NinjaTrader launches in Europe as retail futures 'become a global expectation'

U.S. retail futures trading platform NinjaTrader has launched its futures offering in Europe, starting with the Netherlands and Germany, as demand for exchange-traded derivatives continues to grow among retail traders across the region.

The Chicago-based firm said Thursday it is offering European clients access to listed futures contracts through Payward Europe Digital Solutions Limited, a regulated investment firm under MiFID, the EU framework governing futures and other financial instruments.

NinjaTrader also said it plans to expand into additional EU markets, including France and Italy, later this year, in a Friday release.

The rollout comes as European regulators and market participants increasingly favor exchange-traded products over over-the-counter derivatives such as CFDs, which have faced tighter restrictions in recent years.

Several brokers and exchanges, including Interactive Brokers, which offers European clients access to exchange-listed futures and derivatives, and Eurex, have moved to expand futures and other listed derivatives under MiFID frameworks.

“Retail access to futures is becoming a global expectation, not a regional exception,” Kraken co-CEO Arjun Sethi said in a statement, pointing to growing demand for transparent, exchange-listed markets and the infrastructure needed to support them at scale.

European clients will gain access to NinjaTrader’s futures trading platform, including charting and order-flow tools, execution capabilities and a simulated trading sandbox. The firm said the tools are aimed at helping retail traders transition into listed futures markets, which have historically been less accessible in Europe than OTC products.

NinjaTrader’s expansion follows its acquisition by crypto exchange Kraken for $1.5 billion in 2025, a deal that positioned Kraken to deepen its presence in regulated derivatives markets. A few months after the acquisition, Kraken expanded its own EU derivatives offering under MiFID, including allowing crypto collateral within a regulated framework.

On Friday, the Kraken-sponsored KRAKacquisition Corp completed an upsized $345 million initial public offering as it looks to pursue a future merger or acquisition.