Cryptocurrency adoption is growing fast as more people than ever want to take control of their finances. Whether you want to hold Bitcoin (BTC) or Ethereum (ETH) or make profits while trading them, learning how to use a crypto exchange is essential. Today, there are several crypto exchanges available in the market, and choosing the right one can be overwhelming.

This tutorial on the Kraken Exchange will help you find out how to use it in 2025. It will cover all the important steps, from creating an account to making a deposit and placing your first trade. The tutorial will walk you through everything you need to know to start your journey of financial independence through digital assets on Kraken.

What is Kraken?

Founded by Jesse Powell in 2011, Kraken is a U.S.-based, centralized cryptocurrency exchange serving over 13 million users worldwide. The platform has been one of the oldest in the crypto space and has built a strong reputation among crypto users. It is known for its robust security and regulatory compliance, which make it a reliable platform.

The Kraken Exchange has been designed to cater to the needs of both beginner and professional traders. The platform offers basic buy and sell functionality for casual traders, as well as advanced trading features, including Spot, Margin, and Futures, for seasoned traders. You can trade more than 400 digital tokens on Kraken, including popular coins like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Solana (SOL).

Kraken offers two modes for users: Simple and Pro. The Simple mode is for basic buying and selling of digital currencies, while the Pro mode offers advanced trading tools. In addition to trading cryptocurrencies, the platform enables users to generate passive income through staking their idle digital assets.

You can easily make a deposit or withdrawal on the Kraken Exchange with its several supported methods. The platform allows you to buy cryptocurrencies with fiat currencies, including US Dollar (USD), Euro (EUR), Japanese Yen (JPY), and more. Kraken has implemented advanced security measures, including SSL encryption and two-factor authentication (2FA), to ensure a secure trading environment.

Listed below are some key features of Kraken:

• Kraken offers Simple and Pro modes for enhanced convenience of its users.
• The platform provides more than 400 cryptocurrencies and over 950+ trading pairs.
• Kraken Pro offers advanced trading tools and deeper market data for seasoned traders.
• You can stake your cryptocurrencies on Kraken to generate passive income.
• Kraken allows you to buy digital tokens with fiat currencies.
• The platform ensures a safe trading environment for its users through robust security measures.
• Its 24/7 customer support is always available to help crypto users.

How to Get Started with Kraken?

You need to create an account on the Kraken Exchange to buy and sell digital currencies through the platform.

To create an account on Kraken:

1.   Visit the homepage

Go to the Kraken website, visit the homepage, and click on Sign Up in the top right corner of the page.

2.   Fill in the details

• Select the account type between Personal and Business. You can go either for a personal account to independently trade cryptocurrencies or a business account if you want to use the exchange on behalf of a business.
• Enter the email address.
• Set a password that contains characters, numbers, special characters, and letters.
• Choose your country of residence and enter your state/province.
• Agree to the terms and conditions.
• Review the information and click on Create Account.

3.   Enter the Verification Code

Enter the 6-digit verification code that you received at your email address and click on Activate Account.

After this, you will be redirected to the account verification process on the platform.

KYC on Kraken

As mentioned earlier, Kraken is a centralized cryptocurrency exchange that requires users to complete the KYC (Know Your Customer) procedure. Once you have completed the sign-up process, you need to start the KYC procedure on the platform.

Kraken offers two levels of KYC verification: Intermediate and Pro. Both these levels offer different benefits that you can see in the following table:

After completing the sign-in process, you will be redirected to the KYC procedure on Kraken.

1.   Enter personal details

The first step of the KYC procedure on the Kraken Exchange is entering your details.

• Provide your first and last name that matches the government-issued ID.  
• Enter your date of birth.
• Enter the residence address.
• Provide your mobile phone number.
• Select your occupation.
• Review the details and click on Continue.

2.   Additional information

Add the required additional information, including the purpose of using the exchange, income resources, expected monthly deposits/withdrawals, and expected monthly trades. Review the information and click on Continue.

3.   Upload original ID Card

After this, you need to upload a photo of your original government-issued ID card. Once done, click on Continue.

The system will review your information and send you a confirmation email.

Two-Factor Authentication on Kraken

Setting up the Google Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) on Kraken is an important step.

All you need to do is go to the profile icon in the top right corner of the homepage and click on Security from the dropdown menu.

Click on Enable beyond 2FA, download the app on your mobile phone, and link it to your account.

Making a Deposit on Kraken

Kraken is a diverse cryptocurrency exchange that enables its users to make crypto deposits and purchase digital assets using fiat currencies.

Crypto Deposits

To start crypto deposits on the Kraken Exchange, you need to complete the following steps:

• Click on Deposit on the homepage. Alternatively, click on “Deposit cash or crypto.”

• On the deposit page, select the cryptocurrency you want to deposit from the dropdown menu or search for it in the search bar. For this example, Tether (USDT) is selected. 

