David Ripley currently serves as co-CEO of Kraken, steering the crypto exchange’s expansion across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. He has been instrumental in Kraken’s evolution from a startup with 50 employees to a global company employing over 3,000.
Career Progression at Kraken
Ripley’s journey began with his entry into crypto in 2014 as co-founder and CEO of Glidera, a non-custodial wallet and funding service. Kraken acquired Glidera in 2016, after which Ripley transitioned to Kraken’s chief operating officer. Over six years as COO, he managed operations during a period of rapid growth and played a key role in over 16 acquisitions, regulatory licensing, and partnerships.
His operational leadership helped Kraken obtain a Wyoming Special Purpose Depository Institution charter, a rare bank-like regulatory status among crypto firms. He also oversaw the launch of Kraken Financial, a state-chartered institution providing crypto industry services.
Leadership as CEO and Co-CEO
In April 2023, Ripley succeeded co-founder Jesse Powell as sole CEO, who moved to chairman. Beginning October 2024, he became co-CEO alongside Arjun Sethi. Under Ripley’s leadership, Kraken has expanded beyond a pure crypto exchange to multi-asset infrastructure.
In June 2025, Kraken introduced Kraken Prime, offering trading, custody, and financing tailored for institutional clients. also the company agreed to acquire futures broker NinjaTrader for $1.5 billion to enhance its footprint in the U.S. derivatives market.
Kraken reported over $1.5 billion in revenue for 2024 and custodial client assets exceeding $40 billion, highlighting the firm’s growing institutional presence and broadening product offerings.
content is for informational purposes only, not financial advice
