01
Kraken's parent company just agreed to buy an actual European bank, not just a license.
02
Payward signed a deal on October 14, 2026 to acquire Saldo Finance Oy.
03
Saldo Finance owns Saldo Bank UAB, a licensed bank in Lithuania since 2021.
04
The deal gives Payward an EU banking license without applying for one from scratch.
05
Payward wants to pay interest on deposits and offer lending, including credit cards.
06
Saldo Bank reported roughly 162.9 million euros in assets at the end of 2025.
07
The deal needs regulatory approval and is expected to close sometime in 2027.
08
It mirrors Ripple's OCC trust bank move in the US, but through a different legal path.