Payward to acquire EU-regulated Saldo Bank, gaining deposit, lending, card, and SEPA infrastructure for European operations pending regulatory approval.
Regulation & Gov ·
Payward, the parent company of Kraken, signed a definitive agreement on October 14, 2026 to acquire Saldo Finance Oy and its Lithuanian-licensed banking subsidiary, targeting a 2027 close pending regulatory approval. The transaction would add EU-regulated deposit accounts, consumer and small-business lending, credit cards, and cross-border payment access to Payward's existing digital-asset infrastructure across four European markets where Saldo currently operates. Saldo Bank holds a specialized banking license enabling passporting into five European nations and operates embedded lending services for fintech partners. The combined entity would allow Payward to offer deposit products, loans, cards and trading alongside staking and wealth management services under one regulated EU banking relationship, though new product launches depend on closing and relevant approvals.