Kraken Fees 2026: Pro vs Standard, Staking, and How to Pay Less

Kraken Pro charges 0.26% taker and 0.16% maker fees — lower than Coinbase Advanced Trade (0.60% taker) and competitive with Binance US. Using Kraken's standard Instant Buy interface costs 1.5% per trade, making the fee difference between interfaces one of the largest in the industry. Always use Kraken Pro.

Kraken Standard vs Pro Fees

Interface | Taker fee | Maker fee | Access
Kraken Standard (Instant Buy) — 1.5% — 1.5% — Default
Kraken Pro — 0.26% — 0.16% — Same account, free to switch

The switch from Standard to Pro requires no additional verification and takes about 30 seconds. On a $1,000 Bitcoin purchase, that is the difference between paying $15 and paying $2.60. Over a year of regular buying, the savings are substantial.

How Kraken Fees Decrease at Higher Volume

Kraken Pro uses a 30-day rolling volume fee schedule. At $50,000 in 30-day volume, taker fees drop to 0.20%. At $1,000,000, they fall to 0.12%. At $10,000,000+, maker fees reach 0.00%. Most retail investors stay at the 0.26%/0.16% base tier.

Kraken Staking Fees

Kraken charges a variable cut of staking rewards — typically 15% of yield. Ethereum staking on Kraken returned approximately 3.5% to 4% APY net in 2025 after Kraken's fee. Supported staking assets include ETH, SOL, ADA, DOT, MATIC, and 15+ others. Kraken's staking has been uninterrupted since launch — no pause or Earn-program equivalent during the 2022-2023 crypto winter.

Kraken vs Coinbase on Fees

Base taker fee: Kraken Pro 0.26% vs Coinbase Advanced Trade 0.60% — Kraken is 57% cheaper
Staking availability: Both offer ETH staking, Kraken at slightly higher net yield
Coin selection: Comparable — both offer 200+ assets
Security history: Kraken has operated since 2011 with no major hack. Coinbase IPO'd on Nasdaq in 2021.

Kraken's Safety Record

Founded in 2011, Kraken is one of the oldest operating crypto exchanges. It has never suffered a major security breach or user fund loss. The exchange holds customer assets in cold storage and maintains a Proof of Reserves program that allows independent verification of its holdings. CryptoRyancy's complete Kraken fee breakdown is at cryptoryancy.com/kraken-fees.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a fee to deposit on Kraken? ACH bank transfers are free on Kraken. Wire transfers carry a flat fee. Crypto deposits are free (network fees may apply depending on the sending wallet).

How do I switch from Kraken Standard to Kraken Pro? Log into your Kraken account and navigate to Trade > Kraken Pro. Your existing balance and verification carry over immediately — no new application required.

Does Kraken charge withdrawal fees? Kraken charges a flat network fee for crypto withdrawals, set by asset. Bitcoin withdrawals are typically $1-3 equivalent. Fiat wire withdrawals carry a flat fee that varies by currency.