Kraken Parent Payward and Singapore Gulf Bank Launch Round-the-Clock Settlement

Payward, the parent company of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, has partnered with Singapore Gulf Bank to offer uninterrupted settlement capabilities to institutional clients operating across Asian and Gulf markets. The integration centers on SGB Net, the bank's proprietary real-time clearing network, enabling transactions to be finalized at any hour without the delays traditionally associated with correspondent banking rails.

The arrangement addresses a persistent friction point in institutional digital asset trading: the mismatch between crypto markets, which operate continuously, and settlement infrastructure that has historically been constrained by banking hours and regional cut-off times. By plugging into SGB Net, Payward's institutional counterparties can move capital and close positions around the clock, reducing overnight exposure and counterparty risk.

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As part of the broader agreement, Singapore Gulf Bank will also onboard Kraken Prime — Payward's institutional prime brokerage arm — as an additional source of digital asset liquidity. That step is expected to deepen the pool of tradable assets available through SGB's network and strengthen connectivity between regulated banking infrastructure and the digital asset ecosystem in two of the world's fastest-growing crypto markets.

The partnership signals growing convergence between licensed banking entities and crypto-native platforms as institutional demand for compliant, always-on financial infrastructure intensifies across the Asia-Pacific and Middle East corridors. Analysts have noted that real-time settlement is increasingly viewed as a prerequisite for large asset managers and trading firms weighing entry into digital asset markets.

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