Nasdaq Invests $100M in Payward, Parent of Cryptocurrency Exchange Kraken

Nasdaq has agreed to invest $100 million in Payward, Kraken's parent company. This deal marks an expansion of their partnership that began in March to develop tokenized equity infrastructure.

The investment will enable Payward to adopt Nasdaq's market surveillance technology across its trading venues, which include crypto, equity, and tokenized equity platforms.

Nasdaq plans to launch its Equity Tokens in the second quarter of 2027. According to Tal Cohen, President of Nasdaq, 'The next era of market evolution will be defined by how efficiently and seamlessly capital and assets move across the financial system with durable liquidity.'