Nasdaq Invests $100 Million in Kraken Parent Payward

Nasdaq Invests — Stock exchange giant Nasdaq has invested $100 million in Payward, the parent company of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, at a $21 billion valuation.

The investment marks a significant vote of confidence from a major traditional financial market operator in the crypto sector. The deal values Payward substantially higher than a previous investment from Deutsche Börse in April, which implied a $13.3 billion valuation for the company.

This strategic investment by Nasdaq comes as institutional interest in digital assets continues to grow. The move aligns Nasdaq with one of the world’s longest-running and largest cryptocurrency exchanges.

The capital infusion is expected to support Payward’s and Kraken’s operational growth and expansion initiatives. The valuation jump in just five months highlights the accelerating institutional capital flowing into the crypto infrastructure space.