
- Headquarters
- San Francisco
- Website
- kraken.com
One of the oldest crypto exchanges, built by people who would rather talk about security than about regulators.
Founded in 2011 by Jesse Powell in San Francisco — the company is formally called Payward — and opened for trading in 2013. The idea took shape when Powell helped the floundering Mt. Gox after a breach and resolved to do the opposite. Kraken was early to offer trading against the euro through a German bank, and built a reputation for not getting hacked during the years when rivals folded. It offers spot, derivatives and staking.
Powell long took an uncompromising line against US rules; in 2023 the exchange paid $30 million to settle with the SEC and shut down its staking service for American customers.