Verdict
Higher trust score: Mullvad
Based on our trust scoring, Mullvad comes out ahead of Kraken (9.4 vs 4.8). The gap reflects differences in KYC stance, custody model and operational track record.
Note: Scores are our independent assessment. Both services have valid use cases — read each detail page before deciding.
Score breakdown
Overall /10
Kraken
4.8
Weak
Mullvad
9.4
Good
Privacy /100
Kraken
2
Poor
Mullvad
100
Good
Trust /100
Kraken
68
Average
Mullvad
96
Good
Side by side
KYC level
L5Mandatory
L1Anonymous
Tagline
Veteran US-regulated exchange founded 2011 with 600+ assets, full mandatory KYC, and bi-annual proof-of-reserves audits — listed here as a comparison baseline for custodial KYC platforms, not as a no-KYC option.
Swedish VPN with a 16-digit anonymous account number — no email, no personal data — accepting Monero, Bitcoin, Lightning and cash by mail, with a 2023 police raid that produced zero customer data.
Jurisdiction
United States
Sweden
Founded
2011
2009
Tor / .onion
No
Available
Categories
Exchange
VPN, Privacy
Feature comparison 13
Kraken
Mullvad
Bitcoin (BTC)
Accepts Monero (XMR)
—
Cash
—
Non-custodial
—
Open source
—
Tor (.onion) available
—
Lightning Network
Accepts fiat
—
Mobile app
Web app
Available worldwide
—
Custodial
—
Requires email
—
Read the full reviews
The side-by-side covers the headlines — the detail pages walk through every claim and citation.