Kraken US Restrictions: What You Can and Can't Do on Kraken in the United States

When you use Kraken, a major cryptocurrency exchange with global operations and strict compliance standards. Also known as Kraken Exchange, it's one of the most trusted platforms for trading digital assets — but only if you're not in the United States. If you're based in the U.S., Kraken operates under a completely different set of rules. The Kraken US restrictions aren't just minor limits — they're deep, structural barriers that block access to dozens of tokens, trading pairs, and features available everywhere else.

These restrictions come from U.S. financial regulators like the SEC and FinCEN, who treat crypto differently than most other countries. Kraken has to comply, so it separates its U.S. and international platforms. That means if you're in the U.S., you can't trade tokens like Solana, a high-performance blockchain platform used for DeFi and NFTs in the same way as someone in Germany or Japan. You also can't use advanced tools like margin trading, futures, or staking on most assets. Even simple things like depositing certain stablecoins or withdrawing to non-U.S. wallets get blocked. The U.S. crypto regulations, a patchwork of state and federal rules that vary by asset type and use case force exchanges like Kraken to play it safe — even if that means leaving out popular coins.

It’s not just about what’s missing — it’s about what’s hidden. Many users don’t realize that Kraken US doesn’t list over 150 tokens that are available on Kraken Global. Some of these are low-volume meme coins, but others are legitimate projects with real utility that simply don’t meet U.S. legal standards. The same goes for trading pairs: you can’t trade ETH/DOGE or SOL/SHIB on Kraken US, even though those pairs exist everywhere else. And if you try to bypass the restrictions by using a VPN or foreign ID, Kraken will freeze your account. They monitor IP addresses, bank details, and device fingerprints — and they don’t play games.

So what’s left? You can still buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, and a handful of other major coins. You can use USD deposits and withdrawals through bank transfers or ACH. You can even stake a few approved assets like ETH and ADA. But if you're looking for anything beyond the basics — new tokens, leverage, or global trading options — you're out of luck on Kraken US. That’s why so many American traders end up switching to other platforms or using international accounts (with all the risks that brings).

Below, you’ll find real-world examples of how these restrictions affect users, what alternatives exist, and how other countries handle crypto differently. You’ll also see how platforms like COREDAX, a regulated crypto exchange focused on the Korean market or Criptoloja, Portugal’s first regulated crypto platform operate under less restrictive environments — and why those differences matter to you.