Payward | Crypto

Kraken parent Payward agreed to buy Hong Kong-based Reap for up to $600 million, adding card issuance and stablecoin payment capabilities to its new B2B platform. Kraken parent Payward agreed to acquire Hong Kong-based Reap Technologies for up to $600 million, expanding its push into stablecoin payments and business-to-business (B2B) financial infrastructure. Payward has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Reap for up to $600 million, the company announced Thursday. The deal is set to be paid in a mix of cash and Payward stock, in a transaction that values Payward’s equity at $20 billion. It would expand Payward Services, the company's B2B infrastructure platform launched in March 2026. The deal comes as crypto companies increasingly expand beyond trading services into payments infrastructure and stablecoin-related products as stablecoins gain traction among fintech firms and businesses. Read more

The deal gives Payward a full CFTC-regulated derivatives stack in the U.S.

The acquisition provides a fully licensed derivatives stack under CFTC oversight, covering trading, clearing and brokerage. Payward, the parent company of Kraken, announced it has completed its acquisition of crypto derivatives venue Bitnomial, giving it control of a fully CFTC-regulated derivatives stack in the United States. The acquisition gives Payward a Futures Commission Merchant, Designated Contract Market and Derivatives Clearing Organization, infrastructure it plans to use to expand CFTC-regulated products across Kraken and NinjaTrader, starting with spot margin, with perpetuals and options expected to follow. Payward said Bitnomial will continue operating within its existing regulatory structure, with the deal enabling partners, including fintechs, banks and brokerages, to access US-regulated derivatives through the company's infrastructure platform. Read more

The deal gives Payward control of a fully licensed U.S. crypto derivatives stack, accelerating its expansion in regulated markets.

Deutsche Börse said it will invest $200 million in Kraken’s parent company for a fully diluted stake of 1.5%, subject to regulatory approval. Update April 14, 12:39 pm UTC: This article has been updated to include a comment from a Kraken spokesperson. Deutsche Börse said Tuesday it will invest $200 million in Payward, the parent company of crypto exchange Kraken, deepening a partnership between the two companies as the German exchange operator expands further into digital assets. The investment, which is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the second quarter, will give Deutsche Börse a 1.5% fully diluted stake in Kraken through a secondary share purchase. Read more