Finance18 August, 20262 min read
Kraken Launches Trading in More Than 7,000 U.S.-Listed Stocks Across the EEA
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Kraken now offers access to over 7,000 US-listed stocks for eligible EEA customers. Traditional US shares can be traded alongside 700+ xStocks and crypto in one account.
8 outlets told this the same way.
Kraken expands US equities
Kraken has launched trading in more than 7,000 U.S.-listed stocks for eligible customers across the European Economic Area (EEA), adding traditional equities to its existing cryptocurrency and tokenised stock offerings. The service is available through Kraken Pro on desktop and mobile, as well as the Kraken mobile app, and it is provided by Payward Europe Digital Solutions, Kraken’s European entity authorised as a MiFID investment firm. Kraken said eligible EEA customers can trade U.S.-listed stocks commission-free, although spreads, foreign exchange costs and other fees may apply.
xStocks, which are tokenised versions of U.S.-listed equities backed 1:1 by underlying shares, are offered alongside more than 600 crypto assets and over 700 xStocks within the same account. Kraken said the products have generated more than US$39 billion in total transaction volume since launch, and it plans to expand the combined equities service into additional markets in the coming months.
One asset, two formats
Mark Greenberg, chief commercial officer of Payward and head of Payward Services, said the launch "eliminates the artificial divide between traditional and tokenized formats of the same asset." Greenberg added that with U.S.-listed stocks and xStocks "available side-by-side in a single regulated account," customers can choose how they access the same underlying exposure without moving capital or changing platforms. The service setup allows customers to hold conventional shares and tokenized representations of the same assets within a single platform, with trading available on Kraken Pro desktop and mobile and the Kraken mobile app.
Kraken said xStocks can be transferred to self-custody wallets, used in onchain applications, and traded during hours when public markets are closed. Kraken described the model as "one asset class, multiple formats, fully integrated," while also saying it plans to extend its integrated equities offering to additional markets in the coming months.
Volume, rollout, and conditions
Kraken said xStocks have generated more than $38 billion in total transaction volume since launch, and the service is provided by Payward Europe Digital Solutions Limited, a Cyprus-based entity authorised by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission as a MiFID investment firm.
Trading in US equities is commission-free for eligible EEA customers, though spreads and foreign exchange costs may apply, and the service is offered under MiFID II authorisation.
The rollout is described as expanding beyond the United States, with the Block reporting on Aug. 18 that the service became available across the EEA after Kraken began introducing stock trading to customers in Germany, the Netherlands and France.
Kraken said eligibility would not be automatic for every existing customer, because users must accept additional terms and conditions before the equities feature becomes available.
Kraken also said xStocks are tokenised US equities backed 1:1 by underlying shares and are transferable to self-custody wallets, while being tradable when public markets are closed.