Kraken, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges, has made a major move in the artificial intelligence (AI) race by acquiring Israeli startup Capitalise.ai. The deal, announced on August 20, marks a significant step in integrating AI-powered automation into crypto trading platforms, highlighting the growing convergence of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology.
What Capitalise.ai Brings to Kraken
Founded in 2015, Capitalise.ai built a no-code platform that allows users to design and execute trading strategies using simple natural language commands. This means traders can write plain-text instructions — such as “buy Bitcoin if it drops below $60,000” — and the system will translate those commands into automated trading strategies.
Once integrated into Kraken Pro later this year, clients will be able to backtest, monitor, and automate trades across not only cryptocurrencies but also equities, forex, futures, and options. This move makes advanced trading tools more accessible to a wider audience, from professional traders to retail investors who may not have coding skills.
Shannon Kurtas, head of exchange at Kraken, emphasized that the acquisition will help clients act on trading ideas in real time. She noted that the new system is designed to make advanced strategies available to everyone, bridging the gap between professional algorithmic traders and casual investors.
Kraken Expands Beyond Crypto
This acquisition follows Kraken’s earlier $1.5 billion purchase of NinjaTrader, a U.S.-based futures trading platform, in March. The back-to-back deals show the company’s ambition to expand beyond being just a crypto exchange, positioning itself as a major player in broader financial markets with AI-driven technology at the core.
The move also highlights how Kraken is adapting to the evolving needs of traders who demand speed, efficiency, and automation in increasingly complex markets. With AI’s growing role in decision-making, Kraken’s adoption of natural language trading automation could attract a new wave of users seeking simpler yet powerful trading solutions.
AI Becomes a Core Strategy in Crypto Industry
Kraken’s acquisition is part of a larger trend of crypto firms aggressively investing in artificial intelligence. Over the past year, major players have snapped up AI startups to enhance trading, compliance, and infrastructure capabilities.
- In January, Chainalysis acquired Alterya, an AI-powered fraud detection company, in a $150 million deal to strengthen compliance and monitoring.
- Later that month, Web3 super-app xPortal bought German AI startup Alphalink to integrate AI-driven interfaces for decentralized finance (DeFi) and digital identity.
- On August 11, Tether and video platform Rumble jointly bid $1.17 billion to acquire Northern Data, a German AI and high-performance computing provider.
- The same day, Bitcoin miner MARA Holdings purchased a 64% stake in French AI firm Exaion for $168 million, with an option to expand ownership by 2027.
Not all companies are choosing acquisitions. In July, Coinbase opted for a partnership with Perplexity AI, embedding its COIN50 index data into AI-powered search engines instead of directly buying a company.
This wave of deals demonstrates how artificial intelligence has shifted from being a supporting tool to a core strategy for crypto firms. For Kraken, the acquisition of Capitalise.ai puts it at the forefront of this transformation.
What This Means for Kraken Users
For Kraken Pro clients, the integration of Capitalise.ai means greater accessibility to tools that were once limited to institutional traders. By simplifying trading automation, Kraken is lowering the barrier for users to participate in algorithmic trading. This could lead to increased engagement on its platform, attracting both experienced investors and newcomers eager to explore AI-driven strategies.
Industry analysts suggest that the move will likely enhance Kraken’s competitive edge as exchanges race to blend AI with digital asset trading. With more companies entering the space, Kraken’s early investment in no-code AI solutions could prove to be a long-term advantage.
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