Kraken FAQ: 69+ Answers on Spot, Futures & API Automation

Yes. PickMyTrade converts TradingView webhook alerts into signed Kraken REST API calls, so strategies and indicators that fire alerts can place spot or Kraken Futures orders without you writing code. You connect a Kraken API key (with the trade permission enabled) inside PickMyTrade, paste the webhook URL into your TradingView alert, and the alert payload is translated into an AddOrder request.

Yes, but they are separate products with separate API endpoints. Spot orders use api.kraken.com (ex. BTC/USD), while Kraken Futures uses futures.kraken.com (ex. PF_XBTUSD perpetuals). In PickMyTrade you select which venue each alert targets because symbol formats, leverage, and margin behavior differ between the two.

Kraken requires every private API call to include a strictly increasing nonce (usually a millisecond timestamp). If you run two bots on the same API key, or your clock drifts, you can get 'EAPI:Invalid nonce'. PickMyTrade manages nonces per key and recommends a dedicated API key for automation so a manual script or second tool does not race your alerts.

Enable 'Query Funds', 'Query Open Orders & Trades', and 'Create & Modify Orders'. Do NOT enable 'Withdraw Funds' - PickMyTrade never needs withdrawal rights, and leaving that off means a leaked key cannot drain your account. For futures, the equivalent checkboxes are under Kraken Futures > Settings > API Keys.

Kraken often uses 'XBT' for Bitcoin instead of 'BTC', and pairs look like XBTUSD, ETHUSD, or XETHZUSD in older responses. Futures perpetuals are formatted like PF_XBTUSD and fixed-maturity contracts like FI_XBTUSD_240927. PickMyTrade normalizes the TradingView symbol to Kraken's format automatically.

You can, but be mindful of Kraken's REST rate limits (tier-based counter that decays over time) and the typical 150-300 ms round-trip to api.kraken.com. For sub-second strategies, Kraken's WebSocket v2 API (used for fills and private order updates) is more appropriate, and Kraken Futures has better latency than spot.

Yes. Kraken offers WebSocket v2 for public market data (ticker, book, OHLC, trades) and a private channel for own-trades and open-orders via a token fetched with GetWebSocketsToken. It is useful for reactive bots that need to see fills within tens of milliseconds rather than polling REST.

Kraken returns a transaction ID (txid) for every order, and fills stream in on the private WebSocket channel 'ownTrades' or appear under QueryOrders. For TradingView-driven automation you usually want Immediate-or-Cancel or Fill-or-Kill flags so a partial fill does not leave a dangling resting order after the next alert fires.

Spot supports market, limit, stop-loss, take-profit, stop-loss-limit, take-profit-limit, trailing-stop, trailing-stop-limit, settle-position, and iceberg on some pairs. Kraken Futures supports limit, market, stop, take-profit, post-only, IOC, and reduce-only. Post-only and reduce-only are especially important for hedged automated strategies.

Yes. Spot REST uses a per-user counter that starts at 15 or 20 depending on verification tier and decays by roughly 0.33-1 per second. Hitting the limit returns 'EAPI:Rate limit exceeded' and a temporary lockout. PickMyTrade throttles and batches calls to stay well inside those limits.

Yes. On spot, pass the 'leverage' parameter (e.g. 3, 5) in AddOrder for eligible pairs - this opens a margin position instead of a fully funded spot trade. On Kraken Futures leverage is a contract property (up to 50x on some perps). Margin availability depends on your jurisdiction; US users have restricted access after the CFTC 2021 settlement.

PickMyTrade queries the Balance and OpenPositions endpoints on each alert to read free margin, then converts a percentage alert (e.g. '25% of equity') into the correct contract or base-currency quantity. This means API keys must include 'Query Funds' permission or the sizing calculation will fail.

Kraken Futures offers a demo environment at demo-futures.kraken.com with synthetic balances and identical API surface, which is ideal for testing automation before going live. Kraken spot does not currently offer an official testnet, so you typically test with very small order sizes on the live endpoint.