• After this, carefully select the deposit network for USDT. Make sure you select the same address in the withdrawal wallet because a different address can result in the loss of funds.

• After selecting the deposit network, click on “Generate deposit address” to get the deposit address.

• Next, copy the deposit address and paste it into the wallet from where you are making the deposit. Alternatively, you can scan the QR code for the deposit address.

Once you make the deposit, you can see it in your wallet.

Buy Crypto with Fiat on Kraken

Kraken enables its users to buy digital tokens with fiat currencies.

• At the homepage, click on Buy Crypto. It will redirect you to the buy crypto with fiat window, where you need to select the cryptocurrency you want to buy, for example, USDT.

• Next, enter the payment method. Kraken supports several payment methods, including Debit or Credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and ACH transfers. You can select any of these payment methods to proceed.

After this, enter the amount of the digital token you want to buy and confirm the payment. Once done, you can see the receiving number of tokens in your wallet.

Convert on Kraken

Kraken allows you to convert cryptocurrencies easily. If you want to convert Bitcoin (BTC) to (USDT) or vice versa, you can easily do it.

All you need to do is:

• Click on Convert on the homepage.
• Select the cryptocurrency you want to convert and enter the amount.
• Next, select the cryptocurrency you want to receive. Review the order details and convert the digital assets.

Supported Digital Assets on Kraken

Kraken is one of the leading cryptocurrency exchanges, designed to cater to the needs of both beginner and professional traders. You can buy and sell more than 400 cryptocurrencies on the platform, including popular coins such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), XRP, and Cardano (ADA).

Click Explore on the homepage to check all the supported cryptocurrencies on the platform.

Understanding Kraken Simple vs Kraken Pro

Kraken offers two user modes, Simple and Pro, designed to enhance the convenience of its user base. Both these modes offer unique features and trading tools.

Kraken Simple

Users who are looking to buy and sell cryptocurrencies on Kraken can use its Simple mode. It enlists all the supported digital assets on the platform for maximum convenience of users. You can easily make a deposit and withdraw using digital and fiat currencies in this mode.

Additionally, Kraken Simple enables users to generate passive income by staking their idle digital assets and earning an APR (Annual Percentage Rate).

Kraken Pro

Kraken Pro is an advanced user mode designed for seasoned traders. It includes all the features offered in the Simple mode, as well as additional features such as advanced trading tools, in-depth chart analysis, and various trading order types.

You can use this mode to start Spot, Margin, and Futures trading on the platform. Kraken Pro takes the opportunity to generate passive income to the next level by offering the Auto Earn feature to automate staking.

How to Start Trading on Kraken?

Kraken is a leading cryptocurrency exchange that offers advanced trading tools to its users. The platform supports 400 digital assets and offers more than 950 trading pairs.

The crypto exchange offers Spot trading, Futures trading with up to 50x leverage, and Margin trading with up to 5x leverage on Kraken Pro. Users can choose from a list of order types and adjust the chart according to their trading strategies.

Before moving on to its trading features, it is important to understand the available order types on the Kraken Exchange.

Order Types on Kraken

The following order types are supported on Kraken:

1. Limit Order 

Traders can use a limit order to buy or sell a digital token at a specific price in the market.

Example: Suppose Bitcoin (BTC) is valued at $75,000. You place a limit order to buy BTC at $73,000. The order will execute once the price of BTC drops to your targeted price.

• Market Order

If you want to buy or sell digital assets at the current market price, you can use this order type.

Example: Suppose Ethereum (ETH) is trading at $3,000. You place a market order to buy ETH, which executes immediately at the current market price.

• Stop Loss Order

You can use this order type to limit potential losses when buying or selling digital assets at a predetermined price level.

Example: You buy Bitcoin (BTC) at $73,000 and set a stop-loss order at $72,000. Once BTC drops to your targeted price, the order will execute automatically.

• Stop Loss Limit Order

Traders can use this order type to maximize profits by combining stop-loss and limit orders.

Example: You buy Ethereum (ETH) at $2,500 and set a stop loss limit order with a stop price of $2,300 and a limit price of $2,290. Once the price drops to $2,300, the order will execute and become a limit sell order at $2,290.

• Take Profit Order

You can use the take profit order to set a predetermined price level to your position to maximize profits.

Example: A trader buys Ethereum (ETH) at $3,000 and sets a take profit order at $3,500. Once the price reaches $3,500, the order will execute automatically to lock in profits.

• Take Profit Limit Order

You can use this order to automatically close a position when a specific target price is achieved.

Example: You buy Bitcoin (BTC) at $75,000 and set a take profit limit order with a limit price of $77,000. The order will execute to lock in profits once the targeted price is reached.

