Is Kraken regulated in the United States?

Kraken serves most of the United States through Payward Ventures, Inc., but has refused New York since the 2015 BitLicense rather than apply for one, and does not serve Washington State; some products are also restricted in Maine and a few other states. Anytime Capital is a FinCEN-registered U.S. money services business with a branch in Atlanta.

Does Kraken hold my crypto?

Yes, until you withdraw it to your own wallet. Anytime Capital delivers to a wallet you control or to its free non-custodial wallet.

Can I switch from Kraken to Anytime Capital without moving my crypto?

Yes. Withdraw from Kraken to a wallet you control (or leave it there), create an Anytime Capital account, verify once, and paste any wallet address at checkout. Nothing you already hold needs to move.

Is Anytime Capital regulated?

Anytime Capital is a U.S.-based money services business registered with FinCEN, serving customers worldwide, with a physical branch in Atlanta and an office in Miami. Identity verification is required before you can transact, the same as at every compliant platform.

Trust & safety

Kraken

Our pick

Is Kraken legit? What that does and does not mean

Q: Is Kraken a scam?

No. Kraken is a legitimate exchange operating since 2011. Registered with FinCEN as a money services business and licensed as a money transmitter in most states; the SEC's 2023 lawsuit against Kraken was dismissed in March 2025; Kraken has published proof-of-reserves attestations since 2014.

Q: How does Anytime Capital pricing compare with Kraken?

Anytime Capital quotes one all-in number: card, Apple Pay and Google Pay orders start from 4% with the spread included, and the amount you pay and the crypto you receive are both on screen before you confirm. Kraken prices a card processing fee of about 3.75% on debit, credit, Apple Pay and Google Pay purchases, on top of a 1% Instant Buy fee and a spread, roughly 3.75% on the headline, with network fee on crypto withdrawals; free ACH cash-out, a small fee on Fedwire withdrawals. Blockchain network fees apply at both. Compare the crypto that lands on the same order size rather than the headline rate.

Kraken is a real exchange that has operated since 2011. The useful question is not whether it is a scam but what happens on the day something goes wrong, and that is where an online-only platform and a U.S. company with a front door part ways.

Registered with FinCEN as a money services business and licensed as a money transmitter in most states; the SEC's 2023 lawsuit against Kraken was dismissed in March 2025; Kraken has published proof-of-reserves attestations since 2014.
Holds your coins until you withdraw
Anytime Capital: a U.S. company you can call or visit

Buy Bitcoin from 4%Call (470) 748-2530 Get an OTC quote

Updated September 2026. Kraken figures from its published pricing, terms and independent reviews.

FinCEN-registered U.S. money services business
Atlanta branch · Miami office
8,000+ completed trades
FDIC-insured cash account

Quick answer

Is Kraken legit and safe to use?

Yes. Kraken is a legitimate exchange founded in 2011, based in San Francisco, California (Payward, Inc.). Registered with FinCEN as a money services business and licensed as a money transmitter in most states; the SEC's 2023 lawsuit against Kraken was dismissed in March 2025; Kraken has published proof-of-reserves attestations since 2014. Kraken serves the U.S. with restrictions. Because it holds customer funds, the risk to weigh is a frozen account or a platform-level event, not an outright scam. What it does not offer is a phone number or a place to walk into, which is why many customers prefer Anytime Capital when something needs a human.

Buy Bitcoin from 4%Call (470) 748-2530 Get an OTC quote

2011
the year Kraken was founded
Compared platform
3.2 / 5
Kraken Trustpilot average
Compared platform
2
Anytime Capital walk-in offices
Anytime Capital
8,000+
completed Anytime Capital trades
Anytime Capital

Ways to pay: Kraken vs Anytime Capital

Payment methods live for a customer today

Anytime Capital
Kraken

Anytime Capital: Apple Pay, Google Pay, Debit card, Credit card, ACH bank transfer, Wire transfer, Cash App, Cash in branch, Cash by mail, each priced as one all-in number from 4% on card orders with the spread included. Kraken: 6 of those rails, priced a card processing fee of about 3.75% on debit, credit, Apple Pay and Google Pay purchases, on top of a 1% Instant Buy fee and a spread, with network fee on crypto withdrawals; free ACH cash-out, a small fee on Fedwire withdrawals. Both exclude blockchain network fees. As of September 2026.

The checklist: does Kraken pass?

Kraken is one of the most established names in crypto. It opened in 2011, has never suffered a major breach of its exchange systems, and was the first large exchange to publish proof-of-reserves attestations, which it now does regularly, most recently as of December 31, 2025. It is registered with FinCEN, licensed as a money transmitter in most states, and its parent Payward filed confidentially for a U.S. IPO in November 2025. The SEC's case against it was dismissed in March 2025.

