company

Kraken

Kraken is a US-based cryptocurrency exchange, legally named Payward, Inc. It was founded in 2011 and is the first cryptocurrency company to obtain a bank charter. In most US states, it also facilitates trading of stocks, futures and ETFs.

kraken.com

Co-CEO

Arjun Sethi

Leadership

Arjun Sethi, Co-CEO. Arjun Sethi is the co-CEO of Kraken.

Key facts

Founded: July 28, 2011source
Founders: Thanh Luu, Michael Gronager, and Jesse Powellsource
Bank charter: Kraken Financial was granted a special purpose depository institution (SPDI) charter in Wyoming in September 2020source
Quarterly trading volume: $207 billion in quarterly trading volume by 2025source
Co-CEOs: Arjun Sethi and Dave Ripleysource

WYDE coverage of Kraken

WYDE Newsroom has published 11 articles about Kraken, from Feb 6, 2026 to Sep 19, 2026. Kraken is the subject of 8 stories and a recipient in 3 stories. The most recent is The Creator Economy Crossed $1 Billion, the CLARITY Act Died in the Senate, and Everyday Money Kept Ending Hunger. Over 70,600 Meals..

WYDE Weekly

The Creator Economy Crossed $1 Billion, the CLARITY Act Died in the Senate, and Everyday Money Kept Ending Hunger. Over 70,600 Meals.

MrBeast's next video cost $10 million and the top creators crossed $1 billion, the CLARITY Act failed 49 to 50, tokenized Treasuries opened to 35 million accounts, and creators and restaurants can now get paid to end hunger with the EAT Card.

Sep 19, 2026 · 7 min read · Recipient

Crypto & DeFi

Nasdaq Invests $100 Million in Kraken Parent Payward to Expand Tokenized Stocks

Nasdaq Ventures backs Payward at a $21 billion valuation and deepens a partnership to trade tokenized equities across regulated and on-chain venues, with a launch targeted for the second quarter of 2027.

Sep 12, 2026 · 2 min read · Recipient

WYDE Weekly

JPMorgan Warns Food Inflation Could Double, Citi Will Custody Bitcoin, and EAT Tops Charity Tokens. Over 65,000 Meals.

Record child hunger and food insecurity collide with a wall of institutional crypto money, from Citi custody to the SEC and Treasury rulebooks, plus $105 billion for one AI data center. This week in the WYDE Newsroom.

Aug 22, 2026 · 7 min read · Subject of the story

Crypto & DeFi

Kraken Launches a 2% Cash-Back Crypto Debit Card in the US Fintech Race

Kraken launched its Krak cash-back debit card in the United States on August 18, offering up to 2 percent back in dollars or bitcoin and spending from more than 600 currencies, its first US rollout after 125,000 European cardholders.

Aug 21, 2026 · 2 min read · Subject of the story

Crypto & DeFi

Citadel Securities Invests $400 Million in Crypto.com at a $20 Billion Valuation

Crypto.com takes its first institutional funding round in ten years as Ken Griffin's market maker buys its second exchange stake in eight months

Jul 16, 2026 · 2 min read · Recipient

Crypto & DeFi

Kraken Moves to Take a 15% Stake in DeFi Lender Aave at $385 Million

Kraken is in talks to take a 15% equity stake in DeFi lender Aave at a $385 million valuation, paying 35,000 ether and AAVE tokens as it builds toward an IPO.

Jun 25, 2026 · 2 min read · Subject of the story

WYDE Weekly

We signed Feed the Children. The White House debunked the banks. Iran priced Hormuz in Bitcoin. 20,000 meals.

$EAT hit #1 on Base at +150%. Three states signed the DUNA Act. Schwab opened crypto to 38.9 million accounts. The FDIC is implementing stablecoin rules Monday. Here's the full week.

Apr 13, 2026 · 7 min read · Subject of the story

Crypto & DeFi

Kraken's Limited-Purpose Fed Account Hits April 10 Deadline as Waters and Banking Lobby Build Joint Pushback

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and SEC Chair Paul Atkins pushed the CLARITY Act to Trump's desk this week as the Senate Banking markup deadline nears.

Apr 13, 2026 · 3 min read · Subject of the story

WYDE Weekly