- Kraken is set to acquire NinjaTrader for $1.5 billion, expanding its presence in the U.S. futures market.
- The acquisition will help Kraken leverage NinjaTrader’s licenses and user base while supporting its global expansion.
- Kraken’s strong financial position and recent legal win against the SEC strengthen its growth strategy.
Kraken is on the verge of taking over NinjaTrader, an America-based futures trading platform, for $1.5 billion. This is to be one of the crypto world’s largest purchases. On March 20, an official release is planned, sources stated.
Expansion of Futures Trading
The takeover will enable it to make use of NinjaTrader’s Futures Commission Merchant license, making it possible to diversify its U.S.-based cryptocurrency futures and derivatives operations.
NinjaTrader, established in 2003, has more than 1.8 million retail clients. Acquiring it, apart from acquiring the user base, will also enable it to extend support to NinjaTrader for further growth in the UK, Europe, and Australia.
Kraken has already secured major regulatory approvals, including an Electronic Money Institution license in the UK and a MiFID license in the EU. These may make overseas expansion simpler.
Strong Financial Standing
Kraken’s healthy financial situation validates this action. In 2024, the exchange had $1.5 billion in revenue, more than double the revenue from the year before. It has $42.8 billion in assets and has 2.5 million funded accounts. The 2024 trading volume totaled $665 billion, showing Kraken’s increasing market share.
The acquisition follows closely on the heels of Kraken’s victory in court over the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). On March 3, the exchange reported that the SEC had consented to dismiss its suit against it with no fines or admission of guilt. This eliminates a significant legal obstacle for the company as it continues to grow.
It’s image within the crypto community has also strengthened. In a March 19 blog post, the exchange advanced to the 3rd place on Kaiko’s Q1 2025 exchange rankings on account of enhanced governance, security, and liquidity. It also still holds the position of being the 10th largest trading volume exchange based on CoinMarketCap data.
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