Kraken, one of the largest crypto exchanges, is betting big on vertical integration: the company has spent about $3 billion on acquisitions recently. This isn't just expansion—it's an attempt to create its own financial supermarket that could change the game for crypto users and virtual card holders.

What Kraken Is Buying

Kraken is acquiring companies that let it control more of the chain: from trading and asset custody to payment infrastructure. Key deals include a derivatives trading platform and payment solution providers. This makes Kraken less dependent on external partners and potentially lowers costs.

How This Affects Users

For those using crypto to pay for international services, this is good news. Vertical integration typically means:

  • Lower fees — fewer intermediaries, less markup.
  • Faster transactions — control over infrastructure allows optimizing payment processing.
  • More services under one roof — from exchange to card issuance.

However, there are risks: integrating complex systems can cause temporary outages and delays. Kraken faces the tough task of merging different platforms without losing quality.

What This Means for Stablecoins

Kraken is actively developing its stablecoin offerings, especially USDT and USDC. The acquisitions could accelerate the adoption of these assets for everyday payments. For users, this means more opportunities to use stablecoins for settlements with minimal fees and high speed, especially on TRC-20 and ERC-20 networks.

IPO Prospects

These moves are also seen as preparation for a potential IPO. If Kraken goes public, it would boost confidence in the crypto industry overall and could attract new institutional investors, indirectly strengthening the crypto payments market.

Conclusion

Kraken's $3B acquisitions signal that crypto exchanges are striving to become full-fledged financial institutions. For users, this means more convenient and cheaper payment methods, but it's worth watching how the integration goes. If Kraken succeeds, we'll get another powerful tool for crypto payments.

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Sources

This material is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice. Data and service terms may change, so check primary sources before making a payment or investment decision. Mentions of third-party brands and services do not imply official partnership, support, or endorsement by VirtCardPay.
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