Kraken Parent Secures Key Derivatives Licenses in Landmark Acquisition

Kraken's parent company Payward has completed its acquisition of Bitnomial, a key step in establishing the firm as a major player in the US derivatives market.

The deal grants Payward three critical registrations under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC): a Futures Commission Merchant, a Designated Contract Market, and a Derivatives Clearing Organisation. This trifecta of approvals enables a single entity to operate an exchange, clear trades, and offer brokerage services within a regulated framework.

Bitnomial had spent over a decade securing these permissions, with Payward noting that no other crypto-native firm in the US holds all three simultaneously. The combined infrastructure will allow Payward to offer CFTC-regulated spot margin, perpetuals, and options to eligible US clients across Kraken and its trading platform.