Crypto Exchange Kraken Preparing for IPO in 2026 #CriptoNews

(Bloomberg) — Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken is readying to go public amid a friendlier regulatory climate in the US under President Donald Trump.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Known officially as Payward Inc., Kraken is seeking to go public as soon as the first quarter of next year, according to people with knowledge of the matter who asked for anonymity because the decision hasn’t been made public. The plans could still change before then, one of the people said.

“We recently disclosed 2024 financial highlights to be more transparent about our business, which is something we started by being first to publish proof of reserves and we’re going to continue to prioritize going forward,” Kraken said in response to a query from Bloomberg News. “We’ll pursue public markets as it makes sense for our clients, our partners and shareholders.”

Kraken has had ambitions to go public for several years, but those plans were derailed in part by a slew of regulatory enforcements against the company — and other crypto firms — under the Biden administration. Kraken settled one case from the US Securities and Exchange Commission and continued to fight another case until the agency agreed to drop it, with no charges or penalties, Kraken announced earlier this month.

Unlike his predecessor, Trump has been supportive of the crypto industry, and is meeting two dozen of its leaders — including Kraken Co-Chief Executive Officer Arjun Sethi — at the White House on Friday.

As cryptocurrency prices rallied last year, Kraken’s business grew. The company’s revenue more than doubled to $1.5 billion in 2024, with adjusted earnings of $380 million, Kraken reported earlier this year. Coinbase Global Inc., the biggest crypto exchange in the US, had about $6.6 billion in revenue last year.

Kraken is ranked as the tenth-biggest exchange globally by trading volume on the website CoinMarketCap.com. In recent months, the company has expanded its services to more countries and developed additional products.

Kraken is one of the many crypto companies readying to go public, as the initial public offerings market for the industry has opened up. Others considering going public include stablecoin issuer Circle, digital-asset custodian BitGo and crypto exchanges including Gemini and Bullish.