What are the different order types available for Kraken contracts?

Kraken offers advanced contract trading with key order types like limit, market, stop-loss, take-profit, and trailing stop orders to manage risk and automate strategies effectively.

Aug 12, 2025 at 04:15 pm

Understanding Kraken Contracts and Their Functionality

Kraken is a well-established cryptocurrency exchange that supports advanced trading features, including futures and perpetual contracts. These contracts allow traders to speculate on the price movements of digital assets without owning the underlying asset. To manage risk and execute strategies effectively, Kraken offers a variety of order types tailored for contract trading. Each order type serves a distinct purpose and enables users to enter or exit positions under specific market conditions. Understanding these order types is essential for both novice and experienced traders navigating Kraken’s derivatives platform.

Limit Orders in Kraken Contracts

A limit order allows traders to set a specific price at which they are willing to buy or sell a futures contract. This order type will only execute when the market reaches the defined price or better. Limit orders are ideal for traders who want to control the entry or exit point of their position.

• Navigate to the Kraken Futures trading interface
• Select the desired contract pair (e.g., BTC/USD)
• Choose “Limit” from the order type dropdown
• Enter the price at which you want the order to execute
• Input the quantity of contracts
• Click “Buy” or “Sell” to place the order

Limit orders are not guaranteed to fill, especially in fast-moving markets. They appear in the order book and remain active until filled, canceled, or expired based on the time-in-force setting.

Market Orders for Immediate Execution

A market order executes immediately at the best available price in the market. This order type ensures quick entry or exit but does not guarantee a specific price, which can lead to slippage during periods of high volatility.

• Access the Kraken Futures dashboard
• Pick the contract you wish to trade
• Select “Market” as the order type
• Specify the amount of contracts to buy or sell
• Confirm the transaction using the “Buy” or “Sell” button

Market orders are useful when speed is prioritized over price precision. Traders should monitor the current bid-ask spread before placing a market order to estimate potential slippage.

Stop-Loss Orders to Manage Risk

A stop-loss order helps traders limit losses by automatically triggering a market or limit order when a specified price level is reached. On Kraken, stop-loss orders can be used in both long and short positions.

• Go to the order entry panel
• Choose “Stop” or “Stop-Limit” from the order types
• Set the stop price—the trigger point for the order
• For a stop-market order, execution will occur at market price once the stop is hit
• For a stop-limit order, define a limit price for execution after the stop is triggered
• Enter the contract size and submit the order

Stop-loss orders are crucial for risk management. However, during extreme volatility, stop-market orders may execute at prices significantly worse than the stop price due to gaps in pricing.

Take-Profit Orders to Secure Gains

A take-profit order allows traders to automatically close a position when a desired profit level is reached. Kraken supports take-profit orders in both market and limit forms.

• In the trading interface, select “Take Profit” or “Take Profit Limit”
• Enter the trigger price at which the order becomes active
• For take-profit limit, specify the execution price
• Define the number of contracts to close
• Submit the order

Take-profit limit orders ensure execution at a defined price but may not fill if the market moves away quickly. Take-profit market orders guarantee execution but not the price.

Trailing Stop Orders for Dynamic Protection

A trailing stop order adjusts the stop price automatically as the market moves in the trader’s favor. This order type helps lock in profits while allowing room for further upside.

• Choose “Trailing Stop” from the order menu
• Set the trailing distance in price units or percentage
• The stop price trails the highest price (for longs) or lowest price (for shorts)
• When the market reverses by the trailing amount, the order triggers
• The resulting order is typically a market order unless otherwise specified

Trailing stops are beneficial in trending markets. They require constant monitoring of price action and may be less effective in choppy or sideways conditions.

Conditional Orders with Advanced Triggers

Kraken supports conditional orders that activate based on specific market conditions, such as index price or last traded price. These are useful for algorithmic or event-driven strategies.

• Use the advanced order settings panel
• Define the trigger condition (e.g., index price reaches X)
• Select the order type to execute upon trigger (limit, market, etc.)
• Enter all required parameters including price, size, and time-in-force
• Activate the order

Conditional orders are not visible in the public order book until triggered. They are particularly useful for hedging or entering positions based on external price feeds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I modify a limit order after placing it on Kraken Futures?

Yes, you can edit or cancel an open limit order as long as it has not been filled. Navigate to the “Open Orders” section, locate the order, and choose to adjust the price or quantity, or cancel it entirely.

What happens to a stop-loss order if the market gaps past the stop price?

If the market moves past the stop price without trading at it, a stop-market order will execute at the next available price, which may result in significant slippage. A stop-limit order may not execute at all if the limit price is not met after the stop is triggered.

Are trailing stop orders supported on mobile Kraken apps?

Yes, the Kraken mobile app supports trailing stop orders. Access the futures trading section, select “Trailing Stop”, input the trailing distance, and confirm. The order functions the same as on the desktop platform.

Do take-profit orders remain active after partial fills of the initial position?

Yes, Kraken allows take-profit orders to remain active even if the associated position is partially closed. The take-profit will apply to the remaining open contracts unless manually canceled or adjusted.