Kraken said on Thursday it would buy retail futures trading platform NinjaTrader for $1.5 billion, in a deal that would allow one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges to expand into multiple asset classes and grow its user base.

The cryptocurrency exchange Kraken is nearing a $1.5 billion deal for NinjaTrader, a U.S. retail futures trading platform, in a bid to expand its user base and expand into other asset classes, according to people familiar with the matter.

Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken has entered an agreement to acquire NinjaTrader Group LLC, a leading U.S. retail futures trading platform provider, for $1.5 billion, subject to certain purchase price agreements.