TL;DR

• Kraken Flexline is a fixed-rate, crypto-secured term loan offered directly by Kraken that allows clients to borrow against their crypto holdings without selling them. Loan terms range from 2 days to 2 years at fixed rates of 10–25% APR, with funds usable on Kraken Pro for trading or withdrawable off-platform (subject to limits). It supports multi-asset crypto collateral and is designed for traders, long-term holders, and crypto-native businesses seeking predictable liquidity.
  
• Kraken Flexline is distinct from both margin trading and DeFi lending. Unlike margin trading — which is variable-rate and optimized for short-term, high-frequency speculation — Flexline offers fixed rates, defined repayment schedules, and the ability to deploy capital beyond a single trading position. Unlike DeFi protocols, it carries no smart contract risk, no governance uncertainty, and no on-chain liquidation triggers; all custody, risk management, and liquidation controls are operated directly by Kraken under transparent, client-facing terms.
  
• The core value proposition of Kraken Flexline is liquidity without forced selling, delivered with full transparency. Clients can unlock capital from existing crypto holdings to fund trading activity, cover expenses, or support business operations — all while maintaining their long-term positions. Borrowers always know who holds their collateral, how their loan is priced, and when liquidation thresholds apply, making Flexline a trust-first alternative to opaque lending structures common elsewhere in the crypto industry.

What is Kraken Flexline?

We’re excited to announce Kraken Flexline, a crypto-secured loan that allows clients to borrow against their crypto holdings at fixed rates without complicated DeFi protocols or opaque lending structures. It’s a simple idea, executed the Kraken way: transparent and built for long-term trust.

Whether you’re an active trader, a HODLer, or a business managing crypto-native capital, Kraken Flexline unlocks liquidity on your terms.

Kraken Flexline is a fixed-rate, crypto-secured term loan. Clients post crypto collateral on Kraken Pro and receive crypto or stablecoins, which can be used immediately for trading or withdrawn off-platform (limits apply). Loan terms range from 2 days to 2 years, with borrowing rates from 10–25% APR, depending on the term.

At a glance:

• Borrow against your crypto without selling it
  
• Fixed rates from 10–25% APR
  
• Terms from 2 days to 2 years
  
• Multi-asset crypto collateral
  
• Funds usable on Kraken or withdrawable off-platform (subject to limits)

Kraken Flexline is designed to meet a universal client need: access to liquidity without forced selling.

Flexline vs. margin trading: designed for different jobs

While both margin and Kraken Flexline involve borrowing, they serve fundamentally different purposes.

Margin trading is built for short-term, high-frequency trading. Rates are variable, positions are tightly coupled to market movements, and leverage is optimized for active speculation.

Kraken Flexline, by contrast, is a term loan with fixed interest rates, defined repayment schedules, and off-platform withdrawals provided collateral requirements are met.

It is not a replacement for margin trading. It’s an alternative for clients who want predictable borrowing costs, more control over leverage, and the ability to deploy capital beyond a single trading position.

For many rate-sensitive traders, Kraken Flexline offers a lower effective cost of leverage without sacrificing long-term holdings.

Flexline is not DeFi. And that’s the point.

Decentralized lending protocols have expanded access to credit, but they introduce risks many clients prefer to avoid, including smart contract vulnerabilities, governance uncertainty, sudden parameter changes, and liquidations triggered by protocol-level events.

Kraken Flexline does not rely on smart contracts or on-chain liquidity pools. It is operated directly by Kraken, using established risk management, custody, and liquidation controls that clients already trust.

Clients know who is holding their collateral, how their loan is priced, and when and why liquidation thresholds apply. 

Use cases: liquidity without compromise

For rate-sensitive traders, Kraken Flexline can be an alternative to traditional margin borrowing, with fixed rates and customizable leverage. Clients can keep core holdings intact while actively deploying capital.

For crypto-rich, fiat-poor clients, Kraken Flexline unlocks liquidity without triggering asset sales where applicable. 

For builders, founders, and businesses, Kraken Flexline offers access to secured borrowing capacity and working capital without traditional credit friction.

Transparency is the feature

In an industry known for complexity and noise, Kraken Flexline focuses on what matters: simple structure, transparent terms, and a product that does exactly what it says.

Kraken Flexline is a straightforward crypto-secured loan. Borrow against your crypto. Keep your conviction. Stay in control.

Using Kraken Flexline involves risk, may have tax implications, and may result in the loss of capital. Borrowed assets subject to withdrawal limits. Availability of Kraken Flexline is subject to certain limitations and eligibility criteria.