Margin trading

Cross margin on Kraken Pro

Use your entire Kraken balance to fund your spot margin positions. Your collateral is pooled, not isolated per trade. Up to 10x leverage on eligible pairs.

Available on

Kraken Pro uses cross margin for all spot margin trading, meaning your full balance is pooled as collateral across every open spot margin position.

Unlike isolated margin, where each trade is walled off with dedicated collateral, cross margin allows gains in one position to offset drawdowns in another, so the capital you hold works harder across your account.

Explore pairs

Cross margin ∨

Available on all eligible margin pairs

Over a decade of infrastructure behind every margin trade.

Kraken Pro cross margin trading interface on desktop

Kraken Pro cross margin trading interface on mobile

Crypto collateral. Not just USDC.

48+ eligible crypto assets as collateral. Not just USDC. Trade with leverage using what you already own.

24/7. No expiry. No forced rolls.

Trade margin any time, on your schedule. No contract expiry, no forced position resets, no unexpected margin calls.

Open to eligible retail traders.

No minimum net worth, no qualification barrier. Check your account settings to confirm access in your region.

No qualification barrier to trade with leverage

Spot, margin, futures. One platform.

Everything in one place. Start with spot, add margin, progress to futures — without switching platforms or accounts.

Pool your collateral

Your entire Kraken balance acts as live collateral for every open spot margin position simultaneously. No separate per-position allocation, no idle margin sitting behind position walls. Posted collateral and available balance are always visible in the interface.

See your buying power

The Kraken Pro liquidation engine monitors your total account equity against aggregate maintenance margin across all open positions. Your account-wide margin level updates live as the market moves. A losing position can draw from gains elsewhere, but if total equity drops below maintenance, the engine will close positions to prevent further losses.

Trade across pairs

Open every position with your full balance behind it. Live P&L, 24/7 access, no expiry, no forced rolls. Cross margin runs across every eligible Kraken Pro spot margin pair with one balance and one view of every trade.

Start trading

How cross margin works on Kraken Pro

One balance. Every position. Always live.

Pooling collateral across margin positions on Kraken Pro

Your balance, pooled — Your full Kraken balance acts as live collateral across every open spot margin position. No per-trade allocation, no idle margin sitting behind position walls.

Managing multiple margin positions backed by account-wide equity

Maintain multiple positions on one pool — Open as many eligible spot margin positions as you want, each backed by account-wide equity. Your margin level reflects total equity against aggregate maintenance margin and updates live as the market moves.

Gains and drawdowns netting across the cross margin book

Gains and drawdowns net across the book — A winning trade can absorb a drawdown elsewhere. If total equity falls below maintenance, the engine closes positions to restore compliance. Cap per-trade risk with a stop-loss, trailing stop, or OCO.

Ready to start?

Unleash your trading potential.

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Cross margin FAQs

What's the difference between cross margin and isolated margin?

Under isolated margin, each position has its own dedicated collateral, and losses on that position are generally limited to the collateral allocated to it. Under cross margin, your full account balance is pooled as shared collateral across every open position, so gains in one trade can support drawdowns in another. Kraken Pro uses cross margin for all spot margin trading.

Why does Kraken Pro use cross margin instead of isolated?

Cross margin delivers capital efficiency because your full account balance works as live collateral for every position simultaneously, rather than sitting idle behind per-trade walls. It's particularly suited to hedged trades, pairs trading, and any strategy that runs multiple positions at once. Per-trade risk is managed via stop-loss, trailing stop, and OCO orders, which are all available on Kraken Pro.

How do I cap per-trade risk under cross margin?

Use a stop-loss, trailing stop, or OCO order. A stop-loss closes the position at a fixed price you set. A trailing stop follows price in your favor and closes when it reverses by your distance. OCO pairs a take-profit with a stop-loss so both exits are set in a single order. All three are available on every eligible spot margin pair on Kraken Pro.

What collateral can I use?

Kraken Pro accepts 48+ eligible crypto assets as collateral, not just USDC. This includes BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP, and other major assets. Check the Kraken Pro interface for the current list.

Is spot margin trading available in my region?

Spot margin trading on Kraken Pro is available to eligible clients in most supported regions. Availability varies by jurisdiction — certain regions, including Canada and New Zealand, are excluded. In the US, spot margin trading is provided via NinjaTrader Clearing, LLC d/b/a Kraken Derivatives US, a CFTC-registered Futures Commission Merchant. Eligible Counterparties (ECPs) may also access margin trading. Check your account settings in Kraken Pro to confirm eligibility in your region.

Learn more

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¹Availability of margin trading services is subject to certain limitations and eligibility criteria. Trading using margin involves an element of risk and may not be suitable for everyone. Read Kraken's Margin Disclosure Statement to learn more.