Yes, when you enable the 'reverse on opposite signal' setting. On a long-to-short flip, PickMyTrade sends a market close of the existing spot/margin/futures position and then opens the new side, rather than requiring two separate TradingView alerts. On Kraken Futures, reduce-only flags are used for the closing leg.

Either you do not have the base/quote currency, or a held balance (pending withdrawal, open order, unsettled margin) is blocking it. Check Balance vs TradeBalance - the difference is usually held funds. If you are running margin on spot, also check that the pair is enabled for margin in your region.

Yes. When creating an API key you can restrict it to specific IPs. For PickMyTrade you would allowlist the PickMyTrade dispatcher IPs listed in your account dashboard. This is strongly recommended in addition to disabling the Withdraw permission.

Yes, two ways. Use TradingView to fire a time-based alert (e.g. daily at 09:00) into PickMyTrade, or use Kraken's native recurring-buy feature inside the app. The API approach gives you conditional DCA (e.g. buy only if price is below the 200-day MA), which the native feature does not support.

Nothing on Kraken's side - resting limit orders stay live because they are stored by Kraken, not PickMyTrade. PickMyTrade will log the delivery failure and (if configured) retry. For safety, most automated strategies on Kraken use stop-loss orders attached server-side via conditional close so protection survives any webhook outage.

Kraken Futures uses a single net position per contract (one-way equivalent) - you cannot hold simultaneous long and short on the same perp. To run a hedge, you must trade two different instruments (e.g. spot long + futures short). Automation should assume net-position behavior when computing size.

Yes. TradingView has native Kraken price feeds for most major pairs, so a Pine strategy's backtest uses Kraken candles directly. After backtesting, the same strategy's alertcondition() fires into PickMyTrade live. Be aware that TradingView's historical resolution may not match Kraken's tick data exactly.

At least one per bot or per strategy, and separate keys for spot vs futures. This isolates failures (a nonce conflict on one does not block the others) and makes revocation safe if a machine is compromised. Kraken allows multiple keys per account with individual permission sets.

Yes. When a TradingView alert opens a position, PickMyTrade can attach a conditional close (stop-loss or take-profit in the same AddOrder call) so the exit lives on Kraken's matching engine. This is more robust than relying on a second alert because the stop is enforced server-side even if your charting client disconnects.

Kraken uses Starter, Express, Intermediate, and Pro. Starter unlocks crypto deposits and trading with only name/DOB/address; Express and Intermediate add fiat rails and higher limits with ID + proof of address; Pro adds the highest limits and is primarily for businesses or very high-volume traders. Margin, futures, and some fiat funding methods require Intermediate or above.

Kraken serves 190+ countries but services vary by region. The full product set (margin, futures, staking) is not available in every jurisdiction - notably US users lost on-chain staking for new deposits after the SEC settlement in Feb 2023, and some US states (e.g. New York, Washington) have restrictions. Always check the Kraken Geographic Restrictions page before signing up.

Kraken operates in NY for most services but does not hold a NY BitLicense, so its availability in the state has historically been limited compared to Coinbase or Gemini. Some features like staking and margin have been unavailable to NY residents at various points. Check Kraken's state-by-state availability page for the current list.

Kraken offers Master Accounts (business-tier feature) that let you create up to 10+ sub-accounts with segregated balances and permissions - useful for fund managers, prop teams, or separating bot books. Retail users do not get sub-accounts by default; each personal account is standalone.

Intermediate verification is usually automated within minutes to a few hours, but during market spikes it can take 1-5 business days. If documents get stuck, the single most common fix reported in r/krakensupport is re-uploading a clearer photo of the same ID with all corners visible.

Yes - Kraken supports business accounts under the Pro tier with extra documentation (EIN/company registration, beneficial owner IDs, proof of business address). Business accounts unlock Master/Sub-account features and higher fiat limits but require additional AML review.

