Kraken debuts U.S. perpetual futures as crypto derivatives move onshore

Markets Kraken debuts U.S. perpetual futures as crypto derivatives move onshore Perpetual futures generated more than $60 trillion in volume last year, according to the crypto exchange, largely outside the U.S. By Helene Braun , AI Boost | Edited by Sheldon Reback Jun 15, 2026, 2:07 p.m. 2 min read Make preferred on Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email Make preferred on Payward and Kraken co-CEO Arjun Sethi. (CoinDesk) Summary Show Kraken began offering CFTC-regulated perpetual futures to U.S. customers through Kraken Pro, bringing a key crypto derivatives product into the world's largest economy. The move follows recent guidance that cleared the way for regulated platforms to list perps and follows Kraken's purchase of Bitnomial and other futures infrastructure. Kraken’s perpetual futures initially cover major cryptocurrencies including bitcoin, ether and solana, with plans to expand the range of contracts and collateral options over time. Kraken began offering regulated perpetual futures to U.S. customers, marking a significant step in bringing one of crypto's most popular trading products into the country after years of activity concentrated on offshore venues. The contracts are available through Kraken Pro and are listed on Bitnomial, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)-regulated exchange acquired earlier this year by Kraken's parent company, Payward. Traders can access the products alongside spot trading, margin trading and CME-listed crypto futures through a single interface, the company said in a blog post Monday. Perpetual futures, often called "perps," allow traders to take long or short positions on assets such as bitcoin BTC $ 66,360.36 without owning them and without a contract expiration date. Unlike traditional futures, positions can remain open indefinitely as long as margin requirements are met. The products have become the dominant form of crypto derivatives trading globally. According to Kraken, annual perpetual futures volume surpassed $60 trillion in 2025. Much of the activity has occurred on offshore exchanges, including fast-growing platforms such as Hyperliquid, which has attracted professional traders seeking deep liquidity and continuous access to leveraged markets. Prediction market Kalshi, which introduced perps on its platform earlier this month, saw over $1 billion in trading volume within just one week. The debut comes weeks after the CFTC signaled that regulated platforms could offer perpetual futures . In May, the agency approved Kalshi's bitcoin perpetual contracts and issued guidance that also cleared a path for Coinbase (COIN) to connect U.S. customers to global options and perpetual markets. Kraken has been building toward the introduction through a series of derivatives-focused acquisitions and product releases. The company acquired NinjaTrader in May 2025 and Bitnomial a year later to gain regulated futures infrastructure. It recently added CME-listed crypto futures and margin trading for U.S. customers. Kraken's head of derivatives John Palmer told CoinDesk last week that adoption may mirror the trajectory of spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), with sophisticated traders entering first before investment advisers and asset managers follow after completing internal reviews. At launch, Kraken's perpetual futures cover major cryptocurrencies including BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP, ADA, LINK, DOGE, LTC and AVAX. The company said it plans to expand the range of contracts and collateral options over time. Kraken AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards . For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy . Related Assets Bitcoin $ 66,360.36 3.79 % Latest Crypto News 1 Coinbase's Brian Armstrong says bitcoin may have bottomed at $60,000 37 minutes ago 2 XRP rockets 8% above $1.20 in first major breakout since June selloff 41 minutes ago 3 CoinDesk 20 performance update: Bittensor (TAO) surges 31.9%, leading index higher 48 minutes ago 4 Bitmine adds another $136 million of ether after raising $274 million in preferred stock sale 1 hour ago 5 Michael Saylor's Strategy acquires another 1,587 bitcoin for $100 million 2 hours ago 6 Markets cheer U.S.-Iran Breakthrough though Middle East risks, Fed remain in focus 2 hours ago 7 U.S.-Iran deal lifts equities, sends oil lower, while crypto stays wary 2 hours ago 8 Middle East ceasefire, Fed interest-rate decision: Crypto Week Ahead 3 hours ago 9 Trump-linked stablecoin used for bonus payouts at White House UFC contest 5 hours ago 10 Ark Invest bought more than $500 million worth of SpaceX shares on IPO day 6 hours ago Latest Research CEX Volumes Drop to Lowest Since September 2024 as RWA Perps Hit Record High CEX Volumes Drop to Lowest Since September 2024 as RWA Perps Hit Record High In May, combined exchange volumes fell 3.45% to $4.41T; the lowest since September 2024. RWA perpetual futures volumes rose 10.4% against the trend, hitting a new all-time high. By CoinDesk Research 2 hours ago In May, combined exchange volumes fell 3.45% to $4.41T; the lowest since September 2024. RWA perpetual futures volumes rose 10.4% against the trend, hitting a new all-time high. Why it matters : In May, combined exchange volumes fell 3.45% to $4.41T; the lowest since September 2024. RWA perpetual futures volumes rose 10.4% against the trend, hitting a new all-time high. View Full Report More From Markets Coinbase's Brian Armstrong says bitcoin may have bottomed at $60,000 XRP rockets 8% above $1.20 in first major breakout since June selloff Michael Saylor's Strategy acquires another 1,587 bitcoin for $100 million More From Bitcoin Coinbase's Brian Armstrong says bitcoin may have bottomed at $60,000 XRP rockets 8% above $1.20 in first major breakout since June selloff CoinDesk 20 performance update: Bittensor (TAO) surges 31.9%, leading index higher