Nasdaq Advances Always-On Markets and Tokenized Equities Strategy with Agreement to Invest in Payward
Nasdaq has announced a $100 million investment in Payward, the parent company of the global crypto exchange Kraken, to accelerate the development of tokenized equity infrastructure. This strategic move deepens a partnership initiated in March, specifically targeting the launch of Nasdaq Equity Tokens (NETs) by the second quarter of 2027. The collaboration aims to integrate Nasdaq’s regulated market surveillance technology with Payward’s xStocks ecosystem to facilitate seamless capital movement and always-on liquidity. By combining Nasdaq’s institutional expertise with Kraken’s crypto-native execution capabilities, the companies intend to build a robust framework for the distribution and settlement of tokenized stocks. This initiative represents a significant step toward the convergence of traditional financial markets and decentralized networks. The partnership also includes the adoption of Nasdaq’s market surveillance tools across Kraken’s trading venues to ensure high-integrity operations. Ultimately, this investment underscores Nasdaq's commitment to modernizing market infrastructure through programmable assets and interoperable digital systems.
- Nasdaq Ventures invested $100 million into Payward to advance tokenized equity infrastructure.
- Nasdaq Equity Tokens (NETs) are scheduled for a projected launch in Q2 2027.
- Payward will integrate Nasdaq’s market surveillance technology across its global trading venues.
- The collaboration focuses on interoperability between NETs and the Payward xStocks ecosystem.
Nasdaq is a global technology company providing trading, clearing, exchange technology, and public company services. Payward, operating as Kraken, is a major cryptocurrency exchange that provides a platform for trading digital assets and has developed the xStocks infrastructure layer to support the tokenization of traditional financial instruments.