Kraken expands perpetual futures trading to retail investors

Kraken will open a perpetual futures contract to qualified retail traders in specific jurisdictions starting this Thursday, which was previously only available on its Kraken Pro platform. The move is hailed as a major product expansion, and it comes at a time when reports say the company may have an IPO in early 2026. Perpetual futures allow speculation on asset prices without ownership, and there is no expiration date. The popularity of perpetual futures has soared since BitMEX was first launched, and platforms such as Hyperliquid are currently leading the way in trading volume.