The Kraken exchange is nearing a significant acquisition of NinjaTrader, a platform for U.S. retail futures trading, in a landmark deal valued at $1.5 billion.
A report indicates that an official announcement may be made as soon as Thursday, March 20, with details sourced from individuals knowledgeable about the transaction.
This acquisition will allow Kraken to take advantage of NinjaTrader’s Futures Commission Merchant license, expanding its offerings of cryptocurrency futures and derivatives products within the U.S. market.
NinjaTrader, founded in 2003, caters to over 1.8 million retail traders. This agreement would provide Kraken access to NinjaTrader’s user base and support the latter’s growth into the UK, Europe, and Australia.
With Kraken’s existing regulatory licenses, including the Electronic Money Institution license granted by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority and its MiFID authorization for the EU, the acquisition process could be streamlined.
Kraken’s robust financial position underpins this deal. The exchange reported revenues of $1.5 billion for 2024, more than doubling its earnings from the previous year, according to its financial disclosure released on January 31. The company manages $42.8 billion in assets and supports 2.5 million funded accounts, with a total trading volume of $665 billion reported for 2024.
The timing of this acquisition follows Kraken’s recent legal success. On March 3, it was disclosed that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission agreed to dismiss a lawsuit against the exchange without penalties or admissions of fault. This resolution alleviates a significant regulatory hurdle as Kraken focuses on expanding its operations.
In addition, Kraken is earning accolades within the industry. Recent reports affirm that Kraken ranked 3rd in Kaiko’s Q1 2025 exchange rankings, improving from 7th place the prior year due to better governance, security, and liquidity. It also maintains its position as the 10th largest exchange by trading volume, according to CoinMarketCap data.