• Iceberg Order

Traders can use the iceberg order to break down a large order into smaller, visible positions, thereby hiding its full size from the market. Only a small portion of the position will show in the order book, and the other portion stays invisible until the order is filled.

Example: You want to sell 100 BTC without revealing the full size of your position. So, you place an iceberg order with a visible portion of 10 BTC. As each 10 BTC portion is sold, another 10 BTC portion becomes visible until the entire 100 BTC is sold.

• Trailing Stop Order

This order type automatically adjusts the stop-loss level of a position once the price moves in the trader’s favor.

Example: You buy Bitcoin (BTC) at $75,000 and set a trailing stop-sell order with a $3,000 trail. If the BTC price reaches $80,000, the stop price adjusts to $78,000. If the price drops to $78,000, a sell order will execute to lock in profits.

• Trailing Stop Limit Order

You can use this order type to protect profits by adjusting the stop price of your position.

Example: You buy Ethereum (ETH) at $3,000 and set a trailing stop limit sell order with a $200 trail and a limit offset of $20. If ETH rises to $3,400, the stop price will be adjusted to $3,200. Once the price falls to $3,200, a limit sell order is triggered at $3,180 to protect profits.

Spot Trading on Kraken

Kraken offers Spot trading in Pro mode, where you can trade more than 400 cryptocurrencies.

To start Spot trading on Kraken, you need to follow the following steps:

1.   Visit the homepage

Go to the Kraken Pro homepage and click on Trade in the menu bar.

2.   Getting familiar with the interface

The trading interface comes with the following features:

• You can select the trading pair in the top left corner of the interface.
• The chart price section reveals important information related to the selected trading pair, such as the current price and trading volume.
• You have an order form on the left side of the trading interface where you can place an order.
• The order book is displayed in the middle, showing the current buying and selling prices of the selected digital token.
• The interface features an advanced trading chart with all the necessary trading tools and indicators that you can utilize according to your trading strategy.
• You can view your position in the position box on the bottom right of the interface.

3.   Selecting a trading pair

To open a position, you need to select a trading pair. You can also search for it in the search bar. For this example, BTC/USDT is selected.

4.   Order form

To buy BTC, navigate to the order form:

• Click on Buy.
• Select the order type, and for this example, a Limit Order is selected.
• Enter the quantity of BTC you want to buy, and you will see the order price in USDT.
• You can also add TP/SL to your order. Enter the Take-Profit and Stop-Loss prices.
• Review the order details and click on Buy BTC.

You can also use advanced TP/SL settings. Select “Advanced” before TP/SL in the order form, and a pop-up window will appear where you need to enter the Take-Profit and Stop-Loss prices. Review the details and click on Confirm.

To sell BTC:

• Click on Sell in the order form.
• Select the order type, for example, a Limit Order.
• Enter the order amount for BTC.
• You can add TP/SL to your position.
• Review the details and click on Sell BTC.

Once your order is placed, you can view it under the positions tab.

Margin Trading on Kraken

Kraken offers Margin trading over 100 pairs with up to 5x leverage. The trading interface is similar to that of Spot trading, and all you need to do is enable the Margin tab in the order form. Once enabled, you can start Margin trading on Kraken.

1.   Select the trading pair

Click on the top left corner of the interface and select a trading pair. For this example, BTC/USDT with 5x leverage is selected.

2.   Open a position in the order form

To place an order:

• Click either Buy or Sell.
• Select the order type, and in this case, a Limit Order is selected.
• Enable the margin mode (if not enabled by default).
• Enter the order amount or use the percentage bar for it.
• You can also add TP/SL to your order, which is optional.
• Review the details and click either Buy BTC or Sell BTC.

Once your order is placed, you can view it under the positions tab.

Futures Trading on Kraken

Kraken offers Futures trading with up to 50x leverage on several trading pairs.

To start Futures trading on the platform:

1.   Visit the homepage

Visit the homepage and click on Trade.

2.   Understanding the interface

• Select a trading pair in the top left corner of the interface.
• You can check the latest market price and change in trading volume of the selected token in the chart price section.
• You can place an order in the order form.
• In the middle, you have the order book with the latest buying and selling prices.
• On the right side of the interface, you have the trading chart with all its excellent tools.
• The positions tab is at the bottom right of the interface, where you can view your orders.

3.   Select the trading pair

Go to the trading pair section and select the trading pair. You can also search for it in the search bar. In this case, the BTC/USDT Perpetual contract is selected.

4.   Open a position

To open a long position:

• Click on Buy in the order form.
• Choose an order type. In this case, a Limit Order is selected.
• Enter the order quantity or use the percentage bar for it.
• You can also add TP/SL to your order, which is optional. You can select between Simple and Advanced TP/SL.
• Review the order details and click Buy BTC Perp.

