CoinDesk · 26 Sep, 14:00 · Finance briefing

Kraken’s parent Payward is building a financial empire that goes far beyond crypto trading

Payward, the parent company of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, is expanding its operational scope significantly beyond digital asset trading.

What it means for you ↓ Courses for this story

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The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

Payward, the parent company of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, is expanding its operational scope significantly beyond digital asset trading. The organisation is constructing a broader financial infrastructure that integrates traditional banking services with blockchain technology. This strategic pivot indicates a move towards becoming a comprehensive financial services provider rather than a niche crypto platform. For professionals, this signals a maturation of the crypto sector into mainstream finance, requiring hybrid expertise in regulatory compliance, traditional banking operations, and distributed ledger technology to navigate the evolving landscape effectively.

Employer demand for Finance and Accounting skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

You must recognise that the boundary between traditional finance and cryptocurrency is dissolving. Roles demanding hybrid expertise in regulatory compliance, risk management, and blockchain integration are now premium opportunities. If you work in banking or fintech, you should immediately upskill in digital asset regulations and distributed ledger technology to remain relevant. Conversely, crypto specialists must master traditional financial reporting and corporate governance to thrive in this expanded ecosystem. Smart professionals will diversify their skill sets, focusing on the intersection of legacy finance and emerging tech. Prioritise courses that bridge these domains, ensuring you can navigate complex regulatory environments while leveraging new technological capabilities for career advancement.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are Finance and Accounting, Compliance And Governance, Risk Management Strategies and Business And Management — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

Matched to this story

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to benefit.

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