Kraken vs Wise

Nasdaq invests $100M in Kraken parent, targeting tokenized stocks by 2027

Nasdaq's venture capital arm has invested $100 million in Payward, the parent company of crypto exchange Kraken, to advance the development and launch of tokenized equities. The partnership aims to launch Nasdaq Equity Tokens (NETs) in the second quarter of 2027, with Nasdaq providing market surveillance technology across Payward's trading venues. The investment values Payward at $21 billion. This move reflects a broader trend on Wall Street toward tokenized securities, though debates persist about the nature of tokenized assets and shareholder rights, as highlighted by a recent dispute between Robinhood and AMC.

• Nasdaq's venture arm invested $100 million in Kraken parent Payward.
• Partnership aims to launch tokenized equities (Nasdaq Equity Tokens) in Q2 2027.
• Payward valuation set at $21 billion following the investment.

Kraken affiliate launches cashback debit card

Kraken’s payments app affiliate, Krak, has launched the Krak Card, a U.S. debit card that offers up to 2% back in cash or bitcoin and lets customers spend from more than 600 fiat currencies and crypto assets. Rewards are paid as money rather than points and the cashback rate can increase based on the value of assets a user holds. The card is issued through a partner bank subject to U.S. debit interchange limits. Kraken — founded in 2011 and owned by parent Payward — is using the product to retain deposits, drive spending and deepen customer asset holdings; the company also has a Wyoming bank charter and secured a Federal Reserve master account earlier in 2026. CNBC published the report on August 18, 2026.

• The Krak Card offers up to 2% cash or bitcoin back, paid directly as money rather than points.
• The card can spend directly from over 600 fiat currencies and crypto assets and can split purchases across multiple balances.
• Krak (the payments app affiliate of Kraken) issues the card through a partner bank, which is subject to U.S. debit interchange fee limits.

AI Agents Drive Crypto Infrastructure Shift

Major crypto firms are positioning AI agents as a new class of users to expand demand beyond traders. Exchanges and stablecoin issuers are building agent-focused features — Kraken is rebuilding its app for continuous agent trading, Coinbase launched tools to let agents execute trades via natural language, and Circle is promoting its Arc blockchain and USDC stablecoin as programmable rails for agent-to-agent commerce. Proponents argue that stablecoins, smart contracts and always-on wallets better suit machine-to-machine payments than traditional banking rails, potentially creating sustained transaction volume outside speculative trading.

• Kraken said it is rebuilding its app to give users access to AI agents that can continuously monitor markets and execute trades in real time.
• Coinbase launched a new tool to allow AI agents to execute crypto trades using natural language instructions.
• Circle announced an expansion tied to its Arc blockchain, positioning it as infrastructure for the "agentic economy" and promoting USDC as programmable digital dollars for internet-native payments.

Revolut plans dual US and UK listing, targeting $200 billion valuation

Revolut, the London-based neobank, is considering a dual stock market listing in New York and London, with co-founder and CEO Nik Storonsky revealing the plans in an interview with Les Echos. The company is targeting a valuation of up to $200 billion for its IPO, expected no earlier than 2028. Storonsky expressed a preference for the US market due to its larger investor pool, but aims to maintain a presence in London. This move follows similar actions by Wise, which moved its primary listing to New York. Revolut was last valued at $75 billion in a funding round, so the target valuation would require nearly tripling its value. The company's US expansion, including conditional approval for a US banking license, is seen as a key factor for the IPO's success. Revolut plans to invest around €2.3 billion annually in growth through 2030.

• Revolut is considering a dual listing in New York and London, targeting a valuation of up to $200 billion.
• The IPO is expected no earlier than 2028, with CEO Nik Storonsky preferring the US market.
• Revolut was last valued at $75 billion in a funding round.

Wise launches 2026 Q2 Mission Update: Price

Wise reduced fees saving customers ~£23m per year as part of its mission to build the best way to move and manage money.

Revolut Wins US Bank Charter, Wise Rejected

The OCC granted Revolut a conditional US bank charter, while rejecting Wise's application earlier in July. This regulatory divergence signals a shift in how US authorities are assessing foreign fintechs. Revolut, with 80 million users, a proprietary AI model trained on 40 billion banking events, and $2.3 billion in pretax profit, gains a federal on-ramp into American banking. The approval is seen as a strategic advantage, particularly through its PRAGMA credit-risk model, which no US neobank can replicate or acquire. This event potentially marks the decline of the sponsor-bank model for major fintechs, as larger players may now pursue their own charters. The article also discusses Anthropic's move to build in-house payments infrastructure, citing its rapid revenue growth from $9B to $65B annualized in seven months, making off-the-shelf billing inadequate. This includes insights into AI-specific fraud challenges and Stripe's $7B+ counter-move with OpenRouter.

• The OCC approved Revolut's conditional US bank charter.
• The OCC rejected Wise's US bank charter application in July.
• Revolut has 80 million users and $2.3 billion in pretax profit.