To open a short position:

• Click on Sell in the order form.
• Select the order type, for example, a Limit Order.
• Enter the order amount or use the percentage bar for it.
• Add TP/SL to your position, which is optional.
• Review the details and click Sell BTC Perp.

5.   View your position

Go to the positions tab to view your position.

6.   Close your position

To close your position, click the cross icon in the positions tab.

A pop-up window will appear where you need to enter the closing amount. Review the details and click on Close BTC Perp to close your position.

How to Stake Crypto on Kraken?

You can stake your idle digital assets or fiat currencies on Kraken Pro and earn staking rewards of up to 21% APR (Annual Percentage Rate). The staking program on the platform is divided into flexible or bonded staking strategies. You can unstake your assets at any time under flexible staking. On the other hand, you are required to lock your assets for a specific time, such as 3 or 30 days, under bonded staking.

To stake cryptocurrencies on Kraken Pro:

1.   Visit the homepage

On the Kraken Pro homepage, click on Earn in the menu bar.

2.   Select the asset

Next, you need to select the asset that you want to stake. Go through all the available assets on the page and check for their estimated APR, un-bounding period, and payouts. Select an asset that aligns with your strategy, such as Bitcoin (BTC). Once you select an asset, click on Allocate.

3.   Enter the amount

A pop-up window will appear where you need to enter the staking amount. Once done, click on Review to stake the asset.

After staking the asset, your rewards will be automatically calculated by the system and sent to your Earn wallet.

How to Make a Withdrawal on Kraken?

Kraken follows a smooth withdrawal procedure through which you can easily withdraw funds.

All you need to do is complete the following steps:

1.   Visit the homepage

Go to the homepage and click on Withdraw.

2.   Select the cryptocurrency

Select the digital asset that you want to withdraw, for example, Tether (USDT). You can also search for the asset in the search bar.

3.   Select the network

Next, select the withdrawal network. Make sure you choose the same network you are using to receive the USDT. For example, if your withdrawal network is Tron, you should select the same network in the wallet where you want to receive the USDT.

4.   Add the withdrawal network

Click on “Add Tether USD (TRC20) Address” to add the withdrawal network.

A pop-up window will appear where you need to add the withdrawal address description and the withdrawal address. Once done, click on “Add withdrawal address” to continue.

5.   Approve the network

The system will send you a link to your email address to confirm the withdrawal address. Remember, the withdrawal approval link will expire in an hour. So, you should confirm it within the given timeframe to confirm your withdrawal address.

6.   Withdraw funds

Once the system confirms the withdrawal address, you will be eligible to make a withdrawal. Just enter the withdrawal amount to withdraw funds.

Trading Fees on Kraken

Kraken uses a transparent and competitive maker-taker fee schedule with no hidden charges. The trading fees on the platform are calculated based on the 30-day trading volume.

For Spot trading, the exchange charges a basic 0.25% maker and 0.40% taker fee. You can check the Spot trading fees according to your trading volume in the following table:

In Futures trading, Kraken charges a maker fee of 0.02% and a taker fee of 0.05%. You can check for more Futures trading fees as per your trading volume in the following table:

For Margin trading fees, you can check Kraken’s fees page.

Are Your Funds Secure on Kraken?

When it comes to safety, Kraken has a world-class security team that has designed its security system to safeguard your funds on the platform. The crypto exchange stores the majority of its users’ funds in cold storage to minimize unauthorized access. Its servers are protected in secure cages, which are monitored 24/7 by advanced alarm systems and armed guards.

Kraken runs a bug bounty program that allows everyone to participate and report any security issues on the platform. The exchange offers Proof of Reserves to ensure all assets are fully backed.

Additionally, the exchange has taken the following security measures:

• 2FA
• SSL Encryption
• PSD signed and encrypted email
• API key permissions
• Global time lock
• Email confirmations for withdrawals
• 24/7 support for urgent concerns

On the other hand, when it comes to licensing and regulations, Kraken strives to meet all legal standards.

The platform holds the following licenses:

• FinCEN in the U.asdvcasvdaS.A.
• FINTRAC in Canada.
• FCA in the UK.
• AUSTRAC in Australia.
• FSA in Japan.

Key Takeaways

Kraken is a reputable cryptocurrency exchange that has been providing services for over a decade. The platform has earned a reputation among crypto users through its transparent and secure ecosystem. It caters to the needs of both beginner and professional traders, making it a reliable choice for everyone.

What makes Kraken unique from its competitors is its two user modes. Simple mode for buying, selling, and staking cryptocurrencies. On the other hand, the Pro mode offers advanced trading features, including Spot, Margin, and Futures trading. Kraken ensures the safety of its users’ funds through robust security measures. The platform has been trusted by millions worldwide thanks to its robust licensing and adherence to regulations. Moreover, its 24/7 customer support is always there to assist crypto users through the complex crypto space.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)