Kraken wants to be your bank, but who will protect your money?

Kraken's parent company Payward agreed on Oct. 14 to acquire Saldo Finance Oy, the Finnish owner of Lithuania's Saldo Bank, in a deal expected to close in 2027 pending regulatory approval. The purchase would add deposit accounts and other banking services to Kraken's offerings, extending its reach beyond crypto trading. Traders should watch whether the deal clears regulators and whether a major exchange moving into traditional banking signals deeper institutional integration of crypto firms.