Crypto exchange Kraken owner to buy European bank
Payward, the parent company of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, has signed an agreement to acquire Saldo Bank. The acquisition involves the purchase of Finnish holding company Saldo Finance Oy, which owns the Lithuania-licensed bank. This move allows Payward to hold deposits from European customers and expand its lending operations across the European Union. Co-CEO Arjun Sethi indicated the purchase follows a series of other acquisitions this year, including Reap, Bitnomial, and NinjaTrader.
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- ✓ Payward is the parent company of the Kraken cryptocurrency exchange.
- ✓ Payward has agreed to acquire Saldo Bank, which is licensed in Lithuania.
- ✓ The deal involves the acquisition of the Finnish holding company Saldo Finance Oy.
- ✓ The acquisition intends to expand Payward's lending and deposit capabilities in Europe.
What changed
Payward signed an agreement to buy Saldo Finance Oy to gain a Lithuanian banking license.
Live updates
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Kraken Parent Payward to Acquire Saldo Bank
Payward, the parent company of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, has signed an agreement to acquire Saldo Bank. The acquisition involves the purchase of Finnish holding company Saldo Finance Oy, which owns the Lithuania-licensed bank. This move allows Payward to hold deposits from European customers and expand its lending operations across the European Union. Co-CEO Arjun Sethi indicated the purchase follows a series of other acquisitions this year, including Reap, Bitnomial, and NinjaTrader.
Why it matters
Acquiring a licensed bank provides a crypto firm with direct access to the traditional financial system. This reduces reliance on third-party banking partners for fiat currency on-ramps and off-ramps. It also enables the company to offer regulated savings and credit products to EU residents.
What is confirmed
- Payward is the parent company of the Kraken cryptocurrency exchange.
- Payward has agreed to acquire Saldo Bank, which is licensed in Lithuania.
- The deal involves the acquisition of the Finnish holding company Saldo Finance Oy.
- The acquisition intends to expand Payward's lending and deposit capabilities in Europe.
Still unconfirmed
- The acquisition is specifically intended to expand lending operations.
What to watch next
- Regulatory approval of the acquisition by Lithuanian or EU financial authorities
- Confirmation of the final purchase price
- Integration timeline for Saldo Bank services into the Kraken platform
confidence 95%Sources used for this update (14)
- Financial Times — Crypto exchange Kraken owner to buy European bank
- PYMNTS.com — Payward Expands Banking Reach by Acquiring Finland’s Saldo
- Bloomberg.com — Kraken Parent to Acquire Lithuania-Based Saldo Bank
- bloomingbit — Kraken Pursues Acquisition of Lithuania’s Soldo Bank to Expand Lending
- Dealroom — Crypto's Payward buys Lithuania's Saldo Bank to expand across the EU
- openPR.com — Next 100x Crypto Update October 2026: Kraken's Owner Buys a Bank
- Markets Media — Kraken Owner to Buy Lithuanian Saldo Bank
- section.blog.naver.com — 2026.10.09(금) 오후 12시 주요 Headline Summary — 세계 뉴스로 배우는 영어 표현
- www.coindesk.com — Here's how analysts see U.S. inflation influencing the price of bitcoin ( BTC): Crypto Daily
- plisio.net — France Currency Guide 2026: Euro, Franc History & Money
- cobak.co — Will the KOSPI 12,000 Era Arrive? The Future of the Korean Stock Market in 2027 Forecasted by Yuanta Securities | Crypto Community....
- www.martincid.com — Kraken’s owner is buying Saldo Bank to take deposits and lend in Europe – Martin Cid Magazine
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