Kraken Pro uses a 30-day volume tier: new users start at 0.25% maker / 0.40% taker, and fees fall as low as 0% maker / 0.10% taker above roughly $10M volume. Stablecoin and FX pairs have their own lower schedule. The 'Instant Buy' interface (the simple app) charges a noticeably higher spread plus a convenience fee and should be avoided for any active trading.

The simple buy/sell screen quotes a built-in spread on top of a flat 1.5% (or 0.9% for stablecoins) convenience fee - you pay both. Using Kraken Pro (same account, same app - just switch the UI) gives you the maker/taker schedule, which is typically 10-20x cheaper on even a small trade.

Kraken Futures uses a separate volume-tier schedule starting at 0.02% maker / 0.05% taker on perpetuals and tapering to negative-maker rebates at very high volume. Perpetuals also accrue a funding rate every 4 hours (not a Kraken fee - it is paid between long and short holders).

Crypto withdrawal fees are a flat amount per asset (e.g. 0.00015 BTC on the Bitcoin network, 0.0035 ETH on Ethereum) designed to cover network gas. Fiat withdrawals vary by rail: SEPA is typically a small flat euro fee, US domestic wire is around $4-$35, and FPS (UK) is free or near-free. Check the current funding page because fees move with network conditions.

Kraken takes a commission on staking rewards (varies by asset, commonly 15-25% of the on-chain yield) before displaying the 'estimated APY' to users. US customers cannot enroll new assets in staking after the Feb 2023 SEC settlement, though staking-of-illiquid-assets like ETH may be available under a different legal structure in some regions.

Crypto deposits are free (you pay the source network fee). SEPA and FPS fiat deposits are free or very low-cost. US wire deposits usually carry a $4-$10 Kraken fee plus whatever your bank charges. Kraken does not offer ACH for all US users; availability depends on your linked bank and state.

Yes - high-volume maker tiers reach 0% (and on futures, negative/rebate levels for top tiers). There is also a dedicated market-maker program for firms providing liquidity on illiquid pairs; applications go through Kraken's institutional desk.

Spot trading on 200+ cryptos, Kraken Futures (cash-settled perpetuals and fixed-date contracts originally built by CryptoFacilities), margin trading on spot pairs (up to 5x in eligible regions), staking (regions where legal), OTC desk, Kraken Wallet (self-custody mobile wallet), and NFT marketplace (launched 2022, wound down later). The core venue remains spot + futures.

They are the same account and same liquidity - just different UIs. 'Kraken' (the simple buy/sell widget) is beginner-friendly but charges the higher Instant Buy fees. 'Kraken Pro' is an advanced trading terminal with the maker/taker fee schedule, depth charts, margin, and full order types. Switching is a one-click toggle in the app or web.

Kraken settled with the SEC in February 2023 and agreed to shut down its US on-chain staking-as-a-service program, paying $30M in disgorgement and penalties. US users can still earn yield on some 'opt-in rewards' structures on assets the SEC did not classify as securities, but the broad staking menu available to international users is unavailable to US residents.

No. Kraken Wallet (launched 2024) is a self-custody mobile/browser wallet - you hold the keys, not Kraken. Funds there are not on the Kraken exchange and cannot be traded until you deposit them. The exchange account is a custodial brokerage product, completely separate.

Yes, up to 5x on eligible spot pairs for verified users in supported regions. After the CFTC's 2021 settlement with Kraken ($1.25M penalty), US margin is restricted to Eligible Contract Participants (institutional/high-net-worth) on spot; futures margin still works for US-approved customers on Kraken Futures.

Kraken's OTC desk handles large block trades (typically $100k+) off the public order book, executed via direct chat or phone with a Kraken dealer. It avoids slippage on illiquid pairs and has higher settlement flexibility. Normal retail users do not need it; it is aimed at funds, miners, and corporate treasuries.

Yes - the main Kraken app supports both the simple and Pro interfaces, as does a dedicated 'Kraken Pro' app on some platforms. Kraken Futures has its own web interface and mobile access via the main app. Both have biometric unlock plus 2FA, and the API works identically from desktop or mobile network sessions.

