Nasdaq Doubles Down on Tokenized Equities with $100 Million Payward Investment
Nasdaq has invested $100 million in Payward, the parent company of crypto exchange Kraken, to advance tokenized equities. This investment is part of Nasdaq's mandate to support technology and market infrastructure that enables the long-term evolution of global capital markets.
The collaboration between Nasdaq and Payward will focus on developing Nasdaq Equity Tokens (NETs), which are expected to launch in the second quarter of 2027. NETs aim to provide a seamless and efficient way for issuers and investors to interact with tokenized equities, preserving the rights and protections intended for both parties.
The investment also introduces a market-surveillance arrangement between Nasdaq and Payward, which will enable regulated and on-chain markets to interoperate. This move is seen as a significant step towards advancing the adoption of blockchain rails in the financial sector.