Kraken has announced its deal to acquire U.S. retail futures trading platform NinjaTrader for $1.5 billion. This transaction marks the largest-ever deal between the crypto sector and traditional finance, highlighting Kraken's ambition to diversify its offerings across multiple asset classes.

NinjaTrader, established in 2003, serves nearly two million traders and is registered as a Futures Commission Merchant with the CFTC. Following the acquisition, Kraken will gain access to U.S. crypto futures and derivatives, enhancing its service offerings. The deal aims to facilitate NinjaTrader's global expansion through Kraken's regulatory licenses in the U.K., EU, and Australia.

Kraken's co-CEO, Arjun Sethi, emphasized the potential of this acquisition to bridge the gap between traditional finance and crypto. He pointed out that legacy financial systems often suffer from inefficiencies, such as delayed settlements and limited trading hours.

The integration of NinjaTrader's advanced trading tools with Kraken's crypto liquidity is expected to create a seamless trading experience for users across asset classes.

NinjaTrader's current CEO, Marty Franchi, stated that the platform's mission has been to make retail futures trading more accessible and trader-friendly.

The acquisition will allow NinjaTrader to continue operating as a standalone entity within Kraken's suite of applications, which also includes real-time analytics service Cryptowatch and staking infrastructure provider Staked.

The acquisition is anticipated to be finalized in the first half of 2025, following certain purchase price adjustments.