Kraken

Payward, the parent company of Kraken, has agreed to acquire Lithuania-based Saldo Bank for an undisclosed amount, a move that would give it a European Union banking license if regulators approve the deal. The transaction would broaden Payward’s reach from crypto trading into deposits, lending, card services and euro payments across Europe.

The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act’s failure to advance has pushed the next phase of U.S. crypto oversight toward the SEC and CFTC. Executives see faster openings for tokenization, DeFi and dealmaking, while legal experts warn unresolved spot-market supervision could keep uncertainty in place.

Wells Fargo is in discussions with Payward, the parent company of Kraken, about using the firm as a crypto liquidity provider. The talks highlight how major banks are increasingly working with established digital asset companies as regulatory conditions become more constructive.

Stripe plans to extend its stablecoin card programs to more than 100 countries by the end of the year, widening access to digital dollar payments for businesses and consumers. The push comes as stablecoin card spending reached about $1.2 billion last month, roughly triple the level seen a year earlier.

Payward has integrated Singapore Gulf Bank’s real-time clearing network to let select institutional clients settle eligible digital-asset transactions and fund trading around the clock. The rollout begins with U.S. dollar transactions in eligible Asian and Gulf jurisdictions, with more clients and currencies planned over time.

Crypto merger and acquisition activity has reached record disclosed value even after a Senate setback for the Clarity Act. Bankers and investors say the pause may not stop deals, but it could widen the gap between regulated infrastructure targets and token-centric businesses.

BNY is in talks with Payward, the parent company of Kraken, over a potential partnership that could span digital assets, custody, trading, payments and wealth management. The discussions remain ongoing, with no guarantee that the two companies will reach a final agreement.

The digital asset industry spent more than $13 million on lobbying in the first half of 2026, with about $8 million tied to the Clarity Act push. Despite major spending by Coinbase, Kraken, trade groups and outside firms, the U.S. Senate did not advance the market structure bill.

RedotPay says it has completed a financial audit required for a U.S. listing, alongside a separate review of its anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing controls. The Hong Kong-based stablecoin payments company says its IPO has not been deferred, even as other crypto firms have pushed back listing ambitions.

Kraken parent Payward is pushing beyond crypto exchange trading with a strategy spanning banking, derivatives, tokenized equities, asset management and business infrastructure. The company says its unified ledger model, acquisitions and institutional partnerships are designed to support financial products across multiple brands and channels.

The SEC’s new five-year exemption creates a clearer route for tokenized U.S. stocks that preserve full shareholder rights, while leaving synthetic stock tokens outside the framework. The move could benefit tokenization firms, qualifying custodial models and regulated DeFi venues, though access controls and issuer objections may slow adoption.

SoFi and Kraken are connecting key parts of their financial infrastructure, giving Kraken access to SoFi banking services and settlement rails while adding Kraken Prime as a liquidity source for SoFi crypto trades. The agreement also brings SoFiUSD to Kraken as fintech and crypto platforms move deeper into each other’s core markets.

Hyperliquid’s HYPE token is drawing fresh attention as a bullish chart structure points toward a possible move to $90.75. The setup comes as Hyperliquid explores a regulated path into the US derivatives market through Payward and Bitnomial.

Coinbase has launched tokenized U.S. stocks on its Base blockchain, beginning with Apple, Nvidia, Meta and Alphabet for eligible investors outside the U.S. The move adds Coinbase to a fast-growing race among crypto exchanges and market operators to bring equities onto blockchain rails.

Payward has joined Anthropic’s Project Glasswing, gaining access to Claude Mythos 5 for defensive cybersecurity work. The Kraken parent plans to use the model across its environments and disclose third-party open-source vulnerabilities to maintainers.

Banking lobbyists and crypto advocates are locked in a renewed fight over whether platforms should be allowed to offer rewards tied to stablecoin holdings. The dispute has become a central threat to the Clarity Act as lawmakers weigh bank concerns against the crypto sector’s push for market structure rules.

BitGo is set to replace LayerZero with Chainlink CCIP as the exclusive cross-chain provider for WBTC, adding major weight to a broader infrastructure migration. The announced LayerZero-to-Chainlink shift now covers roughly $14.6 billion following heightened scrutiny after the Kelp DAO bridge exploit.

A supervisory FBI special agent with top secret clearance has been arrested and accused of stealing more than $1 million in cryptocurrency from wallets connected to agency investigations. Court filings describe alleged transfers through crypto platforms and travel planning that investigators are treating as part of the case.

Strategy is publicly monitoring Bitcoin’s 200-week moving average and the cryptocurrency’s premium or discount to that level. The focus comes as Bitcoin trades near the historically important long-term trend line, with market participants watching whether support holds.

Bitcoin holders are moving funds back to centralized exchanges after a Coldcard hardware wallet vulnerability raised fresh concerns about self custody. On chain data shows smaller transfers and exchange deposits spiking in a pattern that contrasts sharply with the response to FTX’s collapse.

Payward is widening its xStocks framework beyond U.S. equities with plans to add Hong Kong-listed shares and later U.K., European and South Korean stocks, pending regulatory approvals. The move intensifies the race to bring global stock markets onchain as tokenized securities gain momentum across crypto and traditional finance.

Augustus has raised $180 million at a $1 billion valuation as it seeks to modernize clearing infrastructure for banks, fintechs and crypto firms. The company is not issuing its own stablecoin, instead positioning itself as a bridge between traditional payment rails and blockchain networks.

Kraken has introduced European-style, cash-settled bitcoin and ether options on Kraken Pro for eligible international clients. The exchange is betting that simpler product design, USD settlement and a unified trading account can help expand crypto options beyond institutional-heavy venues.

Binance.US is pushing to regain ground in the U.S. crypto exchange market after a prolonged period of regulatory pressure and slower growth. The exchange is leaning on ultra low fees, liquidity rebuilding efforts and a wider regulated product roadmap to compete with major domestic platforms.