Nasdaq Pumps $100 Million into Payward to Bolster Tokenised Equities

Nasdaq has made a significant investment in Payward, the parent company of cryptocurrency platform Kraken. The $100 million injection is aimed at advancing tokenised equities and digital market infrastructure through their partnership. This collaboration seeks to modernise capital markets by integrating traditional financial systems with decentralised networks.

The partnership focuses on the development of Nasdaq Equity Tokens (NETs), a proposed framework that puts public companies at the centre of ownership rights, governance, and transparency within tokenised equity markets. The NETs design is expected to launch in the second quarter of 2027.

Nasdaq's President, Tal Cohen, stated that the next era of market evolution will be defined by efficient capital movement across financial systems with durable liquidity. He believes that Payward can play a crucial role in building infrastructure supporting this evolution.