Kraken Parent Payward to Acquire EU-Regulated Lithuanian Bank Saldo Kraken’s parent company Payward has announced plans to acquire Saldo Bank, an EU-regulated bank in Lithuania, to expand into traditional banking services such as lending and card issuance, the Financial Times reported. The price was not disclosed. The deal is expected to close in 2027 if it receives regulatory approval. Payward co-CEO Arjun Sethi said the company plans to integrate cash, crypto assets, tokenized stocks and credit, allowing customers to borrow without selling assets. Saldo Bank received its EU banking licence in 2021 and offers personal and business loans as well as term deposits. If completed, the transaction would make Payward the first digital-asset company to acquire a European bank.