Nasdaq’s Ventures arm will invest $100 million in Payward, parent company of crypto exchange Kraken, in a deal valuing Payward at $21 billion and expanding their collaboration on tokenized equities and trading infrastructure. Under the agreement, Payward will deploy Nasdaq’s market surveillance technology across its crypto, equities, tokenized equities, futures and options venues. The move deepens a partnership launched in March 2026 around linking regulated markets with blockchain networks. The firms plan to develop and launch Nasdaq Equity Tokens by the second quarter of 2027, integrated with Payward’s xStocks ecosystem. Executives describe the initiative as a step toward continuous, on-chain settlement while maintaining shareholder rights and transparency.
This update represents a notable development in the Crypto sector. Organizations and founders tracking this space should evaluate potential strategic and technical implications on their operations.