Kraken exchange nears $1.5B NinjaTrader acquisition
Kraken alternate is near buying NinjaTrader, a U.S. retail futures buying and selling platform, in a record-breaking $1.5 billion deal.
Based on a report by The Wall Avenue Journal, which cited sources conversant in the matter, an official announcement is predicted as early as Thursday, Mar. 20.
By way of the acquisition, Kraken will be capable of leverage NinjaTrader’s Futures Fee Service provider license to extend the vary of cryptocurrency futures and derivatives merchandise it presents in the USA.
NinjaTrader, which was established in 2003, serves greater than 1.8 million retail buyers. The deal would give Kraken entry to this consumer base whereas additionally supporting NinjaTrader’s growth into the UK, Europe, and Australia.
Kraken’s regulatory approvals, together with its Digital Cash Establishment license from the UK’s Monetary Conduct Authority and its MiFID license for the EU, might ease this course of.
Kraken’s robust monetary place backs the deal. The alternate reported $1.5 billion in income for 2024, greater than doubling its earnings from the earlier 12 months, based on its monetary report launched on Jan. 31. As per the report, the corporate holds $42.8 billion in property and operates 2.5 million funded accounts. It additionally registered a complete commerce quantity of $665 billion for 2024.
The timing of this acquisition aligns with Kraken’s latest authorized victory. On Mar. 3, the alternate introduced that the U.S. Securities and Alternate Fee had agreed to dismiss its lawsuit towards it with no penalties or admission of wrongdoing. This authorized end result removes a significant regulatory problem as Kraken strikes ahead with its growth
In the meantime, Kraken continues to realize business recognition. Based on a Mar. 19 publish on its official weblog, Kraken ranked third in Kaiko’s Q1 2025 alternate rankings, up from seventh final 12 months. This is because of enhancements in governance, safety, and liquidity. It additionally stays the tenth largest alternate by buying and selling quantity, as per CoinMarketCap knowledge.
