Getting started with stocks

Last updated: Aug 25, 2025
Stocks availability

Currently, stock trading is only available to U.S. clients (excluding those in ME and NY).

Stocks Hero Image

Stock trading refers to the process of buying and selling shares of publicly traded companies. These shares represent ownership stakes in a company and may allow investors to participate in its financial performance. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which are also traded on stock exchanges, represent a basket of securities and offer a way to gain diversified market exposure. Both stocks and ETFs can be traded on major exchanges or in the over-the-counter (OTC) markets.

This article outlines how to get started trading stocks on Kraken.

Unlocking stock trading

To unlock stock and ETF trading, you’ll need:

*Stocks trading is not available for Business accounts. 

Discover how to unlock stocks on Kraken's platforms:

At present, stocks are not available on Kraken.com (kraken.com/c).

Frequently asked questions

Kraken offers access to over 11,000 US-listed stocks and ETFs and charges zero commissions on stock and ETF trades. Now you can build your portfolio in the same place you trade crypto: one platform, more opportunities.

Check out the guides above to get started.

Kraken does not charge any commission* when trading stocks or ETFs.

Regulatory agencies may charge fees that are passed to the investor.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) charges a Trading Activity Fee (TAF) on sell orders of $0.000166 per share. This fee is rounded to the nearest cent and will never be greater than $8.30 per trade.

There’s also an SEC regulatory transaction fee for sell orders of $27.80 per $1 million of principal. This fee is also rounded up to the nearest cent.

For more information, please see our Brokerage Fee Schedule.

*Other fees may apply

Regular market hours are Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 4:00pm ET. Please keep in mind the markets are closed during certain US holidays. On Kraken, you can place stock and ETF orders outside of regular market hours that will be queued to execute as soon as possible at the next market open.

Crypto trading is 24/7, allowing for constant trading activity across time zones.

Yes, brokerage services are provided by Kraken Securities LLC, a member of FINRA and SIPC.

Kraken Securities LLC is a member of SIPC, which protects the securities in your brokerage account up to $500,000 (including $250,000 for cash claims). Learn more about SIPC insurance at www.sipc.org.

You own the stocks that you buy on Kraken. Any dividends will be automatically processed into your account. You can find details of previous dividends via Activity > Transactions (Kraken), or in History (Kraken Pro).

Stocks trading is available to all US clients, except for clients residing in Maine or New York.

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