Nasdaq and Payward partner on tokenized equities as Kraken’s parent eyes $21B valuation

Nasdaq has invested $100 million in Payward, the parent company of Kraken, valuing the firm at $21 billion. The two entities are partnering to develop tokenized equities, a move intended to accelerate the integration of traditional finance with blockchain technology. This strategic collaboration aims to potentially reshape global equity markets by merging conventional financial systems with digital asset infrastructure, leveraging Payward's expertise in crypto and Nasdaq's established position in the global trading landscape.