Payward

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.

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.

Payward-owned Reap is preparing to add a Mexican peso stablecoin to its card, cross-border payment and treasury products through its global partnership with Visa. The plan points to rising interest in local-currency stablecoins that can support foreign exchange activity outside traditional banking hours.

Payward plans to offer U.S. clients access to onchain perpetual futures markets on Hyperliquid, subject to regulatory approval. The proposal would use Bitnomial Exchange and NinjaTrader Clearing to place a popular crypto derivatives product inside a regulated U.S. framework.

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.

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.

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.

Crypto companies are facing a tougher path to public markets as investor caution, weaker trading conditions and capital rotation into artificial intelligence weigh on listing plans. Market participants say access to capital, not regulation, has become the central obstacle for would be crypto IPO candidates.

Kraken is pursuing a full banking license in Europe, with Lithuania emerging as the focal jurisdiction for the plan. The move would deepen the crypto exchange’s regulated financial services ambitions as its parent company Payward seeks broader licensing worldwide.

Goldman Sachs says U.S. IPO issuance has surged to match 2021’s pace by dollar value, but the market still lacks the frenzy that defined past bubbles. Crypto firms including Payward, Ledger and Grayscale have also delayed listings amid volatile markets and softer demand.

Kraken is evaluating a deal to acquire a 15% stake in DeFi lending protocol Aave at a valuation of $385 million, according to sources. The move comes as Payward seeks to diversify ahead of a possible IPO and as Aave rebuilds after the KelpDAO fallout.

Kraken parent Payward has asked a U.S. federal court for discovery tied to PowerTrade and its co-founders, escalating a dispute over alleged missing funds. The company says the move is aimed at identifying assets that could be frozen to prevent further harm.

Kraken parent Payward will acquire Hong Kong-based Reap Technologies in a $600 million deal as the crypto exchange expands its stablecoin payments infrastructure and Asia operations.