Nasdaq Invests $100 Million in Kraken's Parent Company Payward
Nasdaq has invested $100 million into Payward, the parent company of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken. This investment is part of a new funding round that values Payward at $21 billion and marks Nasdaq’s continued expansion into blockchain infrastructure and tokenized equities. As part of the agreement, Kraken will distribute Nasdaq's tokenized stocks on its platform, allowing investors to own digital versions with full voting rights. This follows earlier plans by Nasdaq in March 2026 to collaborate with Kraken on developing market infrastructure for tokenized assets and enabling around-the-clock trading. The move aligns with broader industry trends as the New York Stock Exchange also explores blockchain-based platforms for continuous stock trading. Payward, a private company expected to go public soon, is gaining traction in both traditional finance and crypto markets.
Tickers: $NDAQ
Topics: blockchain cryptocurrency_exchange funding_round tokenized_stocks