Kraken Wallet Excludes Cardano: ADA Advocates Alarmed

No Cardano support from the Kraken Wallet has reignited fears that ADA is losing ground in the cryptocurrency landscape.

Woman showing a kraken in her purse.
Created by Kornelija Poderskytฤ— from DailyCoin
Update April 22 10:40 UTC: This article has been updated to include an official response provided by Kraken to DailyCoin.
  • Kraken launched a new multi-token self-custody wallet that does not support ADA.
  • Cardano supporters voice frustration over the Kraken snub.
  • The snub is the latest demonstration of Cardanoโ€™s waning influence.

Amid stagnant price action and falling market cap ranking, concerns about Cardanoโ€™s trajectory are mounting among the ADA faithful. Adding fuel to the fire, it recently emerged that Krakenโ€™s newly launched self-custody crypto wallet, named โ€œKraken Wallet,โ€ does not support ADA, triggering a wave of frustration and confusion within the Cardano community.

Cardano Holders Want Answers

Leading the expressions of frustration and confusion over the wallet snub, X influencer ADA Whale stated, “It remains a mystery to me how a chain like Cardanoโ€ continues missing out on basic infrastructure integrations. 

The X influencer took Kraken’s snub personally, inferring there must be something happening behind the scenes ADA holders are unaware of, as he wondered, โ€œWhatโ€™s your problem with us?โ€

Sponsored

A Kraken spokesperson told DailyCoin that the Kraken Wallet is intended as a single interface to access the whole of the decentralized web, and that the company is currently working on rolling out support for other chains.

"Kraken Wallet is a multi-chain wallet that is designed to enable users to access all areas of the decentralized web from one interface. We plan to add additional support for other chains and ecosystems in due course," stated the Kraken spokesperson.

Rick McCracken, stake pool operator, took a more objective position than ADA Whale, suggesting that the lack of Cardano integration boils down to insufficient outreach, rather than any systematic bias. McCracken stated that “this stuff clearly fell on founding entities to engage these folks to at least get the ball rolling the past couple years.” 

With Cardanoโ€™s Voltaire self-governance model soon to ship, McCracken believed responsibility for infrastructure integrations would shift to the Cardano community, rather than relying on entities such as the Cardano Foundation or Input Output.

Nonetheless, the snub represents a severe blow to ADA advocates, who assumed Cardanoโ€™s size and standing would lead to automatic integrations with infrastructure projects such as Kraken Wallet.  

The Kraken Wallet For Simple Integration

The new Kraken Wallet is pitched as a simple and secure self-custody solution to “discover the decentralized world and manage your digital assets with ease.” It aims to empower users by providing an on-chain experience backed by Kraken’s security and customer service. Key features include comprehensive portfolio tracking across tokens, NFTs, and DeFi positions.

Kraken Wallet touts multichain support, allowing seamless interaction with eight major blockchains: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Optimism, Base, Arbitrum, Polygon, and Dogecoin. It also integrates with WalletConnect for accessing thousands of decentralized apps (dApps). 

Privacy is mentioned as a core focus, with the wallet collecting minimal data by proxying user activity through Kraken’s servers to shield IP addresses, while not storing sign-in credentials or KYC information.

On the Flipside

  • Cardano advocates blame poor marketing and lack of VC interest for the chain‘s inability to gain wider traction.
  • ADA fell to a 19-week low of $0.402 on April 13, following tensions in the Middle East flaring.

Why This Matters

Kraken’s apparent snub of Cardano is a symbolic blow to the project’s ambitions. Whether intended or not, Kraken’s decision cranks up the pressure on Cardano to make inroads with major infrastructure players.

Learn about Cardanoโ€™s slide down the crypto market cap rankings here:
Cardano Supporters Rue TONโ€™s Meteoric Market Cap Climb

Find out more about Tetherโ€™s plans to become a global tech giant here:
Whatโ€™s Behind Tetherโ€™s Expansive Vision Beyond Stablecoins?

This article is for information purposes only and should not be considered trading or investment advice. Nothing herein shall be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. Trading forex, cryptocurrencies, and CFDs pose a considerable risk of loss.

Author
Samuel Wan

Samuel Wan is a reporter at DailyCoin covering market affairs. Samuel's has holdings in Bitcoin and Cardano, with other minor holdings across the market.

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