How to buy bitcoin on Kraken: a step-by-step guide for Europe

To buy bitcoin on Kraken in the EU, sign up, verify your identity, deposit euros by free SEPA transfer, then buy BTC in the Kraken app or, for lower fees, with a limit order on Kraken Pro. Kraken serves EU residents through Payward Europe Solutions Limited, which holds a MiCA licence from the Central Bank of Ireland.

The catch is that the easy route is the expensive one: the Kraken app charges 1% plus a markup in the price, while Kraken Pro charges 0.40% for a limit order. Most users never need more than the basics, but it pays to understand both before your first purchase. This guide walks through each step on the cryptocurrency exchange and works out the cost on €100 and €1,000. We reviewed Kraken’s fee schedule, funding and withdrawal pages, its public API and ESMA’s MiCA register on 23 October 2026. We haven’t placed orders on Kraken ourselves, so we describe the steps in general terms rather than screen by screen.

Before you buy bitcoin: is Kraken licensed where you live?

Yes, across the EU. Kraken’s EU company, Payward Europe Solutions Limited, received its MiCA authorisation from the Central Bank of Ireland on 25 June 2025 and passports it to every EEA country, including the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Ireland. Founded in 2011, Kraken is one of the older crypto exchanges in the world; a second company, Payward Global Solutions Limited, is authorised to operate the trading platform.

• Euro services: Payward Ireland Limited, also supervised by the Central Bank of Ireland, handles e-money.
• Futures: offered under MiFID II by a CySEC-licensed company in Cyprus, only to clients who pass an appropriateness test. Most retail traders lose money with leverage, so skip them for a first bitcoin purchase.
• Bitcoin in euros: Kraken’s public API listed the BTC/EUR pair (XBT/EUR) as online on 23 October 2026, alongside other cryptocurrency pairs such as ETH/EUR, ADA/EUR and LTC/EUR. For other coins, check the asset list in the app; availability can differ for EU accounts.
• Netherlands: in August 2026 Kraken agreed to take over MEXC’s Dutch customers as MEXC wound down its Dutch service.
• Track record: Kraken paid $30m in 2023 to settle SEC charges over its US staking programme; a separate SEC lawsuit was dismissed in March 2025.

Kraken also supports other fiat currencies, including USD, GBP and CHF, but for EU readers euros by SEPA are the simplest. Our Kraken review covers the licence and the record in full.

What you need to buy crypto on Kraken

You need an email address, a valid ID, a phone and a bank account in your own name to deposit funds. Kraken’s deposit and withdrawal limits depend on the verification level you complete, and the name on your bank account must match your Kraken account, so a transfer from a partner’s or a company account will not go through.

How to buy bitcoin on Kraken, step by step

Buying bitcoin on Kraken takes six steps: create a Kraken account, verify your identity, secure it, deposit euros, buy BTC, and optionally withdraw it to your own wallet. The sign-up takes 15 to 30 minutes; the SEPA transfer then needs time to arrive.

Kraken app or Kraken Pro: which is cheaper?

Kraken Pro is cheaper. The standard Kraken app charges 1% on direct and recurring buys (1.5% on custom orders), plus a variable spread and possible payment-method fees. Kraken Pro is the order-book side of the Kraken exchange, where you trade directly with other users at the price you choose. Kraken Pro, which uses the same Kraken account, charges 0.40% maker and 0.80% taker at the entry tier.

• Market order (taker): buys straight away at the best price in the order book. On Kraken Pro, 0.80%.
• Limit order (maker): you set the highest price you will pay; the order waits in the book. On Kraken Pro, 0.40%. It may stay unfilled if the price moves away.
• Kraken+: a subscription that removes the app trading fee on up to $10,000 a month, though the spread still applies.

The app is fine for a first small cryptocurrency purchase if you value simplicity. Once you are comfortable placing a limit order, Kraken Pro cuts the fee on €100 from at least €1.00 to €0.40. Kraken’s API listed a minimum order of 0.00006 BTC on BTC/EUR, so small amounts work on both.

Kraken Pro fees fall with volume

Kraken Pro fees fall as your 30-day trade volume in US dollars (USD) grows, so the rate you pay drops as you trade more. The first tiers on the fee schedule we checked:

Kraken raised the entry tier in July 2026, from 0.25% maker and 0.40% taker, so older guides quote a lower fee rate.

