Kraken US Restrictions: What You Can and Can't Do on Kraken in the US
When you sign up for Kraken US, the U.S.-regulated version of the Kraken cryptocurrency exchange that operates under strict financial compliance rules. Also known as Kraken for U.S. users, it is a separate entity from Kraken Global, with fewer assets, higher fees, and locked features. If you're in the U.S., you're not getting the full Kraken experience—you're getting a stripped-down version built to meet state and federal rules.
This isn't just about missing a few coins. US crypto regulations, a patchwork of state and federal laws that require exchanges to track users, report transactions, and avoid certain high-risk assets. Also known as FinCEN compliance, these rules force platforms like Kraken to cut ties with tokens that lack clear legal standing. That’s why you won’t find staking for ADA, ETH, or DOT on Kraken US. That’s why you can’t trade some DeFi tokens at all. And that’s why your deposit limits are lower than what users outside the U.S. get. The SEC, FinCEN, and state money transmitters all have a say—and Kraken has to follow.
Kraken compliance, the internal system Kraken uses to follow U.S. laws, including KYC checks, transaction monitoring, and asset delistings. Also known as AML/KYC protocol, it’s why your ID gets reviewed, why your wallet address might get flagged, and why some trades get paused. You might think it’s just red tape, but it’s the reason Kraken US hasn’t been shut down. Other exchanges didn’t adapt fast enough—and vanished. Kraken US stays open because it plays by the rules, even when it hurts.
What’s Actually Blocked on Kraken US?
You can’t trade SOL, AVAX, or NEAR on Kraken US? That’s not a glitch. It’s policy. These tokens were deemed too risky under U.S. securities law interpretations. Same with many newer DeFi coins and meme tokens. Kraken US only lists what regulators have explicitly okayed—or at least haven’t shut down yet. Even Bitcoin and Ethereum have limits: you can’t stake them, you can’t use margin trading, and you can’t access advanced order types like stop-limit or trailing stops. The global version lets you do all that. The U.S. version? Not even close.
And don’t expect to move crypto between Kraken US and Kraken Global. The two platforms are legally separated. You can’t send ETH from your global account to your U.S. account. You can’t use your U.S. bank to fund your global account. It’s not a technical issue—it’s a legal firewall. If you want full access, you’d need to move outside the U.S. or use another exchange that doesn’t care about compliance.
What’s left? Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and a handful of stablecoins. That’s it. You can buy, sell, and hold. You can’t earn interest. You can’t use futures. You can’t use Kraken’s NFT marketplace. And if you try to use a VPN to access the global site? Your account gets frozen. Kraken US monitors IP addresses, device fingerprints, and login patterns. They know if you’re trying to bypass the rules.
So why use Kraken US at all? Because it’s still one of the most secure, regulated, and transparent exchanges available in the U.S. It holds reserves. It publishes proof of reserves. It’s been around since 2011. It doesn’t vanish overnight. For users who want safety over speed, Kraken US is the best of the bad options.
Below, you’ll find real cases of what happens when users hit these walls—whether it’s a token that vanished from Kraken US overnight, a user locked out after using a VPN, or someone who thought they could bypass the limits. These aren’t hypotheticals. They’re real stories from people who learned the hard way.
