Kraken Parent Seeks Global Banking Licenses to Expand Financial Services

Payward, the parent company of crypto exchange Kraken, is exploring full banking licenses in jurisdictions outside the U.S. Co-CEO Dave Ripley made the announcement at the Wyoming Blockchain Symposium 2026.

Ripley said the company is focused on other geographies where regulation may allow faster progress and plans to offer more financial products to users.

Kraken already operates Kraken Financial, a Wyoming-chartered Special Purpose Depository Institution that launched in March 2024. This entity received a Federal Reserve master account earlier this year, the first for a crypto company.

Chief Commercial Officer Mark Greenberg hinted at products that could come later down the line, including mortgages, which would represent a large step beyond its current crypto-focused offerings.