Expanding Kraken Custody to Europe under MiCA

TL;DR

• MiCA-regulated custody in the EEA: Kraken’s European entity, Payward Europe Solutions Limited (PESL), is authorized and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland
  
• Institutional-grade protection: PESL delivers compliant, transparent digital asset custody for institutions across the EEA under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation
  
• Global reach and unified standards: Together with Kraken Financial in the U.S., PESL anchors Kraken’s regulated custody network across key global jurisdictions
  

A new chapter for institutional custody in Europe

As Europe’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation comes into force, institutions now have a clear path to engage with digital assets under a harmonized, regulated framework.

Through PESL — Kraken’s MiCA-regulated European entity — institutions across the EEA can now safeguard their assets with a custody solution designed for compliance, transparency and operational assurance.

This milestone extends Kraken’s institutional footprint, pairing MiCA oversight in Europe with the existing U.S. framework operated through Kraken Financial, creating a unified global custody network.

Regulated protection under MiCA

PESL’s authorization by the Central Bank of Ireland brings the rigor of traditional financial supervision to digital assets.

Under MiCA, clients benefit from:

• Segregated custody: Client assets are fully segregated from PESL’s and Kraken exchange’s assets
  
• Independent audits and transparent reserves: Assets are supported by independent collateral verification and robust reporting
  
• MiCA-compliant governance: Oversight aligned with the EU’s highest regulatory standards
  

The result is a custody environment that delivers both institutional security and regulatory clarity across the EEA.

Seamless integration across jurisdictions

Kraken’s custody network now provides clients with true jurisdictional flexibility.

Institutions based in the EEA can onboard through PESL under MiCA while clients in the U.S. continue to access custody through Kraken Financial — both built on a unified technical and operational architecture.

This shared foundation ensures:

• Consistent reporting and security standards
  
• A harmonized client experience
  
• Cross-jurisdictional coordination for global portfolios

Operational assurance institutions can trust

Kraken Custody combines institutional-grade security with the transparency and speed of blockchain technology. PESL’s framework applies the same principles that guide Kraken Financial — including secure cold storage, rigorous key management and independent audits — to ensure operational maturity across every layer of the custody stack.

This alignment enables institutions to confidently custody digital assets under a regulated, resilient and independently verified structure purpose-built for fiduciaries, funds and corporate treasuries.

Strengthening Kraken’s global custody network

With the addition of PESL in Ireland, Kraken now offers regulated digital asset custody under two major regimes — MiCA in Europe and state and federal oversight in the U.S.

This expansion reflects Kraken’s long-standing commitment to operating transparently and compliantly across global markets, empowering institutions to engage in the digital asset ecosystem with confidence.

Learn more

To explore how Kraken Custody can support your organization’s digital asset strategy, visit kraken.com/institutions/custody or get in touch with your account manager.