According to PRNewswire, GTN, the fintech powering limitless investment, and Payward, the developer of the xStocks tokenised equities framework and parent company of Kraken, have partnered to enhance and accelerate the global expansion of the xStocks offering. The partnership unlocks a pathway for xStocks to significantly scale the range of equities it tokenises, beginning by tokenising equities listed in Hong Kong, before expanding to tokenise UK-listed assets, European assets, South Korean assets, and more. This development delivers an unrivalled breadth of international market access that no other tokenised framework offers today, with the partnership already live and tokenised distribution to GTN's institutional clients to follow once required licences are in place.
According to Stobox Weekly RWA & Tokenization Digest, Payward, Kraken's parent company, began expanding its xStocks platform beyond the US on July 22, 2026, bringing shares from Hong Kong, the UK, South Korea and other markets on-chain. The expansion is being facilitated through partnership with investment infrastructure provider GTN, with UK, European and South Korean equities expected to follow subject to regulatory approvals. This development broadens competition in tokenized equities as Robinhood, Coinbase and other major platforms pursue similar cross-border initiatives, with tokenized equities becoming a land grab for global supply. The partnership also lays the groundwork for expanding xStocks beyond equities into other tokenized asset classes, as equities serve as the wedge rather than the endpoint of the platform's development.
As reported by PRNewswire, xStocks launched a year ago with tokenised U.S. stocks and ETFs, backed 1:1 by the underlying assets, and has since grown and broadened to more than 500 tokenised assets spanning equities, ETFs, and IPOs, the widest range offered by any tokenised equities framework. The platform now powers over $35 billion dollars in transaction volume across multiple blockchain ecosystems and has amassed nearly 200,000 holders across the world. The GTN partnership marks the start of its next phase, extending that framework beyond U.S. capital markets for investors around the world, with the companies planning to share details on enhanced offerings in the coming weeks.
According to reports from AMBCrypto, Kraken is targeting Europe for the next phase of its crypto options rollout, with plans to expand its recently launched Bitcoin and Ethereum options platform to eligible European clients later in 2026. The exchange launched European-style, cash-settled BTC/USD and ETH/USD options for eligible professional and institutional clients on July 16, marking the next step in Kraken's push into regulated crypto derivatives. However, Kraken has yet to announce a specific launch date or specify which European jurisdictions will receive access first.
According to AMBCrypto, unlike standalone derivatives platforms, Kraken's options will operate alongside its existing spot and futures products through a single portfolio-margined wallet, allowing eligible clients to manage collateral more efficiently across different trading strategies. The exchange also supports more than 30 collateral currencies, reducing the need for traders to move assets between separate accounts when opening or managing positions. For institutions and active traders, this could simplify risk management while offering another regulated venue for crypto options trading. The GTN partnership specifically enables financial institutions to move into new asset classes and markets without rebuilding their technology, with GTN's infrastructure letting partners launch quickly across 90+ markets and a full range of instruments.
As reported by AMBCrypto, Kraken's derivatives expansion builds on its existing regulatory footprint in Europe. Payward Europe Digital Solutions [CY] Limited holds Cyprus Investment Firm licence 342/17, according to the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission. Kraken's European website is listed among the firm's approved domains. Separately, Kraken says its broader European crypto business operates under a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) authorisation obtained through the Central Bank of Ireland, though these approvals do not mean the new options products are already available throughout Europe. The planned launch would strengthen Kraken's position in Europe's growing crypto derivatives market, where exchanges are increasingly competing to attract institutional and professional traders.
