Kraken, a cryptocurrency exchange based in San Francisco, has recently introduced U.S. equities trading on its mobile and web platforms.
This new feature allows U.S. customers to manage their crypto, stocks, and Wall Street funds all from one account, similar to what brokerages like Robinhood offer.
This expansion is made possible through a partnership with Alpaca, a licensed broker-dealer. Customers can now trade over 11,000 stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) without paying any commissions. A significant part of these new offerings includes fractional investments, which means that buyers can purchase less than a full share of a stock.
Initially, this program will be available only in select U.S. states, but Kraken plans to expand it nationwide in phases. The company is also looking to enter markets in the UK, Europe, and Australia in the future.
The idea of bringing stocks onto the blockchain has been a goal for the industry for a long time. However, most discussions have focused on tokenizing investment products rather than providing direct access to them.
Kraken’s co-CEO, who joined the company in October, stated that this move is a step toward achieving that goal. He emphasized that expanding into equities is a natural progression for Kraken and will help pave the way for the tokenization of various assets. He noted that crypto is evolving and becoming a crucial part of trading across different asset classes, including stocks, commodities, and currencies.
