--- title: Nasdaq Invests $100M in Kraken Parent Payward at $21B Valuation url: >- https://www.cryptocatalyst.news/articles/2026-09-10-nasdaq-invests-100m-in-kraken-parent-payward-at-21b-valuation canonical: >- https://www.cryptocatalyst.news/articles/2026-09-10-nasdaq-invests-100m-in-kraken-parent-payward-at-21b-valuation date: '2026-09-10T18:59:00.201802+00:00' category: general tags: - nasdaq - kraken - payward - tokenized-equities - investment - crypto source: CoinDesk source_url: >- https://www.coindesk.com/business/2026/09/10/nasdaq-invests-usd100-million-in-kraken-parent-company-payward-at-usd21-billion-valuation sources: - name: CoinDesk url: >- https://www.coindesk.com/business/2026/09/10/nasdaq-invests-usd100-million-in-kraken-parent-company-payward-at-usd21-billion-valuation - name: Decrypt url: >- https://decrypt.co/377864/nasdaq-invests-100m-in-kraken-parent-payward-at-21b-valuation - name: Bitcoin Magazine url: 'https://bitcoinmagazine.com/news/nasdaq-invests-in-kraken' publisher: CryptoCatalyst summary: >- Nasdaq invests $100M in Kraken's parent company Payward, valuing it at $21B to expand tokenized, voting-enabled equities for crypto exchange users. Valuation surged from $13.3B. image: >- https://www.cryptocatalyst.news/images/articles/2026-09-10-nasdaq-invests-100m-in-kraken-parent-payward-at-21b-valuation.webp generated_by: automated editorial pipeline --- # Nasdaq Invests $100M in Kraken Parent Payward at $21B Valuation Nasdaq has invested $100 million in Kraken's parent company, Payward, at a $21 billion valuation. This deal will bring tokenized, voting-enabled equities to crypto exchange users. The valuation has surged from $13.3 billion just five months ago. ## Key takeaways - Nasdaq invested $100 million in Kraken parent Payward at a $21 billion valuation. - The partnership will bring tokenized, voting-enabled equities to crypto exchange users. - Valuation surged from $13.3 billion implied by Deutsche Börse's stake five months ago. - Tokenized equities can offer lower fees, faster settlement, and fractional share trading. ## Nasdaq Invests $100M in Kraken's Parent Company Nasdaq has invested $100 million in Payward, the parent company of the popular crypto exchange Kraken. This investment values Payward at $21 billion, a significant increase from the $13.3 billion valuation implied by Deutsche Börse's stake just five months ago. The deal aims to expand the availability of tokenized, voting-enabled equities to crypto exchange users, marking a strategic partnership between the traditional financial market and the crypto industry. ## Why This Partnership Matters This investment is part of a broader trend where traditional financial institutions are increasingly integrating with the crypto market. By partnering with Payward, Nasdaq is positioning itself to offer tokenized assets, which are digital representations of traditional financial instruments. These tokenized equities will allow crypto exchange users to trade stocks with the same ease and functionality as cryptocurrencies, potentially democratizing access to traditional financial markets. ## What It Means for Crypto Users For crypto users, this partnership could mean easier access to tokenized equities, which combine the benefits of blockchain technology with traditional financial instruments. Tokenized equities can offer lower fees, faster settlement times, and the ability to trade fractional shares. Additionally, the voting rights enabled by these tokenized equities could give investors a more direct say in corporate governance. ## What to Watch Next Keep an eye on the rollout of tokenized equities on Kraken and other platforms. This could be a game-changer for both crypto and traditional finance, potentially attracting more institutional investors to the crypto space. As the partnership develops, we may see more traditional financial institutions following Nasdaq's lead, further bridging the gap between traditional and digital finance. For more on Kraken's strategic moves, see [Kraken's Parent Company to Offer Tokenized IPO Access for Retail Investors](/articles/2026-06-03-krakens-parent-company-to-offer-tokenized-ipo-access-for-retail-investors) and [Kraken's Parent Company Seeks U.S. Federal Banking Charter](/articles/2026-05-10-krakens-parent-company-seeks-us-federal-banking-charter). ## FAQ ### What is the significance of Nasdaq's investment in Payward? Nasdaq's investment in Payward is significant because it represents a strategic partnership to bring tokenized, voting-enabled equities to crypto exchange users, bridging traditional finance and the crypto market. ### How does the $21 billion valuation compare to previous valuations? The $21 billion valuation is a substantial increase from the $13.3 billion implied by Deutsche Börse's stake just five months ago. ### What are tokenized equities? Tokenized equities are digital representations of traditional financial instruments that can be traded on blockchain platforms, offering benefits like lower fees and faster settlement times. ### What does this partnership mean for crypto users? This partnership could mean easier access to tokenized equities for crypto users, allowing them to trade stocks with the same ease and functionality as cryptocurrencies. ## Sources This article synthesizes reporting from [CoinDesk](https://www.coindesk.com/business/2026/09/10/nasdaq-invests-usd100-million-in-kraken-parent-company-payward-at-usd21-billion-valuation), [Decrypt](https://decrypt.co/377864/nasdaq-invests-100m-in-kraken-parent-payward-at-21b-valuation), [Bitcoin Magazine](https://bitcoinmagazine.com/news/nasdaq-invests-in-kraken), written by an automated editorial pipeline. See https://www.cryptocatalyst.news/editorial-policy. ## How to cite CryptoCatalyst.news, "Nasdaq Invests $100M in Kraken Parent Payward at $21B Valuation", 2026-09-10, https://www.cryptocatalyst.news/articles/2026-09-10-nasdaq-invests-100m-in-kraken-parent-payward-at-21b-valuation