Kraken's parent company Payward to acquire derivatives exchange Bitnomial for $550 million in cash and stock.

Kraken's parent company, Payward, has announced its agreement to acquire the digital asset derivatives platform Bitnomial for up to $550 million in a cash-and-stock transaction. This acquisition is significant as Bitnomial is the first crypto-native platform to hold all three necessary licenses for a full-stack derivatives business in the U.S., including approvals for a designated contract market, derivatives clearing organization, and futures commission merchant. The deal is expected to accelerate Payward's expansion into regulated U.S. markets by providing it with Bitnomial's established infrastructure, including its settlement, collateral, and 24/7 trading capabilities. This move aligns with Kraken's broader strategy of using M&A to build out its derivatives and institutional capabilities, following its previous acquisition of NinjaTrader. The combined entity plans to offer spot margin, perpetual futures, and options to U.S. clients under CFTC oversight. The transaction, which covers 100% of Bitnomial's equity, is anticipated to close in the first half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.

(Source：CoinDesk)