Is Kraken available in the United States?

Available, with state exceptions

Kraken is a United States based exchange and is available to residents in most states. As of June 2026 it states that it does not serve residents of New York, Washington State, or Maine. Kraken is registered as a Money Services Business with FinCEN and holds state money transmitter licences. Supported products vary by state.

      As of: June 2026
      Last reviewed: 6 June 2026
    

Information, not advice. This is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Verify the current rules with a qualified local professional and the official regulator before acting.

How we checked this. We set this status by reading the platform's own terms of use and country eligibility, and the public register kept by the named regulator, then dated the result. Availability can change, so confirm directly with the platform and the regulator before acting. As of 26 June 2026.

Quick answer

Mostly yes. As of June 2026 Kraken is available to United States residents in most states, but it states that it does not serve residents of New York, Washington State, or Maine. Kraken is operated by Payward, Inc., is registered as a Money Services Business with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and holds state money transmitter licences. Because the list of supported states can change, confirm your state is supported before you sign up.

Overview

What Kraken is

Kraken is a cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2011 and operated in the United States by Payward, Inc. It is one of the longer running platforms serving United States customers and offers spot trading and a range of additional products that vary by eligibility and by state.

The platform is custodial, which means Kraken holds the assets in your account on your behalf rather than handing you the private keys. Customers who prefer to control their own keys can use a separate self custody wallet.

As of June 2026 Kraken is available to United States residents in most states. It states that it does not serve residents of New York, Washington State, or Maine, and individual products can be limited in other states. Confirm the current position on the Kraken website before you act.

The rules in detail

Regulatory position and registrations

Federal registration. Payward, Inc. is registered as a Money Services Business with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the federal bureau that administers anti money laundering rules for money services businesses (as of June 2026).
State money transmitter licences. Kraken holds money transmitter licences across a large number of United States states, which is the state level authorisation that lets a platform transmit value for residents (as of June 2026). The exact list is maintained by Kraken and the state regulators.
States not served. As of June 2026 Kraken states that it does not offer service to residents of New York, Washington State, or Maine. The set of excluded states can change, so check the current list before signing up.
Wyoming bank charter. Kraken Bank received a Special Purpose Depository Institution charter from the Wyoming Division of Banking, a state level banking charter, which is separate from the exchange service (as of June 2026).
Federal oversight context. The broader federal treatment of crypto assets continues to involve the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the framework is still developing. Confirm current rules (as of June 2026).

How to act legally

How residents access Kraken

To open an account, eligible United States residents complete identity verification under Know Your Customer rules, which typically means providing a government issued identity document and personal details. This verification is a standard regulatory requirement and cannot usually be skipped.

Kraken supports United States dollar funding through methods that commonly include bank transfer and wire, with availability depending on your bank and state. Once funded, customers can buy, sell, and hold a range of crypto assets. Available products depend on eligibility and on your state of residence.

How crypto is taxed is a separate question handled by the Internal Revenue Service. See the United States crypto tax page for a general explanation. This is general information and not tax advice, so verify your position with a qualified professional before filing.

Sourcing

Regulator and sources

The relevant regulators are the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network at the federal level, the state money transmitter regulators, and the Wyoming Division of Banking in relation to the Kraken Bank charter.

Kraken, public information on where it is licensed and which states it serves.
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), Money Services Business registration.
Wyoming Division of Banking, Special Purpose Depository Institution charter.
United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS), guidance on the taxation of digital assets.

Compare available exchanges

Kraken is available to United States residents as of June 2026, though supported products can vary by state. It is one of several platforms available in the United States, so compare the exchanges that genuinely serve your state before you choose.

Every availability status here is dated and checked against the named regulator's public register. We never place a link to a platform where it is not available.

Best exchanges in the United States→Browse all exchanges→United States crypto rules→

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is Kraken legal in the United States?

Yes, in most states. As of June 2026 Kraken is available to United States residents in most states and operates as a registered Money Services Business with FinCEN, with state money transmitter licences. It states that it does not serve residents of New York, Washington State, or Maine.

Can I use Kraken in New York?

As of June 2026 Kraken states that it does not offer service to residents of New York. The list of states it serves can change, so confirm the current position on the Kraken website before acting.

Does Kraken hold my crypto for me?

Yes. Kraken is a custodial platform, so it holds the assets in your account on your behalf. If you prefer to control your own private keys you would need a separate self custody wallet. This is general information, not advice.

How is crypto from Kraken taxed in the United States?

Crypto is generally treated as property by the Internal Revenue Service, so disposals can create taxable events. The details depend on your circumstances. See the United States crypto tax page and verify with a qualified professional. This is not tax advice.

Which states does Kraken not serve?

As of June 2026 Kraken states that it does not serve residents of New York, Washington State, or Maine, and some products can be limited elsewhere. Confirm the current list with Kraken before signing up.

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Rules change frequently. Exchange availability, supported states, registrations, and the rules that govern them can change at short notice. The position on this page is dated June 2026 and was last reviewed on 6 June 2026. Confirm the current status with the named regulators and the platform before you act.

Keep reading

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Written and reviewed by the wherelegalcrypto editorial team, Morten Andersen and Fredrik Filipsson. Each status is checked against the named regulator and dated. See our editorial standards.