# Payward Agrees to Acquire Saldo Bank to Expand Crypto Banking in Europe

- URL: https://stocks.freetheai.org/news/payward-agrees-to-acquire-saldo-bank-to-expand-crypto-banking-in-europe-791008
- Published: 2026-10-14T12:54:44Z
- Category: crypto; sentiment: bullish; impact: high
- Written by our AI from expert market sources across the web for FreeTheAI Stocks, built by Vibhek Soni
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Payward, the parent company behind crypto exchange Kraken, has reached a definitive agreement to acquire European Union-licensed Saldo Bank. The Lithuania-based commercial lender is licensed by the European Central Bank and supervised by the Bank of Lithuania. If approved, the deal would mark the first acquisition of a European commercial bank by a digital asset company.

The acquisition would allow Payward to integrate traditional commercial banking features—such as bank deposits, loans, card payments, and credit services—directly alongside its existing digital asset offerings. This setup would enable institutional and retail clients to secure cash loans against their cryptocurrency or tokenized stock holdings without needing to liquidate assets. The deal builds on Payward's recent expansions into regulated financial markets, including its reported $550 million takeover of derivatives exchange Bitnomial and $600 million purchase of stablecoin payments provider Reap Technologies.

Looking ahead, the transaction remains subject to regulatory review and approval, with closure targeted for 2027. Investors and industry participants will be watching for regulatory updates from European authorities, as well as potential developments regarding reported discussions between Payward and traditional institutions like Wells Fargo over crypto liquidity services.

## Key points

- Payward signed a definitive agreement to acquire Lithuania-based Saldo Bank, a commercial lender operating across several European Union nations.
- The transaction would represent the first acquisition of a European commercial bank by a digital asset company, subject to regulatory approval.
- Clients would gain access to unified banking services, including borrowing cash using crypto or tokenized stocks as collateral without selling them.
- The acquisition is scheduled to close in 2027 and follows major infrastructure purchases including Bitnomial and Reap Technologies.

## Questions and answers

### Why is Kraken parent Payward acquiring Saldo Bank?

Payward is buying Saldo Bank to combine traditional banking services like deposits, credit, and cash lending against digital assets with its existing crypto trading platform.

### When is Payward's acquisition of Saldo Bank expected to close?

The deal is expected to close in 2027, subject to regulatory approval from European banking authorities.

### Which countries does Saldo Bank operate in?

Saldo Bank is licensed in Lithuania by the European Central Bank and operates in Lithuania, Finland, Sweden, and Germany, with the ability to serve customers in the Netherlands.