Published October 16, 2026. The Kraken bank acquisition by Payward, Kraken’s parent, is the first time a crypto company has agreed to acquire an EU-licensed lender. The Payward Saldo Bank deal moves crypto banking beyond fintech-adjacent services toward fully regulated financial infrastructure. For businesses that rely on fiat-crypto accounts—particularly startups, DAOs, and global operators—the acquisition signals new possibilities, new risks, and a sharper crypto bank vs neo-bank choice.
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What Just Happened: Kraken’s Historic Bank Acquisition
The deal at a glance
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Acquirer | Payward (parent of Kraken) |
| Target | Saldo Bank, a Lithuanian-licensed credit institution |
| Announcement date | October 16,… |
