Kraken parent Payward adds 200 tokenized UK and European equities to xStocks offering

Kraken parent company Payward has launched more than 200 tokenized UK and European stocks through its xStocks framework, bringing the total offering to over 1,500 assets.

The first batch covers some of the most actively traded companies listed in the UK and European Union, according to a statement released Wednesday. Each token is backed 1:1 by shares held at a regulated custodian, with trading available through Kraken and supporting xStocks Alliance platforms. The tokens are also available across blockchain networks including Solana, Ethereum, TON, Ink, and X Layer.

Payward previously announced a partnership with the London Stock Exchange in September, with plans to bring the top 100 London-listed equities to xStocks. The LSE also plans to offer xStocks trading through LSE 24, pending regulatory approval. 

"A portfolio should not have borders or trading hours," Payward Chief Commercial Officer Mark Greenberg said in Wednesday's release.

Payward's international xStocks expansion

Payward partnered with GTN in July to expand xStocks beyond U.S. equities, initially outlining plans for Hong Kong, the UK, Europe, and South Korea. GTN provides the brokerage and custody infrastructure for the tokenized shares and the 200 UK and EU listings are the first to launch under that partnership. Payward said it expects to introduce "hundreds" of Hong Kong-listed stocks over the next few weeks, followed by listings from other international markets.

The xStocks service started in June 2025 with tokenized U.S. equities and exchange-traded funds. Payward put assets under management at over $1.1 billion on Wednesday and reported more than $45 billion in cumulative transaction volume and over 550,000 unique holders. Those figures compare with the $40 billion in volume and more than 200,000 holders previously reported by The Block in September.

Payward said xStocks are accessible in more than 110 markets, but UK investors still cannot access them. The offering is also unavailable in the U.S. or to U.S. persons and Payward said the latest additions would not change the existing rules on who can trade xStocks.