Its reputation with regulators is more complicated than its reputation with security researchers. Kraken paid $30 million in 2023 to settle the SEC's claims over its U.S. staking product, and it has chosen not to serve New York rather than seek a BitLicense. None of that is a reason to doubt that your money is safe on Kraken. It is a reason to know that Kraken is custodial, that account holds are common in its reviews, and that the only escalation path is a chat window. Anytime Capital's model, delivering coins to a wallet you control, sidesteps the hold problem entirely.

Registered with FinCEN as a money services business and licensed as a money transmitter in most states; the SEC's 2023 lawsuit against Kraken was dismissed in March 2025; Kraken has published proof-of-reserves attestations since 2014.
Operating since 2011, headquartered in San Francisco, California (Payward, Inc.)
Identity verification required
Holds customer funds; withdraw to your own wallet

What "safe" looks like when a trade goes sideways

Read the one-star reviews of Kraken and a pattern appears: accounts locked or withdrawals held pending a compliance review, the gap between the pro schedule and the layered instant buy app, no new york, no washington, and product gaps in several other states, verification stuck at the id or proof-of-address step. These are compliance and process events, not theft, and every regulated platform has them. The difference is what you can do about it. On Kraken you open a ticket or a chat and wait. At Anytime Capital you call (470) 748-2530 and speak to someone who can see the order, or walk into the Atlanta branch at 2549 Piedmont Road NE, Suite 110, Atlanta, GA 30324 and resolve it across a desk.

A front door, not a chat window

Kraken is built to be used through a screen. We are built to be visited. Bring cash, bring questions, or bring a problem another platform could not solve.

Atlanta branch: 2549 Piedmont Road NE, Suite 110, Atlanta, GA 30324
Hours: Mon–Fri 10am–5pm · Sat 10am–2pm
Phone: (470) 748-2530

Anytime Capital branch storefront on Piedmont Road in Atlanta — Atlanta branch, Piedmont Road NE

One Biscayne Tower in Miami, home of the Anytime Capital Miami office — Miami office, One Biscayne Tower

How to protect yourself on any platform

Use the real website address and never a link from a message. Turn on two-factor authentication. Send your first purchase to a wallet you already control and confirm it arrives before buying more. Keep a screenshot of the confirmation screen with the fees. And if anyone contacts you claiming to be from any exchange and asks you to move money, hang up and call the number on the company's own site.

Leaving Kraken? Your wallet address works here too.

Verify once with your ID and a selfie, pick a coin, choose any of nine ways to pay, and paste any wallet address you control. Card and Apple Pay orders confirm in minutes; wires settle the same business day.

Buy Bitcoin from 4%Open a free account

Non-custodial wallet, or your own address
FDIC-insured cash account with a free debit card
(470) 748-2530 during business hours
Walk-in branch in Atlanta, office in Miami

Side by side

Kraken vs Anytime Capital, row by row

A green check marks the platform with the edge on that row. Anytime Capital leads on 9 of 14.

Category	Kraken	Our pick
Card purchase fee	A card processing fee of about 3.75% on debit, credit, Apple Pay and Google Pay purchases, on top of a 1% Instant Buy fee and a spread	From 4% with the spread included, quoted in full before you confirm
Trading fees	0.40% taker / 0.25% maker on Kraken Pro at the base tier	One all-in price per order with the spread included, plus an OTC desk for size
Pay with cash	Not offered	Cash at the Atlanta branch, or cash by mail from anywhere in the U.S.
Domestic wire	Fedwire deposits accepted through Kraken's banking partners	Same-day domestic wire for larger orders through the OTC desk
Apple Pay & Google Pay	Yes	Yes
Talk to a human	24/7 live chat and email tickets; voice support only through the app in specific cases	Phone (470) 748-2530, email, and two walk-in offices
Physical locations	None for customers	Atlanta branch and Miami office
Where it serves	Kraken serves most of the United States through Payward Ventures, Inc., but has refused New York since the 2015 BitLicense rather than apply for one, and does not serve Washington State; some products are also restricted in Maine and a few other states.	Serves customers worldwide, with U.S. offices in Atlanta and Miami; eligibility confirmed during verification
Identity verification	Government ID, selfie and Social Security number on every U.S. account; Pro and higher limits ask for proof of address.	Government ID and selfie online, or in person at the Atlanta branch
Bank account & debit card	No FDIC-insured cash account	FDIC-insured cash account with a free virtual debit card
Large orders	Kraken has an institutional OTC desk; retail customers are steered to Kraken Pro rather than a named trader	Dedicated OTC desk with a named contact
Custody of your coins	Held in your account until you withdraw	Your own wallet address, or the free non-custodial Anytime Capital wallet
Regulation	Registered with FinCEN as a money services business and licensed as a money transmitter in most states; the SEC's 2023 lawsuit against Kraken was dismissed in March 2025; Kraken has published proof-of-reserves attestations since 2014.	U.S.-based, FinCEN-registered money services business
Way to escalate a problem	Kraken warns that any phone number found online claiming to be Kraken support is a scam; callbacks are offered inside the app for certain issues only.	Phone, email, or in person at the Atlanta branch

