Why are traders looking for Kraken alternatives?

Traders may compare Kraken alternatives by available products, fees, interface, custody, and account eligibility. Market and contract coverage varies by venue and jurisdiction.

What has more markets than Kraken?

Liquid offers perpetual markets across crypto and selected US stocks, commodities, FX, and pre-IPO names. Kraken's product range and regional availability can differ, so compare the specific markets and contract types currently available to your account.

Is there a non-custodial alternative to Kraken?

Liquid is a non-custodial alternative that settles trades on-chain. This reduces reliance on a centralized custodian for account access and withdrawals, but it does not eliminate smart-contract, protocol, oracle, liquidity, front-end, self-custody, or jurisdictional risk.

How do Kraken's fees compare to alternatives?

Kraken's entry spot tier is 0.40% maker / 0.80% taker — among the higher entry rates of major exchanges — with futures at 0.02% / 0.05% and lower rates by 30-day volume or assets on platform. Liquid's perpetuals are 0.095% taker / 0.065% maker all-in at Tier 0 and spot 0.070% / 0.040%, tiered by 14-day weighted volume.

Can I trade stocks and commodities on Kraken alternatives?

Yes. Liquid supports perpetual futures on selected US stocks, commodities, and FX pairs alongside crypto markets. Availability varies, and these contracts provide price exposure rather than ownership of the underlying asset.

Kraken Alternatives: Best Trading Platforms in 2026

The short answer

The best Kraken alternatives in 2026 are Liquid for 24/7, non-custodial, multi-asset trading with up to 50x multipliers; Coinbase for US regulatory standing and simple onboarding; OKX for deep derivatives liquidity and a Web3 wallet; and Webull for commission-free stocks and options with overnight sessions. Kraken remains strong on security and track record.

Why traders look beyond Kraken

Custodial model. Despite a strong security record, Kraken holds customer funds; access depends on a centralized entity.
Fragmented experience. Kraken splits the experience across a simple app, Kraken Pro, and separate API access.
Regional restrictions. Kraken's futures and margin products aren't available in all jurisdictions.
Higher retail spot fees. Kraken's entry spot tier is 0.40% maker / 0.80% taker, among the higher entry rates among major exchanges. Kraken fee schedule (accessed 2026-09-23).
Product coverage varies. Available assets and contract types differ by venue, account, and jurisdiction.

Compare Kraken alternatives at a glance

Platform	Custody	Trading hours	Max multiplier	Asset classes	AI assistant	Best for
Liquid	Non-custodial	24/7 incl. weekends	Up to 50x	Stocks, pre-IPO, commodities, FX, indices, crypto — as perps	Yes (Co-Invest)	24/7 multi-asset perps + AI
Coinbase	Custodial	24/7 crypto; 24/5 stocks	Limited	Spot crypto, limited derivatives	No	US regulatory standing
OKX	Custodial	24/7 crypto	Derivatives limits vary	Spot, margin, futures, options, Web3	No	Deep derivatives liquidity
Webull	Custodial	24/5 overnight (select)	Margin (varies)	Stocks, ETFs, options, futures	Yes (Agentic)	Charting + overnight
Kraken	Custodial	24/7 crypto	Derivatives limits vary	Spot, margin, futures, some equities	No	Security track record

Fees compared

Every platform's published schedule in the same format: entry tier, top tier, and tier basis. Compare like-for-like — spot, futures, and perpetual fees are different products. Full ladders are linked.

Platform	Product	Entry tier (maker / taker)	Top tier (maker / taker)	Tier basis
Liquid	Perps (all-in)	0.065% / 0.095%	0.050% / 0.074%	14-day weighted volume
Liquid	Spot (all-in)	0.040% / 0.070%	0.000% / 0.025%	14-day weighted volume
Kraken	Spot	0.40% / 0.80%	0.00% / 0.05%	30-day volume / assets on platform
Kraken	Futures	0.02% / 0.05%	−0.006% / 0.0125%	30-day volume
Coinbase	Spot (Advanced)	0.40% / 0.60%	0.00% / 0.05%	30-day volume
OKX	Spot	0.08% / 0.10%	Negative maker at VIP 7+	30-day volume
OKX	Futures	0.02% / 0.05%	Negative maker at VIP 7+	30-day volume
Webull	Stocks/ETFs/options	$0; index options from $0.50/contract	—	Flat — no tiers; regulatory fees; $75 outgoing transfer