US users typically use domestic wire (SWIFT or Fedwire) through Kraken's banking partners; Plaid-linked ACH/instant funding has been available to subsets of users. Deposits usually land within minutes to one business day for wire, and Kraken clears to tradeable balance as soon as the wire is received.

Yes. SEPA transfers are typically free or very low cost and settle within 0-1 business day; FPS (UK Faster Payments) is usually same-hour and free for GBP deposits. These are the cheapest way to fund Kraken for European and UK users, far cheaper than card or wire.

Minimums vary by asset - for example BTC has a very low on-chain minimum (around 0.0001 BTC) while USD wire minimums may be around $100. Attempting a deposit below the minimum will be ignored or refunded minus network fees. Check the funding page for your specific asset before sending.

Each asset has a required confirmation count (e.g. 4 for BTC = ~40 minutes, 35 for ETH on Ethereum mainnet = a few minutes, 12 for USDC on most chains). Balance shows as pending until confirmations are met and only becomes tradeable at full confirmation. The count list is on the Kraken deposit page.

Yes. Add the external wallet address under Funding > Withdraw > New Address (Kraken emails a confirmation link to authorize new addresses), then submit the withdrawal. Kraken supports address whitelisting so only pre-approved addresses can receive funds - strongly recommended for any cold-storage routine.

The two common causes are (1) an enhanced review triggered by a new address, a large amount, or a freshly changed password - Kraken applies a time-lock after security-sensitive changes - and (2) a congested network like Ethereum where the transaction is broadcast but not yet mined. Check your email for a verification link before assuming the withdrawal is stuck.

Kraken has not suffered a major exchange-level breach since its 2011 founding - a rare record among large crypto exchanges. In June 2024 a white-hat researcher exploited a deposit-bug (~$3M briefly extracted) which Kraken patched within hours and recovered most funds, but user wallets were never compromised. Competitors like Mt. Gox, Bitfinex, FTX, and Binance have had far larger incidents.

Yes - Kraken holds the vast majority of customer crypto (commonly cited as 95%+) in geographically distributed air-gapped cold storage, with only a small hot-wallet float for active withdrawals. The exact percentage is not publicly audited in real time, but Kraken publishes periodic Proof of Reserves attestations.

Kraken runs a third-party-attested Proof of Reserves using Merkle-tree cryptography, letting users verify their balance is included in the reserve snapshot. Reports are published roughly every six months and have been audited by firms like Armanino (historically) and BDO. It proves reserves exist at the snapshot - it does not prove liabilities in real time.

TOTP (Google Authenticator, Authy, 1Password) and hardware security keys (YubiKey, WebAuthn/FIDO2). Kraken no longer supports SMS 2FA as a primary factor because of SIM-swap risk. For maximum security, set a YubiKey as the 2FA method on both sign-in and funding actions and turn on Global Settings Lock.

Global Settings Lock (GSL) freezes all security-sensitive account changes - API keys, withdrawal addresses, 2FA device changes, email - behind a configurable time delay (minimum hours). If an attacker steals your credentials, GSL buys you time to notice and intervene before a withdrawal address can be added. It is free and highly recommended.

Custodied USD sits at partner banks where, historically, pass-through FDIC insurance may apply per depositor per bank. Kraken has disclosed its partner banking arrangements in the past, but crypto balances themselves are never FDIC-insured - FDIC only covers bank deposits of fiat, and even that depends on the specific partner bank's structure.

Not applicable - Kraken is a retail crypto exchange, not a prop firm partner. For prop firm automation via PickMyTrade, see Tradovate, Rithmic, TradeLocker, Match-Trader, or ProjectX. Prop firms that offer 'crypto challenges' usually do so through their own in-house liquidity, not by giving traders Kraken accounts.

