ISO/IEC 27001:2022
An international certification for information security management systems. It covers risk management, access control, and incident response — not just data encryption.
Is Kraken Secure?certifications, proof of reserves, and what independent audits say
Not another marketing claim: what Kraken says about its security, backed by the certifications and audits that let you verify it instead of taking it on faith.
Certifications and audits
External standards, not self-assessment
SOC 2, Type 1 examination
An independent audit of internal controls around security, availability, and confidentiality. Type 1 evaluates the design of those controls at a given date.
Proof of reserves
Kraken has its reserves regularly audited by an independent accounting firm, using an agreed-upon procedures engagement in line with American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) standards. The audit verifies that balances shown on customer accounts are backed by assets actually held by the platform.
Every customer can log in to their own account to check their balance was part of the audited snapshot — no need to take it on trust.
Custody of funds
- Most assets held in cold storage (offline)
- Infrastructure in secure cages, monitored 24/7 by armed guards and video surveillance
- No phone or SMS account recovery: SIM-swap attacks are structurally ruled out
- Granular, customizable API key permissions with scope limits
Account-level security
What you control, on top of what Kraken does on its end
FIDO2-compatible 2FA
Hardware passkeys (like a YubiKey) or an authenticator app. Noticeably stronger than an SMS code.
Configurable global lock
A configurable session timeout for extra protection while you're away.
PGP-signed, encrypted email
Verifiable communication, useful for spotting a phishing email that imitates Kraken.
What independent audits say
Kraken cites these third-party evaluations itself on its security page — independently verifiable, not claims invented for this page.
- CER.live — exchange security scoring
- Hacken — top 100 exchanges ranked by cybersecurity score
- Forbes Advisor — Kraken review, named best crypto exchange 2025 by Forbes
- Coin Bureau — in-depth review
Support available 24/7
Live chat and email, every day of the year, holidays included
Kraken employs hundreds of dedicated customer support specialists based around the world. It's not just a chatbot: complex cases can be escalated through a dedicated form with a personalized email reply.
Common questions about security
Is Kraken security-certified?
Yes. Kraken is ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified (information security management) and has passed a SOC 2 Type 1 examination. These are recognized external standards, not self-declared claims.
What is proof of reserves?
A regular audit by an independent accounting firm, following AICPA standards, that verifies the assets shown on customer accounts are actually held by Kraken. Each customer can log in to check their own balance was included in the audited snapshot.
How are funds kept safe?
Mostly in cold (offline) storage, in infrastructure monitored 24/7 by armed guards and alarm systems. There's no phone or SMS-based account recovery, which structurally removes the SIM-swap attack vector.
Is support really available 24/7?
Yes, via live chat and email, every day of the year. Response time varies with complexity, but support access is never closed.
Open a secure account with the referral
The code has no effect on account security, it just adds a reward.
Kraken referral code · September 2026
sp39y5dw
Create my account with this codeThe link pre-fills the code. If you type it manually, do it during account creation.
Personal referral link, no extra cost to you : ↗ opens kraken.com in a new tab.
Next: verify your identity (KYC), deposit funds, then track when the reward is paid.