Full published schedules: Liquid · Kraken fee schedule · Coinbase Advanced · OKX · Webull

1. Liquid

Overview: AI-native, non-custodial platform for perpetual contracts across stocks, pre-IPO companies, commodities, FX, indices, and crypto — 300+ markets in one account, up to 50x multipliers, instant settlement, and Co-Invest, an AI assistant in Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, Meta Muse, and iMessage.

Best for: Serious traders who value reliability but want broader asset coverage, a unified experience, and non-custodial control.

Fees: Perps 0.095% / 0.065% (Tier 0); spot 0.070% / 0.040%; 14-day weighted volume tiers.

Custody: Non-custodial — funds stay in your wallet and trades settle on-chain; smart contracts are independently audited. Security docs. Smart-contract, protocol, oracle, liquidity, front-end, self-custody, and jurisdictional risks still apply.

Trading hours: 24/7.

Limitations: No fiat custody (by design). Availability/eligibility vary by jurisdiction. Perps are derivatives, not ownership. Additional features include copy trading, news, and vaults/staking (Earn).

2. Coinbase

Overview: The largest US-based exchange, publicly traded, with a beginner-friendly interface.

Best for: Traders who value US regulatory standing and simple onboarding.

Fees: Coinbase Advanced spot starts at 0.40% maker / 0.60% taker (entry tier), with maker as low as 0.0% at top volume tiers; simple mode charges a spread plus fee. Coinbase Advanced fees.

Custody: Custodial.

Trading hours: 24/7 crypto; 24/5 stocks for eligible users.

Limitations: Custodial. Higher simple-mode fees. Limited derivatives. Not designed for active traders.

3. OKX

Overview: Global exchange with deep derivatives liquidity, an integrated Web3 wallet, and a broad product ecosystem.

Best for: Derivatives traders who want depth and a wide product set.

Fees: Spot entry 0.08% / 0.10%; futures 0.02% / 0.05%. OKX fees.

Custody: Custodial.

Trading hours: 24/7 for crypto.

Limitations: Custodial. Complex interface. Perpetual futures and advanced derivatives not available to US users.

4. Webull

Overview: Commission-free brokerage with strong charting, popular with active US retail traders.

Best for: Traders who want advanced charts and 24/5 overnight sessions.

Fees: $0 commissions on US stocks, ETFs, and options; index options from $0.50/contract; $75 outgoing transfer. Webull pricing.

Custody: Custodial (cleared through Apex).

Trading hours: Overnight 8 p.m.–4 a.m. ET Sun–Thu (24/5, select securities).

Limitations: Custodial. 24/5, not weekends. Product coverage varies by account and jurisdiction.

How we evaluated these platforms

We compared platforms on fees, custody, derivatives access, market coverage, and account fit for traders considering a move from Kraken. Fees use each platform's published schedule, shown in a uniform format. Data is from platform documentation, cited inline; verified 2026-09-23. We did not independently test execution quality or liquidity.

Verdict

If you want self-custody, 24/7 multi-asset markets, and AI-assisted trading, choose Liquid. For US regulatory standing, Coinbase; deep derivatives liquidity, OKX; commission-free stocks with overnight sessions, Webull. Keep Kraken for security and fiat on/off-ramps.

About the author

Franklyn Wang is the CEO & Founder of Liquid, an AI-native, non-custodial trading platform. X · LinkedIn

Sources & further reading

Kraken fee schedule — accessed 2026-09-23
Coinbase Advanced fees — accessed 2026-09-23
OKX fees — accessed 2026-09-23
Webull pricing — accessed 2026-09-23
Webull Agentic AI — accessed 2026-09-24
Liquid fee documentation — accessed 2026-09-23
Related: Where can I trade stocks 24/7? · Which leverage trading platforms are non-custodial?

Educational content only — not investment advice. Trading perpetual futures involves substantial risk and may not be suitable for every investor. Past performance is not indicative of future results.