Derivatives expansion reaches European Economic Area through existing Pro accounts
Eligible traders in the European Economic Area can now trade Bitcoin and Ethereum options through their existing Kraken Pro derivatives accounts on web and mobile, Kraken announced Oct. 26. The rollout extends options access beyond professional and institutional clients who gained access in July.
Options are cash-settled with premium, profit and loss, and final settlement all calculated in U.S. dollars regardless of which collateral currency a trader deposits. Expiries span weekly and monthly maturities alongside quarterly and semiannual contracts. Kraken accepts 30-plus currencies as collateral, which funds both options and futures positions in a shared pool.
Portfolio margin is enabled by default, allowing traders to offset positions and reduce required margin. Options use futures-style margining, meaning premium is not paid upfront. Instead, gains and losses are marked against collateral in real time. Options do not accrue funding payments, though perpetual contracts held in the same account continue to do so.
Trading operates through a request-for-quote system. Quotes expire after a limited time window, forcing traders to act decisively. Clients can assemble trades with up to 5 components or legs. If a portfolio enters distress, Kraken uses a sealed-offer auction process rather than liquidating positions through an order book.
The options launch is separate from Kraken’s recent Unified Wallet upgrade, which CryptoSlate reported on Oct. 19. The wallet is opt-in and distinct from the default options portfolio margin system.
