Kraken is a US-based cryptocurrency exchange that allows users to buy, sell, and trade various assets at low commission rates. It also offers a coin staking program through which users can earn rewards. 

The exchange boasts a high level of euro volume and liquidity and supports over 100 crypto assets and seven fiat currencies, including USD, EUR, and JPY, on its web platform and mobile apps.

Founded in 2011 and launched in 2013, Kraken offers a range of products and services, including spot trading, margin trading, futures, indices, OTC, and an upcoming non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace. It serves over 8 million traders and institutional clients and is backed by several investors, including Digital Currency Group and Tribe Capital. 

The company, owned by Payward Inc., was founded by its CEO, Jesse Powell, who has been involved in the digital currency industry since 2001. Kraken is based in San Francisco, California, and is available to most US residents, except those in New York and Washington. The exchange also imposes specific restrictions on users in certain countries, including Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, and North Korea. 

Kraken supports over 120 coins, including BTC, ETH, and XRP, and has a variety of fees for different products and payment methods, including a maker-taker fee model for Kraken Pro and fees ranging from 0.9% to 1.5% for its Instant Buy service. Kraken Pro also offers margin and futures features with up to 5X leverage. The maximum leverage available depends on the currency pair.