Kraken Launches U.S. Crypto Perpetual Futures After Bitnomial Deal, Eyes $60 Trillion Market
Updated
Updated · Markets Media · Jun 24
Kraken Launches U.S. Crypto Perpetual Futures After Bitnomial Deal, Eyes $60 Trillion Market
3 articles · Updated · Markets Media · Jun 24
Summary
Eligible U.S. clients can now trade Kraken’s crypto perpetual futures, giving the exchange an onshore foothold in a product category that logged more than $60 trillion in global volume in 2025.
Bitnomial’s May acquisition enabled the launch by giving Kraken CFTC-licensed exchange, clearinghouse and brokerage infrastructure, which the company says lets it offer perpetuals through a regulated U.S. market structure.
Kraken said perpetuals, CME-listed futures, margin and spot now sit in one account with shared U.S.-dollar collateral, and it wants to add crypto collateral next after finishing operational and regulatory plumbing.
John Palmer said Kraken is still onboarding customers and market makers, while planning to extend perpetuals beyond crypto into products such as FX and oil over the next 12 months.
The rollout comes as U.S. regulators begin opening to perpetuals—the CFTC approved the first such contract on a regulated venue in May—though CME has sued, arguing futures must have expiry dates.
Can Kraken's regulated U.S. launch challenge the offshore exchanges dominating the $60 trillion crypto derivatives market?
With CME suing regulators, is Kraken's new perpetuals market built on a legal house of cards?
Is this the beginning of the end for traditional finance as blockchain prepares to take over all asset classes?
Kraken’s CFTC-Regulated Perpetual Futures Launch: U.S. Traders Gain Secure Access to $60 Trillion Crypto Derivatives Market
Overview
Kraken's launch of CFTC-regulated perpetual futures for U.S. clients on June 15, 2026, marks a major step in its strategic expansion. Building on earlier support for CME-listed crypto futures and margin trading, this move brings a globally popular derivatives product onshore under strong regulatory oversight. Perpetual futures let traders speculate on crypto prices without an expiration date, offering continuous access to leveraged markets. By introducing these products within a regulated framework, Kraken provides U.S. traders with new, secure opportunities and helps shift significant trading activity from offshore to the U.S. market.