Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken is launching a bank under a new regulatory framework in Wyoming, a move that will expand its product suite, the firm said in an announcement Wednesday. Headquartered in Wyoming, Kraken Financial will be regulated by the Wyoming Division of Banking under a so-called Special Purpose Depository Institution. The new structure was purpose-built for cryptocurrency companies and will allow Kraken to offer certain banking functions to clients and effectively serve as the exchange operator's primary banking relationship. Up until this point, Kraken has relied on third-party providers for wire ... (full story)

Kraken is the first cryptocurrency firm to become a bank. On Wednesday, the Wyoming Banking Board voted to approve the San Francisco-based crypto exchange’s application for a special purpose depository institution (SPDI) charter. Kraken is the first SPDI bank in Wyoming and according to the Wyoming Division of Banking’s general counsel, Chris Land, Kraken will also be the first newly chartered (de novo) bank in the state since 2006. “By becoming a bank we get direct access to federal payments infrastructure, and we can more seamlessly integrate banking and funding options for customers,” said David Kinitsky, a ... (full story)