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Kraken has announced its plan to purchase NinjaTrader for $1.5 billion.
Takeaway Points
- Kraken to purchase NinjaTrader for $1.5 billion.
- This transaction marks the largest-ever deal uniting traditional finance (TradFi) and crypto.
- The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2025.
Kraken and NinjaTrader
Kraken, one of the longest-standing, most liquid, and secure crypto platforms , said on Thursday that it has entered into an agreement to acquire NinjaTrader, the leading U.S. retail futures trading platform, for $1.5 billion, subject to certain purchase price adjustments.
This transaction marks the largest-ever deal combining traditional finance (TradFi) and crypto, the firm said.
Arjun Sethi, Kraken’s co-CEO, commenting about the acquisition, said, “Traditional markets run on banking systems from the 1950s and post-WWII, exchanges that close at 4 p.m. ET, and settlement delays that take days to resolve. Crypto rails fixed these issues, operating with efficient and real-time infrastructure. But legacy finance and crypto have remained separate ecosystems, until today. This transaction is the first step in our vision of an institutional-grade trading platform where any asset can be traded, anytime.”
Marty Franchi, CEO of NinjaTrader, said, “NinjaTrader’s mission has been to redefine retail futures trading, making it more accessible, cost-effective and trader-friendly. Joining forces with Kraken allows us to take this vision to a global scale, expanding our reach and unlocking innovative new use cases. Together, Kraken and NinjaTrader will power the integration of traditional markets with crypto by offering cutting edge tools and the ability to rapidly move across asset classes that the most sophisticated traders demand.”
The Legal Advisors
According to the report, the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the first half of 2025. PJT Partners served as financial advisor to Kraken, and Jones Day and Lowenstein Sandler served as legal advisors. Jefferies acted as financial advisor to NinjaTrader, and Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP and Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP served as legal advisors.
About Kraken
Kraken is one of the world’s longest-standing and most secure crypto platforms. Their mission is to accelerate the global adoption of crypto so that everyone can achieve financial freedom and inclusion. Globally, Kraken clients trade more than 300 digital assets and 6 different national currencies, including GBP, EUR, USD, CAD, CHF, and AUD.
Founded in 2011, Kraken was among the first to offer spot trading with margin, parachain auctions, staking, regulated derivatives, and index services under one roof. With millions of individuals, traders, and institutions around the world, Kraken offers professional 24/7/365 client support along with one of the fastest, most performant trading platforms available. Kraken has set the industry standard for transparency and client trust and was the first crypto platform to conduct Proof of Reserves.
Kraken markets can be monitored and traded via the web or through the Kraken and Kraken Pro iOS and Android apps.
About NinjaTrader Group, LLC
NinjaTrader has been revolutionizing the way retail traders engage with futures, since 2003. They’ve empowered their community of nearly 2 million traders with cutting-edge technology, ultra-low commissions, and world-class support. Our modern, cloud-based platform—available on desktop, web, and mobile—gives traders the freedom to seize market opportunities anytime, anywhere.
