Understanding Fees on Kraken Prop

All Kraken Prop accounts (evaluation and funded) are subject to the same fee structure. There are two types of fees: commission fees on trades, and swap fees (margin funding) on open positions.

Commission fees are charged every time you open or close a position. The rate is 4 basis points (0.04%) of the notional value of the trade, applied per side.

How it’s calculated:

Fee = Notional Value x 0.0004

Where Notional Value = Trade Size x Price

Since the fee is charged on both the open and the close, the total round-trip cost for a position is 8 basis points (0.08%).

Example 1: You open a long position by buying 100,000 DOGE at $0.10 per DOGE.

  • Notional value: 100,000 x $0.10 = $10,000
  • Fee to open: $10,000 x 0.0004 = $4.00
  • Fee to close: $4.00
  • Total round-trip fee: $8.00

Example 2: You open a long position by buying 5 ETH at $3,000 each.

  • Notional value: 5 x $3,000 = $15,000
  • Fee to open: $15,000 x 0.0004 = $6.00
  • Fee to close: $6.00
  • Total round-trip fee: $12.00

Swap fees apply to all open margin positions (both long and short) that remain open across rollover periods. This fee compensates for the cost of holding a leveraged position over time.

  • Rate: 0.033% per day
  • Charged: Every 4 hours (the daily rate divided across six 4-hour periods)
  • Applied to: The total notional value of the open position
  • Appears in your ledger as: “Swap fee”

These fees are automatically deducted from your available balance at each rollover interval.

Both commission fees and swap fees (margin funding) reduce your account balance. This means they count toward your Daily loss limit and Drawdown limit. When calculating your risk, keep in mind:

  • Opening and closing a position costs 0.08% in commissions (round-trip).
  • Holding a position overnight (or longer) adds swap fees.
  • On a $100,000 account with a 3% MDL ($3,000), a few large trades with overnight holds can meaningfully eat into your daily loss buffer.

Fees are reflected in your account in several places:

  • Trade history: Commission fees are included in the cost of each trade.
  • Ledger: Swap fees appear as “Swap fee” entries.
  • Portfolio widget: Your Balance reflects all fees that have been deducted.