Nasdaq Reportedly Invests $100M in Kraken Parent Payward at $21B Valuation

Nasdaq has invested $100 million in Payward, the company behind crypto exchange Kraken, according to a report by Cointelegraph. The transaction values Payward at $21 billion and comes as Nasdaq advances efforts focused on tokenized stock products that could trade around the clock. The investment links a major traditional-market operator with a company active in digital-asset markets, although the supplied report provides no further details on the structure or terms of the deal. The development is relevant to investors tracking the convergence of established exchanges, crypto platforms and blockchain-based financial products. Payward is the entity associated with Kraken, while Nasdaq is also represented by the IXIC index. The report does not state how the investment may affect Kraken’s operations, Payward’s strategy or the availability of tokenized equities.