No. Prop firms give you a challenge account on their chosen broker (usually a futures or FX platform such as Tradovate or a MT5/cTrader white-label). Your personal Kraken account is unrelated to any prop firm's evaluation - trading on it does not count toward a challenge.

For futures-style prop firms (Topstep, Apex, TradeDay), use Tradovate or Rithmic. For FX/CFD prop firms (FTMO, The Funded Trader, FundedNext) use TradeLocker or Match-Trader. ProjectX covers newer futures prop firms. Kraken remains the choice for your own personal crypto capital, not prop allocation.

No. Kraken has a Market Maker program for firms that provide liquidity at scale (rebates on maker tiers, sometimes API perks), but that is not a prop-firm evaluation and not open to most retail traders. There is no 'trade our money, keep 80%' offering from Kraken.

The most common cause is a desynced TOTP clock on your phone (fix by toggling automatic time in your phone's settings). If you lost the 2FA device entirely, Kraken requires a Master Key or a full account recovery process with ID re-verification - the community wiki on r/krakensupport has a detailed step list, and expect 2-5 business days.

Verify you copied both the API Key and the Private Key without whitespace, that the key has not been deleted under Settings > API, and that you are signing with HMAC-SHA512 over (nonce + POST data) concatenated with the URI path decoded from base64. 90% of 'invalid key' reports in forums are copy-paste errors on the secret.

Usually it is one of: blurry ID photo, selfie not matching ID, address proof older than 3 months, or a mismatched legal name. Kraken reviews most docs within a few hours but during market spikes or sanctions-list-match reviews it can stretch to days. Contacting support via the help widget inside the verified account is faster than re-submitting blindly.

Kraken enforces a 24-72 hour 'security cooldown' on withdrawals and API changes after password or 2FA changes, to protect against account takeovers. This is by design - the lock lifts automatically, and support cannot override it. Plan sensitive changes at least a day before you need to move funds.

Kraken enforces tick size and minimum price increments per pair (check AssetPairs > pair_decimals and tick_size). If your Pine script sends 'close' at full float precision, PickMyTrade normally rounds - but if you are calling the API directly, you must round to the pair's allowed decimals before submission.

The Pro terminal and simple app use slightly different refresh cycles and may temporarily diverge during a fill or internal transfer. TradeBalance (net including unrealized PnL on margin) also differs from Balance (free cash). Refresh both and compare TradeBalance on Pro for the reconciled number.

Coinbase (public NASDAQ company, higher US regulatory disclosure) has a smoother US onboarding and broader state coverage including New York. Kraken typically beats Coinbase on fees (0.25/0.40 starting vs Coinbase's ~0.6/1.2 on the simple UI) and has a stronger security track record. For active trading choose Kraken Pro; for absolute newcomer simplicity Coinbase is hard to beat.

Binance.US historically had lower fees and more altcoins but lost banking partners in 2023 following SEC actions, leading to USD funding disruptions. Kraken remained operational with full USD rails. For reliability and cash-in/cash-out, Kraken is the safer US choice today; Binance.US is best only if you need a specific pair Kraken does not list.

Gemini holds a NY BitLicense and trust charter (stronger NY/institutional posture), while Kraken has deeper futures and margin offerings globally. Gemini's ActiveTrader fees are comparable to Kraken Pro. Pick Gemini for NY residents wanting full product access; pick Kraken for better altcoin selection, margin, and futures in other states.

Bybit has deeper altcoin perpetual liquidity and typically lower futures taker fees (0.055% vs Kraken Futures 0.05-0.075%). Kraken Futures is better for US-regulated access, USD settlement, and stability - Bybit is not available to US users. For PickMyTrade users in the US, Kraken Futures is the only of the two that is directly supported.

Both are solid, but they differ. Kraken's REST API has been stable since 2013 with well-known quirks (XBT symbol, nonce) and a mature WebSocket v2. Coinbase Advanced Trade migrated from Coinbase Pro in 2023-2024, breaking many third-party libraries. For a long-lived bot, Kraken's API churn has been lower - a common point made in r/algotrading migration threads.