Kraken expands into US securities via Alpaca partnership

This move is being facilitated through a partnership with Alpaca, a brokerage platform that provides API-based access to stocks and ETFs and operates as a self-clearing broker-dealer.

Alpaca’s infrastructure enables partners to offer equities trading, including notional and fractional shares, with low latency execution and no commission fees. Through this integration, Kraken users in the US can now trade a wide range of stocks and exchange-traded funds alongside digital assets.

Platform expansion follows recent acquisition 

The launch adds to Kraken’s efforts to provide access to a larger set of asset classes. The platform, which already supports more than 300 digital assets and six fiat currencies, now also enables trading in over 11,000 US-listed stocks and ETFs. This development follows Kraken’s earlier acquisition of futures trading platform NinjaTrader, suggesting an ongoing strategy to broaden its multi-asset capabilities.

Officials from Kraken described the move as part of a long-term effort to bring digital and traditional finance closer together. They noted that integrating equities into the existing platform aims to offer clients a streamlined trading experience without sacrificing security or trust.

Representatives from Alpaca expressed support for the collaboration, describing it as an example of how modern brokerages can facilitate access to multiple asset classes through a single platform. Looking ahead, Kraken plans to evaluate the possibility of adding other traditional financial products, such as options, and explore the feasibility of offering them internationally.

In April 2025, Kraken worked with Mastercard to roll out cryptocurrency-enabled payment capabilities for users in the United Kingdom and Europe. The integration relied on Mastercard’s payment infrastructure to support both digital and physical debit cards, linking users’ crypto holdings to retail spending. Kraken users in the region gained the ability to register on a wait list for access to the forthcoming crypto-linked debit card.