Kraken fees on €100 and €1,000 of bitcoin

A €1,000 bitcoin buy on Kraken costs €4.00 as a Kraken Pro limit order, €8.00 as a market order, or €10.00 plus the spread in the Kraken app. A €100 buy costs €0.40, €0.80 or €1.00 plus the spread. SEPA deposits are free.

The withdrawal fee is fixed in bitcoin, so its euro value moves with the price. As an illustration only: at €100,000 per bitcoin, 0.000015 BTC would be €1.50. Selling later and withdrawing euros by standard SEPA costs €1 (€0.90 by SEPA Instant). Our Kraken fees page breaks down every cost.

For comparison, the same €1,000 market order costs €2.50 at Bitvavo and €12.00 on Coinbase Advanced. See our Coinbase vs Kraken comparison for the full picture.

Selling bitcoin on Kraken later

To sell bitcoin on Kraken, place a sell order in the Kraken app or on Kraken Pro; the same fees apply when you sell as when you buy. A market sell order fills at the best bid, while a limit sell order waits for your price. Then withdraw the euros by SEPA for €1, or €0.90 by SEPA Instant.

A full round trip shows how costs add up: deposit €1,000 for free, buy with a Kraken Pro market order (€8.00), later sell €1,000 worth the same way (€8.00) and withdraw the euros (€1.00). That is €17.00, or 1.7% of the €1,000. With limit orders that wait in the book, the same trip costs €4.00 + €4.00 + €1.00 = €9.00. Note that the bitcoin price can also move against you while you hold.

Withdrawing bitcoin from Kraken

To move bitcoin off the exchange, add your wallet address as a withdrawal address, choose the Bitcoin network, note the 0.000015 BTC fee and confirm. Send a small test amount first if you’re using a new wallet.

If you send more than €1,000 to your own self-custody wallet, the EU travel rule requires Kraken to check that the wallet is yours, for example with a signed message or a small test payment. Allow for that the first time.

Where to keep your bitcoin

Bitcoin on your Kraken account is held in Kraken’s custody, like the assets of every other user of a custodial cryptocurrency exchange. Kraken publishes a Merkle-tree proof of reserves checked by an independent accountant (latest snapshot 30 June 2026), and its card page says major crypto assets are held 1:1 and covered by £125m of insurance, without detailing the scope.

For long-term holdings, consider self-custody, where you hold the private keys. A hardware wallet keeps those keys offline, away from phishing and malware. Our guide to wallet types explains the options. Write your recovery phrase down offline and never type it into a website.

Common mistakes when buying bitcoin on Kraken

• Using the app for every buy. At 1% plus spread it costs more than twice a Kraken Pro limit order.
• Sending money from an account in another name. Kraken requires a name match, so the deposit won’t go through.
• Depositing before finishing verification. Your limits depend on your verification level.
• Paying by card without knowing the fee. Card fees aren’t on Kraken’s funding page.
• Clicking into margin or futures. These use leverage; most retail traders lose money with them.
• Answering fake “Kraken support” messages. Use the 24/7 support service in the app, and never give your password to anyone who contacts you.
• Not waiting for the deposit to arrive. A SEPA payment can take time; place an order only once the funds show in your Kraken account.

Taxes on bitcoin bought on Kraken

Buying bitcoin is not taxed in itself, but holding and selling can be. In the Netherlands, crypto counts towards your box 3 assets on 1 January (for 2026, a 6.00% notional return taxed at 36% above €59,357 per person). In Germany, crypto held for more than a year can be sold tax-free; gains within a year are taxed at your income-tax rate once your private-sale gains reach €1,000 in a year. Export your Kraken history each year.

Is Kraken a good way to buy bitcoin?

Kraken is a good way to buy bitcoin in the EU if you use Kraken Pro: it is a MiCA-licensed cryptocurrency exchange, publishes proof of reserves and has free SEPA deposits. It isn’t the cheapest exchange for small buys; Bitvavo and Bybit EU charge 0.25% taker. If you only ever use the Kraken app, you pay 1% plus a markup each time you buy or sell, which matters more the more often you trade.