Card purchase fee
Kraken
A card processing fee of about 3.75% on debit, credit, Apple Pay and Google Pay purchases, on top of a 1% Instant Buy fee and a spread
Anytime
From 4% with the spread included, quoted in full before you confirm
Trading fees
Kraken
0.40% taker / 0.25% maker on Kraken Pro at the base tier
Anytime
One all-in price per order with the spread included, plus an OTC desk for size
Pay with cash
Kraken
Not offered
Anytime
Cash at the Atlanta branch, or cash by mail from anywhere in the U.S.
Domestic wire
Kraken
Fedwire deposits accepted through Kraken's banking partners
Anytime
Same-day domestic wire for larger orders through the OTC desk
Apple Pay & Google Pay
Kraken
Yes
Anytime
Yes
Talk to a human
Kraken
24/7 live chat and email tickets; voice support only through the app in specific cases
Anytime
Phone (470) 748-2530, email, and two walk-in offices
Physical locations
Kraken
None for customers
Anytime
Atlanta branch and Miami office
Where it serves
Kraken
Kraken serves most of the United States through Payward Ventures, Inc., but has refused New York since the 2015 BitLicense rather than apply for one, and does not serve Washington State; some products are also restricted in Maine and a few other states.
Anytime
Serves customers worldwide, with U.S. offices in Atlanta and Miami; eligibility confirmed during verification
Identity verification
Kraken
Government ID, selfie and Social Security number on every U.S. account; Pro and higher limits ask for proof of address.
Anytime
Government ID and selfie online, or in person at the Atlanta branch
Bank account & debit card
Kraken
No FDIC-insured cash account
Anytime
FDIC-insured cash account with a free virtual debit card
Large orders
Kraken
Kraken has an institutional OTC desk; retail customers are steered to Kraken Pro rather than a named trader
Anytime
Dedicated OTC desk with a named contact
Custody of your coins
Kraken
Held in your account until you withdraw
Anytime
Your own wallet address, or the free non-custodial Anytime Capital wallet
Regulation
Kraken
Registered with FinCEN as a money services business and licensed as a money transmitter in most states; the SEC's 2023 lawsuit against Kraken was dismissed in March 2025; Kraken has published proof-of-reserves attestations since 2014.
Anytime
U.S.-based, FinCEN-registered money services business
Way to escalate a problem
Kraken
Kraken warns that any phone number found online claiming to be Kraken support is a scam; callbacks are offered inside the app for certain issues only.
Anytime
Phone, email, or in person at the Atlanta branch

Ways to pay

9 ways to pay here. 6 at Kraken.

The rails Kraken has, it runs well. The ones it does not have are the ones a customer reaches for when a card is declined, an amount is large, or the money is in cash.

MethodKrakenAnytime Capital

Apple PayInstant, from your phoneYesYes
Google PayInstant, Android and webYesYes
Debit cardVisa and MastercardYesYes
Credit cardAmex and Discover accepted hereYesYes
ACH bank transferLower cost, settles in business daysYesYes
Domestic wireSame-day for larger ordersYesYes
Cash AppPay from your Cash App balanceNoYes
Cash in personAtlanta branch, counted at the counterNoYes
Cash by mailFrom anywhere in the U.S.NoYes

Coins

Every major coin, one checkout

Most of the volume on any platform is in the same few dozen coins. Every one below has its own buy page here, with Apple Pay, card, ACH, wire and cash at checkout.

How it works

Three steps from Kraken to here

1
Verify once
Government ID and a selfie, online in minutes. Stuck? Call the branch or come in and finish it in person.
2
Pay your way
Apple Pay, Google Pay, card, ACH, wire, Cash App, cash in branch or cash by mail. The full price is on screen before you confirm.
3
Receive and keep going
Coins land in your own wallet or the free Anytime Capital wallet. Sell back to an FDIC-insured cash account and spend with the debit card.

Buy Bitcoin from 4%Call (470) 748-2530 Get an OTC quote

Ready to leave Kraken behind?

Anytime Capital is a U.S. money services business serving customers worldwide, with a branch in Atlanta, an office in Miami, and card pricing from 4% with the spread included. Verification takes minutes, nine payment methods are live, and (470) 748-2530 reaches a person during business hours.

Wire transfer
Cash in person

Buy Bitcoin from 4%See fees & limits

Digital assets are not FDIC-insured, are not bank deposits, and may lose value. Availability and limits subject to identity verification and compliance review.

Questions