KRAKEN BRINGS PERPS TRADING TO RETAIL AHEAD OF IPO

Summary from the TLDR Crypto newsletter

Kraken has expanded access to perpetual futures (“perps”) for eligible retail traders in select regions, positioning the product as a simplified way for “everyday investors” to speculate on crypto prices or manage risk. First introduced by BitMEX in 2016, perps now account for the majority of derivatives activity, with Hyperliquid leading volumes. The launch comes as Kraken prepares for a potential 2026 IPO, rolling out perps with built-in protections like stop-loss functions and collateral in USD balances, alongside broader product expansion into tokenized stocks and an in-house Ethereum L2 called INK.