Hedera Expands Exchange Access as Kraken Prepares New Network Support

• Kraken is bringing Hedera EVM and the Hedera Token Service (HTS) to its platform, allowing the exchange to support direct withdrawals and deposits of HTS-native tokens.
• Kraken recently introduced regulated perpetual futures contracts based on tokenized stock, and Flexline, a crypto-backed loan product for professional traders.

Kraken is expanding its crypto coverage, integrating Hedera and its native tokens onto its exchange network. The exchange announced this week that it intends to introduce Hedera EVM and HTS to its platform.

In the announcement, Kraken described Hedera as a network that offers instant finality, low fixed fees and over 10,000 transactions per second.

Hedera EVM refers to the network’s deployment of the Ethereum Virtual Machine, which allows the network’s developers to deploy and operate Ethereum-style smart contracts. In practice, developers can deploy Solidity smart contracts on Hedera, use tools like MetaMask and port dApps built on Ethereum with minimal changes to their coding.

HTS is the Hedera Token Service, a native service on the network that developers use to mint and manage tokens at the protocol level, rather than by writing smart contracts first, as is the case with Ethereum’s ERC20 tokens. This allows developers to avoid smart contract risk  and keeps the fees for transferring these tokens low and predictable.

The announcement comes days after Axelar announced that it had integrated Hedera, giving it access to more than 60 blockchains. As CNF reported, the partnership allows Hedera network applications to tap into the liquidity of other networks, including the Ethereum DeFi sector.  Two weeks ago, Hedera welcomed FedEx as the latest member of its governing council, joining others like Google, IBM, Dell and Boeing.

Kraken Launches 24/7 Perpetuals for Tokenized Stock

The Hedera partnership is the latest for Kraken as the exchange expands beyond its traditional crypto spot trading roots. This week, it revealed that it was launching perpetual futures contract trading based on tokenized stocks.

At launch, the product will not be available in Kraken’s home market of the US, but will serve over 100 countries. The contracts will track the digitized versions of popular US stocks and ETFs, including Apple, Tesla, Nvidia and State Street’s gold ETF. It will be based on xStocks, a product developed by Swiss company Backed Finance, which Kraken acquired in December last year.

“This is what it looks like when traditional markets are rebuilt for a crypto-native, always-on world, not a moment too soon given the volatility that all markets are exhibiting,” stated Mark Greenberg, the global head of consumer products at the exchange.

Kraken’s entry underscores the rising important of perpetuals trading, which now dominates crypto derivatives. Market data shows that decentralized perpetual trading platforms recorded over $600 billion in January, with Hyperliquid leading the pack.

Elsewhere, the exchange also announced the launch of Flexline, a new product that offers crypto-backed loans with a maximum terms of two years. Users can trade their funds on the exchange or withdraw them, but the new product is not available in the US, the UK, Australia, Brazil or the UAE.