Institutional clients now have frictionless access to both traditional and digital asset ecosystems through a deepened partnership between Deutsche Börse and Kraken. The German exchange operator acquired a $200 million secondary-market stake in Payward Inc., the parent company of Kraken, representing a 1.5% fully diluted ownership. The transaction values Payward Inc. at $13.3 billion.
This investment builds on a strategic alliance established in December 2025 to bridge traditional and digital markets. The collaboration integrates services across trading, custody, settlement, collateral management, derivatives, and tokenized assets. This follows Deutsche Börse's prior expansion into the digital space, including the launch of its own crypto trading platform in 2024 and the announcement of crypto custody and settlement services via Clearstream in March 2025.
The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the second quarter.