Kraken Parent Payward to Acquire Lithuania's Saldo Bank

In a decisive strategic expansion into European financial infrastructure, Payward, the corporate parent of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, has agreed to purchase Lithuania-based Saldo Bank. The Kraken Saldo Bank acquisition represents a transition from standard crypto registrations toward full banking integration, allowing the firm to directly manage regulated deposits and lending across the European market.

According to NewsBTC, the transaction is slated to close in 2027 following mandatory regulatory reviews and formal approvals. Unlike standard third-party payment processing partnerships, owning a specialized bank gives Payward direct access to core settlement rails and lending frameworks. Saldo Bank currently offers established retail and commercial banking products, which will serve as the foundation for combined fiat and digital asset services.

This strategic purchase reflects a broader industry trend where prominent digital asset platforms seek sovereign banking capabilities to mitigate banking de-risking and reduce operational intermediaries. By operating an in-house credit institution, the exchange can offer seamless account funding, integrated borrowing, and cash management under a single regulatory umbrella.

Securing supervisory approval from European banking regulators represents the primary milestone before the transaction can be finalized. Market observers will be monitoring whether this move prompts rival exchanges to pursue European banking charters to fortify their fiat operations.