Kraken Launches USD-Settled Bitcoin and Ether Options

Kraken launched European-style, USD-settled options on bitcoin and ether through Kraken Pro on July 17 — part of the multi-asset platform strategy the exchange has been building since its $1.5 billion acquisition of futures platform NinjaTrader in 2025, according to Kraken's blog.

• Contracts are linear and dollar-settled, with weekly, monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual expiries available at launch, accessed via request-for-quote (RFQ).
• Options sit in the same account as spot and futures, with portfolio margin enabled by default and collateral accepted in more than 30 currencies.
• Access is currently limited to professional and institutional clients; a broader European rollout is expected in the second half of 2026, pending regulatory approval.

The gap in crypto options isn't demand, it's design.

Kraken isn't the only venue betting on options as a way to pull in new traders this year: earlier in July, Latin America's largest exchange, B3, launched a similar product.

This piece is informational, not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any asset.