Kraken Unleashes Commission-Free Stock Trading, Shakes Up the Market!

From Crypto to Stocks: Kraken's Bold New Move

Kraken, the crypto powerhouse, just dropped a bombshell: they're diving into commission-free trading for over 11,000 stocks and ETFs in the US. Yep, you heard that right. This isn't just a small step—it's a giant leap beyond their crypto roots.

The rollout has kicked off in select states like New Jersey, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Idaho, Connecticut, and DC. But don't worry, Kraken's got plans to spread this goodness across the entire US, one state at a time.

Arjun Sethi, Kraken's co-CEO, didn't hold back: "Crypto isn't just evolving, it's becoming the backbone for trading across asset classes—equities, commodities, currencies, you name it. As demand for 24/7 global access grows, clients want a seamless, all-in-one trading experience. Expanding into equities is a natural step for us, paving the way for the tokenization of assets. The future of trading is borderless, always on, and built on crypto rails—and Kraken will continue to lead this shift."

This isn't just an expansion; it's a full-on assault on the trading world. Kraken's now going head-to-head with the likes of Robinhood, offering clients the chance to buy stocks with US dollars, all from their Kraken account.

Through Kraken Securities, their FINRA-regulated arm, users can now grab stocks, crypto, and ETFs listed on the NYSE and NASDAQ. And hold onto your hats—the US rollout is just the beginning. Kraken's eyeing the UK, Europe, and Australia next.

Since its 2011 launch, Kraken has been a top dog in the crypto world, letting users trade Bitcoin and over 300 digital assets. They've got your major currencies covered too—British pound, euro, Canadian dollar, Swiss franc, you name it.

And if that's not enough, Kraken just snagged NinjaTrader for a cool $1.5 billion and is reportedly lining up $1 billion in debt, all ahead of a much-anticipated IPO.