Kraken in the United Kingdom
- Rank in the United Kingdom
- #1 of 4
- Bitcoin in the United Kingdom
- Legal
- Our rating
- 4.7
- Review updated
- 2026-08-23
Yes. Kraken serves the United Kingdom and ranks first of the 4 exchanges in our the United Kingdom guide, on fees, security record and local payment support. Here it takes Faster Payments and Debit card; Faster Payments is the rail local buyers lead with. Kraken Pro charges 0.25% maker and 0.40% taker below $10,000 in 30-day volume, falling from there. Identity verification is required to deposit fiat and trade.
How to pay on Kraken in the United Kingdom
The deposit rails Kraken offers to buyers in the United Kingdom, from our the United Kingdom guide reviewed 2026-08-12. Each one links to how that rail works here.
- Faster Payments:
- 1.95 pounds each way
What Kraken charges, and what it asks for
Kraken Pro charges 0.25% maker and 0.40% taker below $10,000 in 30-day volume, falling from there. The simple Buy widget and card purchases include a spread and cost noticeably more.
- maker
- 0.25% on Kraken Pro below $10,000 in 30-day volume, decreasing at higher tiers
- taker
- 0.40% on Kraken Pro below $10,000 in 30-day volume, decreasing at higher tiers
- spread note
- Instant buys through the simple interface include a spread; use Kraken Pro for the published maker-taker rates.
- deposit note
- ACH and SEPA deposits are free or low cost; card and digital wallet deposits carry processing fees.
- withdrawal note
- Bitcoin withdrawals carry a small network-based fee; fiat withdrawal costs vary by method and currency.
Identity verification
Required. Identity verification is required to deposit fiat and trade.
Kraken's security and regulatory record
10 dated events on our record since 2020, 6 of them breaches, enforcement actions, insolvencies or outages. Newest first.
- Proof of reserves
Latest proof of reserves shows bitcoin backed at 102.9%
- Breach
Kraken refuses extortion after two support staff misused internal systems
- Licence
Kraken wins a MiCA licence from the Central Bank of Ireland
- Resolved
SEC drops its unregistered exchange case against Kraken
- Enforcement
Australian court finds Kraken's local operator broke product rules, AUD 8 million penalty
Is bitcoin legal in the United Kingdom?
Bitcoin is fully legal in the United Kingdom. Crypto firms serving UK customers must register with the Financial Conduct Authority under the Money Laundering Regulations, and financial promotions rules in force since October 2023 govern how platforms market to consumers. The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Cryptoassets) Regulations 2026, made in February 2026, will bring core crypto activities inside the FCA's authorisation perimeter from October 2027. HMRC treats disposals of bitcoin as capital gains events.
Every exchange we rank in the United Kingdom
Ranked by our editorial review of fees, security record and local payment support. Rankings are never sold.
| # | Exchange | Rating | Fees | ID check | Pays with |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KrakenThis page | 4.7 | From 0.25% maker, 0.40% taker | Required | Faster Payments, Debit card |
| 2 | Coinbase | 4.5 | Maker-taker on Advanced Trade | Required | Faster Payments, Debit card, Open banking payment |
| 3 | CEX.IO | 4.0 | Maker-taker; card costs more | Required | Faster Payments, Open banking payment, Debit card |
| 4 | Bitstamp | 4.3 | Maker-taker, falls with volume | Required | Debit card |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kraken available in the United Kingdom?
Yes. Kraken ranks first of the 4 exchanges in our the United Kingdom guide, ranked on fees, security record and local payment support. Here it takes Faster Payments and Debit card; Faster Payments is the rail local buyers lead with. Our the United Kingdom guide was last reviewed 2026-08-12 and the Kraken review on 2026-08-23.
What payment methods does Kraken accept in the United Kingdom?
In the United Kingdom, Kraken takes Faster Payments and Debit card. Worth knowing before you fund: Faster Payments, 1.95 pounds each way. These are the localized rails from our the United Kingdom guide, not the platform's global list.
What does Kraken charge?
Kraken Pro charges 0.25% maker and 0.40% taker below $10,000 in 30-day volume, falling from there. The simple Buy widget and card purchases include a spread and cost noticeably more.
Does Kraken require identity verification?
Yes. Identity verification is required to deposit fiat and trade. Our record marks this as the platform's own policy rather than a the United Kingdom rule, so it applies wherever Kraken operates.
Is bitcoin legal in the United Kingdom?
Bitcoin is fully legal in the United Kingdom. Crypto firms serving UK customers must register with the Financial Conduct Authority under the Money Laundering Regulations, and financial promotions rules in force since October 2023 govern how platforms market to consumers.
Has Kraken had security incidents or regulatory action?
Our record for Kraken lists 10 dated events since 2020: 4 enforcement actions, 2 breaches, 2 licences, 1 resolved case and 1 proof-of-reserves attestation. The most recent, on 2026-06-30: Latest proof of reserves shows bitcoin backed at 102.9%. Each event carries a source on the Kraken review.
Kraken elsewhere in Europe
Kraken ranks in 127 countries on this site. 12 of its 45 Europe pages are linked here; the review lists all of them.
Sources
- Kraken fee schedule
- Bloomberg: Kraken said to prepare for IPO
- Value Add VC: Kraken IPO and valuation analysis
- Kraken security practices
- Kraken: Washington state launch (July 2025)
- FCA: a new regime for cryptoasset regulation
- FCA: overview of cryptoasset regime policy statements
- Sidley Austin: UK cryptoasset regulation action points