Kraken Ink is the Layer 2 network Kraken launched on the OP Stack in 2024, and Ink Points are the loyalty layer that sits on top of it. Points are the way Kraken rewards early users for bridging, swapping, holding ecosystem assets, and completing onchain quests. They are not a token yet, but Kraken has signaled that points will convert into the INK token at TGE.
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This article breaks down what Ink Points are, every active way to earn them in 2026, the multiplier tiers, expected redemption mechanics, and how the program stacks up against Hyperliquid Points, Linea Voyage, zkSync, and EigenLayer.
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Ink is an Ethereum L2 built by Kraken on the OP Stack, part of the Optimism Superchain. It launched mainnet in December 2024 with a focus on DeFi, low fees, and tight integration with the Kraken exchange (one-click deposit and withdrawal from a Kraken account directly to Ink).
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The chain runs the standard OP Stack rollup architecture: transactions settle to Ethereum, fees are paid in ETH, and bridging uses the canonical Optimism bridge plus partner routes. Kraken has positioned Ink as the home for "DeFi for everyone," with native DEXes, lending markets, and an in-house perp venue.
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Ink Points are the user-facing reward system that runs on top of all that activity.
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Points are awarded for verifiable onchain actions on Ink and tracked through the official Kraken Ink portal at inkonchain.com. Each user connects a wallet, optionally links their Kraken account for bonus multipliers, and accrues points across four main earning surfaces:

Balances update daily. Points are non-transferable and tied to the wallet that earned them.
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The simplest entry point. Bridging stablecoins or ETH from a supported chain awards a base rate of points proportional to dollar value bridged and time-held on Ink. Holding bridged assets longer compounds the reward (a "loyalty curve" that pays more per week the longer funds sit). USDC, USDT, ETH, and wstETH are the highest-multiplier bridge assets in 2026. For broader context on cross-chain transfers, see our overview of stablecoin bridging.
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Every swap on an approved Ink DEX accrues points based on volume. Stablecoin-to-stablecoin swaps pay the lowest rate; volatile pairs pay the highest. Aggregator routes through 1inch and Odos that settle on Ink also count.
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LPing on Velodrome, supplying to Reservoir's lending markets, and providing stablecoin liquidity to native AMMs all earn time-weighted points. This is the highest-yield surface for users who can park capital for weeks rather than minutes.
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The Kraken Ink portal rotates partner quests every two weeks. Quests range from "swap $100 of TOKEN" to "hold an NFT for 7 days" to "vote in a governance proposal." Quest points are fixed-reward rather than volume-weighted, so they favor smaller wallets that would otherwise be drowned out by whales on volume-based surfaces.
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Certain ecosystem tokens, including governance tokens of major Ink-native protocols, count as "qualifying holdings" and accrue passive points just for sitting in a connected wallet. The list is curated by Kraken and updated quarterly.
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Ink Points use a four-tier multiplier system. Tier is determined by a combination of total points earned and Kraken account verification level:

Linking a fully-verified Kraken Pro account adds a flat 1.1x on top of tier multiplier. Holding a Kraken Ink Genesis NFT (the launch collection minted in 2025) adds another 1.15x. Multipliers stack.
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Kraken has publicly stated that Ink Points are a "pre-token loyalty program" and that points-holders will receive an allocation when the INK token launches. No exact conversion ratio has been announced. Industry comps suggest a 1:1 to 1:10 points-to-token ratio is most likely, with airdrops typically valued at 5% to 15% of total token supply.
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Kraken has not committed to a TGE date as of May 2026. The official guidance is "after sufficient ecosystem maturity," which most analysts read as late 2026 or 2027.
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Until conversion details are public, any specific dollar value is speculation. The honest framing: points are a claim on a future allocation whose size, timing, and price are all unknown. Earn them as a side-effect of activity you would do anyway, not as the primary reason to deploy capital.
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For a deeper look at how to think about points-based rewards generally, see our guide to evaluating airdrop campaigns.
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The points-program model has become standard across major L2s and onchain venues. Here is how Ink stacks up against the four most-cited comps in 2026:

The pattern across all five: programs that look like Ink (multiple earn surfaces, multiplier tiers, pre-token) typically convert within 12 to 24 months of launch, with the size of the airdrop scaling with the user's share of total points at snapshot.
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For users who already trade or hold stablecoins on Kraken, yes. The marginal cost of bridging USDC to Ink and parking it in a stablecoin LP is low (a few dollars in gas), and points accrue passively. The downside risk is small: bridging fees plus opportunity cost on yield differential vs. Aave on mainnet.
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For users who would otherwise not touch Ink, the answer is more nuanced. The expected value of any given point is unknown, and historical airdrops have ranged from "life-changing" (Hyperliquid, Jito) to "barely covered gas" (some retroactive distributions). Treat Ink Points as a lottery ticket attached to activity that already makes sense, not as a standalone yield strategy.
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Visit inkonchain.com and connect the wallet you have been using. The dashboard shows total points, tier, active multipliers, and a breakdown of points earned per surface (bridge, swap, LP, quests, holdings). Balances refresh once per day at 00:00 UTC.
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No. Points are non-transferable and tied to the originating wallet. Secondary markets for points (OTC desks, points-trading platforms like Whales Market) have emerged for some programs but Kraken has not endorsed any such venue for Ink Points, and trading them carries counterparty risk plus the possibility of disqualification.
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Bridging assets off Ink stops the time-weighted accrual for those assets but does not zero out previously-earned points. Quest and swap points are locked in once earned. The loyalty curve resets if you bridge back later.
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This article draws on official Kraken Ink documentation at inkonchain.com, Kraken blog posts announcing the Ink mainnet launch and points program, and public statements from Kraken leadership about TGE timing. Comparison data for Hyperliquid, Linea, zkSync, and EigenLayer comes from each project's official points portals and airdrop announcements. Multiplier tier names and thresholds reflect the Ink portal as of May 2026 and are subject to change.
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