How to short sell on Kraken?

Kraken allows short selling through margin trading and futures contracts, enabling users to profit from declining crypto prices with borrowed funds or leveraged positions.

Jul 19, 2025 at 12:00 am

Understanding Short Selling in the Cryptocurrency Market

Short selling, or shorting, is a trading strategy used to profit from a decline in the price of an asset. In the context of cryptocurrency, this involves borrowing a cryptocurrency, selling it at the current market price, and then buying it back at a lower price to return it to the lender, keeping the difference as profit. While this strategy can be highly lucrative, it also carries significant risk, especially in a volatile market like cryptocurrency. Kraken, one of the most established cryptocurrency exchanges, offers users the ability to engage in short selling through margin trading and futures contracts.

How Kraken Supports Short Selling

Kraken does not allow direct short selling of cryptocurrencies in the traditional sense, such as through a peer-to-peer lending mechanism. However, it enables short selling via margin trading and futures contracts. Margin trading allows traders to borrow funds to increase their trading position beyond what would be possible with their own capital alone. Futures contracts, on the other hand, are agreements to buy or sell an asset at a predetermined price at a specified time in the future. Both methods allow traders to take a short position on crypto assets listed on Kraken, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others.

Setting Up a Margin Trading Account on Kraken

Before you can begin short selling on Kraken, you must first enable margin trading on your account. This involves several steps:

• Verify your identity: Kraken requires users to complete a higher level of verification to access margin trading.
• Apply for margin trading: Navigate to the margin trading section in your account settings and submit an application.
• Review terms and conditions: You will need to accept the terms of Kraken's margin agreement.
• Fund your margin account: Transfer the necessary assets into your margin wallet to serve as collateral.

Once your margin account is active, you can begin borrowing funds and initiating short positions.

Executing a Short Sell via Margin Trading

To short sell a cryptocurrency using margin trading on Kraken, follow these steps:

• Select the cryptocurrency pair: Choose the trading pair you wish to short, such as BTC/USD or ETH/USD.
• Switch to the margin trading view: Kraken provides a separate interface for margin trading.
• Borrow the asset: Use the margin functionality to borrow the cryptocurrency you want to short.
• Sell the borrowed asset: Place a sell order at the current market price or set a limit order.
• Monitor the market: Wait for the price to drop to your target level.
• Buy back the asset: Once the price has decreased, purchase the same amount of the cryptocurrency.
• Repay the borrowed amount: Return the borrowed coins and keep the profit from the price difference.

It is crucial to monitor liquidation levels and maintain sufficient collateral to avoid margin calls.

Short Selling Using Futures Contracts on Kraken

Kraken Futures allows traders to short sell cryptocurrencies through futures contracts. Futures trading is a more advanced method and involves predicting the future price of an asset. Here's how to short sell using Kraken Futures:

• Access Kraken Futures: Navigate to the Kraken Futures platform.
• Choose a futures contract: Select the cryptocurrency and contract expiration date.
• Select a short position: Indicate that you want to sell the futures contract now, anticipating a price drop.
• Set your leverage: Choose the leverage level that aligns with your risk tolerance.
• Place the order: Execute the short futures trade.
• Manage the position: Monitor the market and set stop-loss orders to mitigate risk.
• Close the position: Buy back the contract before expiration or let it settle automatically.

Futures contracts offer a structured way to short sell without needing to borrow assets directly.

Risks and Considerations in Short Selling on Kraken

Short selling is inherently risky due to the unpredictable nature of cryptocurrency prices. If the market moves against your position, losses can be substantial, especially when using leverage. Margin calls and liquidation are real risks that traders must account for. Additionally, fees associated with borrowing assets and trading can eat into profits. Traders should also consider the tax implications of short selling, as profits may be subject to capital gains tax depending on jurisdiction.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I short sell on Kraken without using margin or futures?

A: Kraken does not offer a direct short selling mechanism outside of margin trading or futures contracts. These are the two primary methods available for taking a short position on the platform.

Q: What cryptocurrencies can I short on Kraken?

A: Kraken supports short selling on major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), and Bitcoin Cash (BCH), among others, depending on availability in the margin and futures markets.

Q: How much leverage can I use when short selling on Kraken?

A: Kraken offers up to 5x leverage for margin trading, while Kraken Futures allows traders to choose leverage levels depending on the contract and account type.

Q: Is short selling available for all Kraken users?

A: No, short selling via margin or futures requires additional account verification and approval. Users must meet certain eligibility criteria set by Kraken to access these features.