Overview
- Kraken began offering CFTC‑regulated perpetual futures to eligible U.S. clients on Kraken Pro through Bitnomial, a launch first reported on Monday that opened a domestic route to a product long traded offshore.
- The contracts are listed on Bitnomial and cleared through Kraken Derivatives US operating with NinjaTrader Clearing, a setup enabled by Payward’s recent acquisitions of NinjaTrader and Bitnomial that supply exchange, clearing and brokerage licenses.
- At launch the platform lists perp contracts for nine major tokens including Bitcoin and Ether and places those perpetuals in the same futures wallet as Kraken’s CME‑listed futures so traders can manage spot, margin and futures from one account.
- Regulatory access so far rests on CFTC orders and temporary no‑action relief rather than a formal rule, and officials have tied approvals to tighter limits and protections while incumbents such as CME warn about leverage, clearing strain and legal durability.
- If liquidity follows, the move could draw offshore volume back onshore and broaden regulated access for professional U.S. traders, but it also raises near‑term risks for retail losses, 24/7 surveillance needs and potential legal challenges to the policy framework.