Kraken Parent Takes Tokenized Stocks Beyond US Markets

Payward, the parent company of Kraken, is expanding its xStocks tokenized equity platform beyond U.S. markets through a new partnership with investment infrastructure provider GTN. The initiative aims to introduce Hong Kong-listed shares, with potential future expansion into British, European, and South Korean equities. The xStocks framework currently offers over 500 securities and has processed more than $35 billion in volume, serving nearly 200,000 holders. By leveraging GTN’s access to over 90 global markets, Payward intends to bring international capital markets on-chain to facilitate faster settlement and 24/7 trading. This move reflects a broader industry trend where crypto firms and traditional financial institutions are racing to tokenize global equities. While the platform currently relies on third-party issuers to hold underlying assets, the expansion highlights the growing demand for blockchain-based access to international stocks, particularly those in the AI supply chain. Each market entry remains subject to local regulatory approvals, marking a significant step in the institutionalization of tokenized securities.