TL;DR
- Kraken is extending its xStocks platform to European traders, offering access to over 60 tokenized U.S. equities and ETFs.
- The service eliminates friction tied to brokers, currency conversion, and settlement delays.
- Since launching globally in June, xStocks has processed more than 3.8 billion dollars in trading volume, positioning Kraken at the forefront of tokenized asset adoption.
Krakenās expansion of xStocks into Europe gives investors direct access to tokenized shares of top U.S. companies, including Tesla, Apple, Google, and Nvidia, along with several major index funds. Trading is available almost around the clock, enabling EU users to bypass traditional barriers that once made investing in U.S. stocks both expensive and time-consuming.
By leveraging blockchain-based certificates backed one-to-one with real equities, Kraken ensures that investors gain exposure to authentic underlying assets while enjoying the speed, portability, and flexibility of digital tokens. Unlike conventional brokers, xStocks allows fractional ownership starting at just one dollar, creating opportunities for broader market participation.
How Tokenized Stocks Empower Investors
Tokenized equities are designed to move seamlessly across wallets and decentralized applications. Beyond simple trading, these digital shares can be used as collateral in DeFi platforms, integrated into yield strategies, or transferred globally without intermediaries. Settlement occurs in minutes instead of days, reflecting the efficiency that blockchain adds to traditional finance.
For European investors, the change is significant. Instead of dealing with multiple institutions and high fees, they can manage their stock exposure directly within the Kraken app. This not only simplifies access to American markets but also offers greater transparency, liquidity, and personal control over assets.
Momentum And Market Competition
Since its launch in June, xStocks has already recorded more than 3.8 billion dollars in volume, with Tesla and Nvidia leading trading activity. Much of this traffic runs on the Solana network, but Kraken has announced plans to expand support to Ethereum, BNB Chain, TRON, and other major ecosystems. This multi-chain strategy is intended to spread liquidity, minimize concentration risks, and link tokenized equities with wider segments of the crypto economy.
Other platforms like Robinhood, Gemini, and KuCoin are moving into the same market, but Krakenās interoperable approach stands out. Instead of confining tokenized stocks to closed systems, Kraken prioritizes open access that integrates with DeFi and cross-chain infrastructure.
The European rollout signals a broader trend: tokenized equities are no longer experimental. They are moving toward mainstream adoption and reshaping how global investors view ownership, settlement, and market participation. For many in Europe, Krakenās move represents a gateway into a new, digital-first era of investing.