Kraken Launches Automatic Crypto Rewards Program

Kraken's parent company Payward participated in **Operation Atlantic**, a coordinated international law enforcement effort involving the US, UK, and Canada. The operation achieved significant results: - Identified over **$45 million** in suspected criminal proceeds - Froze more than **$12 million** tied to crypto approval phishing schemes - Identified over **20,000 potential victims** The exchange emphasized that protecting clients extends beyond regulatory compliance to core operational values. [Read full details](https://blog.kraken.com/product/security/payward-supports-operation-atlantic)

**Bitcoin's Best Week Since November** Bitcoin experienced its strongest weekly performance since November, marking a significant milestone for the cryptocurrency market. **Kraken Pro Introduces Ink Points** - New rewards program now live for Kraken Pro users - Designed to incentivize trading activity on the platform **AI Trading Infrastructure Enhancement** Kraken upgraded its AI-native trading infrastructure, improving automated trading capabilities and system performance. **Extended xStocks Trading Hours** Traders can now access US stocks through Kraken OTC after regular market hours, expanding trading opportunities beyond traditional timeframes.

**Major institutional moves signal growing crypto adoption** - **Deutsche Börse** invested $200M in Kraken, marking a significant commitment from one of Europe's largest exchange operators - **Goldman Sachs** filed for a Bitcoin income ETF, expanding traditional finance's crypto product offerings - **Tether** launched its first consumer wallet, moving beyond its stablecoin infrastructure role These developments represent continued institutional integration into crypto markets, with traditional financial giants making substantial bets on digital asset infrastructure and products.

Kraken has introduced **xStocks**, a new feature allowing users to trade tokenized versions of traditional assets directly onchain within their crypto accounts. **Key Features:** - Access to **130+ tokenized assets** including gold (GLDx), Tesla (TSLAx), Apple (AAPLx), and S&P 500 (SPYx) - All assets managed in a **single account** alongside cryptocurrency holdings - Fully **onchain** infrastructure for transparent, blockchain-based trading This offering enables crypto traders to diversify their portfolios by adding exposure to traditional markets without leaving the blockchain ecosystem. Users can now balance their holdings between digital currencies and tokenized representations of stocks and commodities. Learn more at [kraken.com/xstocks](http://kraken.com/xstocks)

Kraken's parent company Payward is acquiring Bitnomial, the first fully CFTC-licensed derivatives company built specifically for digital assets in the United States. **Key Details:** - Bitnomial was purpose-built for crypto from the ground up - The acquisition brings CFTC-regulated derivatives to Kraken - New products coming to Kraken include: - Spot margin trading - Perpetual futures - Options contracts Bitnomial previously received CFTC approval in 2023 to register as a derivatives clearing organization, allowing it to settle margined futures and options contracts. This acquisition positions Kraken to offer regulated derivatives products to U.S. customers under federal oversight. [Read the full announcement](https://blog.kraken.com/news/payward-acquires-bitnomial)