Kraken’s Potential $1.5 Billion Acquisition of NinjaTrader May Expand Futures Trading Opportunities

• Kraken is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire NinjaTrader for $1.5 billion, aiming to expand into futures trading.

• The deal would enable Kraken to offer crypto futures and derivatives in the US via NinjaTrader’s Futures Commission Merchant status.

• NinjaTrader will continue operating independently within Kraken’s portfolio, while Kraken aids its global expansion into markets like the UK and Australia.

Kraken’s potential $1.5 billion acquisition of NinjaTrader highlights its aim to enter the futures trading market and broaden its asset offerings.

Is Kraken About to Make a $1.5 Billion Move into Futures Trading?

Neither Kraken nor NinjaTrader has officially confirmed the negotiations. However, sources close to the situation told The Wall Street Journal that the deal could be finalized as early as March 20.

“A deal would allow Kraken to offer crypto futures and derivatives in the US thanks to NinjaTrader’s registration as a so-called Futures Commission Merchant,” WSJ reported.

US-based NinjaTrader would reportedly continue to operate as an independent platform within Kraken’s broader portfolio of trading and payment solutions. Kraken is also expected to play a key role in accelerating NinjaTrader’s expansion into new international markets, including the UK, continental Europe, and Australia. As per WSJ’s report,

“The deal would help Kraken build on the company’s goals to work across several asset classes, including plans for equities trading and payments.”

For context, NinjaTrader is an advanced futures trading platform. It allows users to trade various financial instruments, including index futures, commodity futures, and cryptocurrency futures.

The platform is renowned for its trading simulation feature, sophisticated charting tools, real-time analytics, and customizable trading interfaces. These features have earned it a user base of 1.9 million customers. Financial data from Growjo revealed that NinjaTrader Group generates annual revenue of approximately $55.3 million.

Meanwhile, Kraken has long been a prominent player in the crypto exchange arena. The exchange recently reported a revenue of $1.5 billion and adjusted earnings of $380 million for 2024.

Additionally, Kraken has also climbed to third place in Kaiko’s Q1 2025 exchange rankings. This marked a notable improvement from seventh place the previous year. This rise reflects Kraken’s growing dominance among the 44 largest centralized cryptocurrency exchanges.

As part of its efforts to enhance offerings and solidify its market position, Kraken also introduced a new colocation service on March 17. Designed to provide clients with ultra-fast execution, the service aims to boost trading performance and scalability while ensuring fair and transparent access to global crypto markets.

Furthermore, Kraken is reportedly seeking to go public as early as the first quarter of next year. This development follows the US SEC dropping its lawsuit against the exchange, clearing a major regulatory hurdle.

Conclusion

In summary, the potential acquisition of NinjaTrader by Kraken marks a significant step in the exchange’s strategy to diversify its offerings and expand into futures trading. As Kraken continues to enhance its market position, this move could reshape the competitive landscape of cryptocurrency exchanges. Investors and stakeholders should remain attentive to the finalization of this deal and its implications for the broader financial market.