12 trading tools for strategic crypto, stock and ETF investing

As investors gain greater access to information and asset classes, they need a strong set of trading tools to help them inform the investing process. This list covers a range of trading tools to help investors make more informed investing decisions, while also staying agile and secure across different markets.

For investors active across multiple asset classes, using a single platform to trade crypto, stocks and ETFs can help streamline their strategy and simplify account management. Instead of toggling between apps or manually reconciling trades, an all-in-one platform can make it easier to stay organized, track performance and respond to market shifts in real time.

This setup can be especially helpful for crypto-native traders branching into traditional markets as well as stock investors looking to manage digital assets alongside equities. 

Platforms like Kraken and Kraken Pro bring crypto and traditional assets together in one place, offering access to over 11,000 U.S. stocks and ETFs alongside a robust crypto trading interface. For investors managing diverse portfolios, a unified trading experience within a single tool can offer greater control and fewer distractions.

Derivatives are a trading tool designed to operate on how asset prices move. These include futures, which allow you to speculate on an asset’s price movement without ever needing to buy, sell or own the asset itself. 

Candlestick charts are fundamental trading tools that represent price movements using distinct visual segments tied to specific time periods. The body of each candlestick, like those seen on Kraken Pro, displays four key pieces of information:

• Open: The price when the time period begins
• Close: The price when the time period ends
• High: The highest price reached during that period
• Low: The lowest price reached during that period

Fundamental analysis (FA) tools evaluate an asset's underlying value by tracking data like trading volume, earnings, sector performance and macroeconomic conditions. This can help long-term investors determine whether an asset is potentially undervalued or overvalued, adding conviction to their entries and exits. 

Technical indicators, on the other hand, analyze historical price data for patterns and potential signals.Technical indicators like the Relative Strength Index (RSI), Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) and Bollinger Bands help traders assess market momentum, volatility and possible trend reversals.

These tools are built directly into Kraken Pro’s advanced charting interface, where traders can access a technical analysis (TA) widget. This tool allows traders to scan different indicators like oscillators and moving averages in real time so they can more easily spot when momentum shifts or trends begin to strengthen. Technical indicators give traders a faster read on potential market moves, without requiring them to crunch the data manually themselves. 

Investor emotions, like fear uncertainty and doubt (FUD) as well as fear of missing out (FOMO), can influence TradFi and DeFi markets alike. Tracking overall sentiment trends can give traders a valuable edge. Real-time social sentiment platforms quantify how the market feels, offering a snapshot of optimism, fear or uncertainty at any given moment.

Timing matters in crypto trading, and price alert tools help traders keep track of what is happening in the market by notifying them when an asset reaches specific price levels. Whether waiting for a breakout, setting up a reversal trade or watching for a key support or resistance zone, alerts make it easier for traders to know when to act.

By setting alerts around personalized thresholds, traders can monitor multiple assets without staying glued to the screen. This frees up time their time, while also helping to maintain a strong pulse on market movements that affect their strategy.

On Kraken Pro, price alerts are integrated directly into the trading interface. Users can create custom alerts for any asset and receive real-time push notifications when specific price targets are hit. It’s a streamlined way to stay informed and respond fast, without sacrificing control or oversight.

Trade orders let investors define both how and when their trades are executed, which gives them proactive control over strategy instead of reacting to every price movement. On Kraken Pro, these tools are built into a customizable interface that supports precise and flexible execution, even in fast-moving markets. 

While are many different types of trade orders available on Kraken Pro, the most widely used are:

• Market orders: Execute immediately at the best available price. Useful for quick entry or exit.
• Limit orders: Set a specific price for buying or selling. Offers price control, but not guaranteed execution.
• Stop-loss orders: Trigger a market sell order once a certain price is hit to help reduce potential losses.

Using the right combination of order types helps traders manage risk in volatile markets. For example, some traders use bracket orders to define risk and reward upfront by simultaneously setting a take-profit and a stop-loss for a trade. Ladder trading is another useful tool, where investors are able to break down a large order into smaller portions at various price levels to improve execution.

Unlike traditional trading tools, artificial intelligence (AI) trading bots leverage advanced mathematical algorithms and machine learning models to execute strategies with remarkable adaptability. They constantly analyze vast amounts of market data, spotting subtle patterns and adjusting their approach in real-time to optimize performance.

While effective in their own right, older or more conventional systems operate on fixed parameters. They lack the crucial ability to learn and react to the ever-shifting dynamics of crypto, stock or ETF markets.

Strong technical analysis starts with strong charting. Tools that allow traders to visualize price movements, draw trendlines and compare asset performance help uncover patterns that can shape trading decisions.

Sometimes, the most powerful tools are also the most basic. A detailed trade journal is one of the most overlooked tools in a trader’s arsenal, but can also be one of the most important when used effectively. Tracking the “why” behind investment decisions can reveal patterns that charts and price data alone can’t.

Whether it’s a spreadsheet, a structured app or even a notebook, journaling helps traders to document their strategy, goals and outcomes. What matters is having a reliable record of your thinking and activity. 

An effective journal prompt could be as simple as the following example:

I bought this much at this price for this reason. My rationale was X, my goal was Y and my time horizon was Z.

Behavioral analytics tools take this a step further. Some bespoke platforms offer win/loss tracking, emotional tagging and visual dashboards that make it easier to spot trends in your trading behavior. Some tools even support automatic imports from brokerages and crypto exchanges, including Kraken, which helps to streamline the journaling process.

As crypto regulations evolve, having accurate, real-time tax reporting tools is increasingly valuable for active traders and long-term holders. Tax reporting platforms can help traders monitor capital gains, losses and cost basis across multiple transactions. 

Instead of waiting until the end of the year to sort through trade history manually, these tools automate the process and help make it easier to stay compliant and avoid surprises.

Protecting investment assets is just as important as growing them. Secure storage tools — especially those that support self-custody — can help reduce exposure to risk, phishing attempts and other online threats.

Cold storage solutions, such as hardware wallets, keep private keys offline and encrypted. Devices like the hardware wallets, for example, claim to offer robust protection while still enabling mobile access via Bluetooth. They support thousands of tokens and can integrate with tools like Kraken for more seamless fund transfers without sacrificing security.

The right trading tools can make a major difference in investment performance, helping you analyze trends, track performance and manage risk with greater confidence.

For investors trading across asset classes, having a single platform that supports crypto, stocks and ETFs can simplify strategy and streamline investments.

Ready to put these tools to work? Start trading crypto, stocks and ETFs on Kraken with thousands of digital assets at your fingertips.