London Stock Exchange Group partners with Payward to tokenize UK stocks
The London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) has announced a partnership with Payward, the parent company of Kraken, to tokenize the shares of the 100 largest companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. These tokenized equities will be known as xStocks and are expected to launch in early 2027 via LSE’s extended trading venue, LSE 24. This initiative is part of a broader strategy by LSEG that includes blockchain-based settlement services and expanded trading hours aimed at attracting retail investors. The partnership aims to integrate tokenized assets with regulated market infrastructure while exploring wallet-based access solutions. Payward co-CEO Arjun Sethi emphasized the potential for collaboration between traditional finance and crypto, highlighting mutual benefits. The move comes as UK stock exchanges face growing competition from crypto platforms offering 24/7 trading and faster settlement times. LSEG’s initiative is seen as a response to investor demand for more flexible access to financial markets.
Topics: blockchain partnerships regulatory_compliance stock_tokenization