Payward

Payward is the corporate entity behind Kraken, a major global cryptocurrency exchange and trading platform. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in the United States, Payward operates the Kraken brand, which has grown into one of the largest crypto platforms in the world. The company describes itself as "Powering secure markets" since 2011 and reports having processed over $2 trillion in total transaction volume, serving millions of users worldwide. Kraken's platform spans spot and margin crypto trading, futures, and traditional financial instruments. According to its official site, users can trade across 600+ crypto pairs and 11,000+ stocks and ETFs via web, mobile app, and API. The platform also offers recurring buys, staking and yield products ("Earn APY on assets"), and a self-custody wallet for DeFi access. A separate "global money app" feature allows spending crypto or cash at 80 million+ merchants and instant, fee-free transfers. Payward positions Kraken as a secure, reliable venue for both active traders and beginners. It emphasizes security features such as two-factor authentication, passkeys, and physical protections, and provides 24/7 customer support. The company has been recognized by third parties, including being voted the best crypto exchange in 2025 by Forbes, as cited on its website. Kraken also maintains an extensive educational resource, Kraken Learn, covering crypto, trading, and security topics. As a private company, Payward is not listed on a public stock exchange. It competes with other major exchanges such as Coinbase and Robinhood, and continues to expand its product suite, including regulated spot margin for US traders and tools for AI agents. The brand is trusted by over 13 million people globally, according to its own claims.

Payward was founded in 2011 by Jesse Powell, with the Kraken exchange launching the same year. The company emerged during the early years of cryptocurrency trading, positioning itself as a secure and reliable platform. Over the following decade, Kraken grew into one of the largest crypto exchanges globally, expanding its services beyond simple spot trading to include margin, futures, and later traditional financial instruments like stocks and ETFs. By the mid-2020s, Kraken reported serving over 13 million users and processing more than $2 trillion in total transaction volume. The platform introduced a range of products, including a self-custody wallet, a global money app for spending crypto at merchants, and educational resources under Kraken Learn. In 2025, Kraken was voted the best crypto exchange by Forbes, according to its website. The company also began offering regulated spot margin trading to US traders and launched tools like Kraken CLI for AI agents, reflecting its ongoing expansion into new areas of fintech and trading technology. Throughout its history, Payward has remained a private company, not listed on any public stock exchange. It continues to operate under the Kraken brand, competing with other major exchanges such as Coinbase and Robinhood.

• 2026

  Kraken offers 20x regulated spot margin to US traders and launches Kraken CLI for AI agents.

• 2025

  Kraken voted best crypto exchange by Forbes.

• 2011

  Payward founded by Jesse Powell; Kraken exchange launches.

Secure, reliable, and comprehensive crypto and multi-asset trading platform for both active traders and beginners, trusted by millions worldwide.

• Kraken Exchange

  Spot and margin trading across 600+ crypto pairs and 11,000+ stocks and ETFs.

• Kraken Pro

  Advanced trading platform with leverage, deep liquidity, and fast execution.

• Kraken Wallet

  Self-custody wallet for DeFi access on web and mobile.

• Global Money App

  Spend crypto or cash at 80M+ merchants, earn APY, and send money instantly with no fees.

• Kraken Learn

  Educational hub with guides, articles, and videos on crypto, trading, and security.

• Unconfirmed

  Reported2026.10.03

  Bank of New York Mellon Corporation's talks involving Payward[6]纽约银行梅隆公司涉及Payward的磋商news.google.com

  Simply Wall Street reported on talks involving Bank of New York Mellon Corporation and Payward, examining what the talks mean for the bank's shareholders. The available source, an article headline, does not specify the nature, direction or terms of the talks.

Read more

1. 1Kraken | Own the Power of Your Money — Crypto, Stocks & morekraken.com
2. 2Learn Crypto: Guides, Articles & Videos | Krakenkraken.com
3. 3Why Kraken? | The Best Crypto Exchangekraken.com
4. 4Security 101 | Crypto Security Video Guides | Krakenkraken.com
5. 5Payward - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6纽约银行梅隆公司涉及Payward的磋商news.google.com