Deutsche Börse said Tuesday it has acquired a $200 million stake in U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, expanding its footprint in digital assets and strengthening an existing partnership between the two firms.

The investment, made through the purchase of existing shares in a secondary market transaction, gives Deutsche Börse a 1.5% fully diluted stake in Kraken’s parent company, Payward Inc. The deal remains subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the second quarter, according to a note shared with Bitcoin Magazine.

The move builds on a partnership first announced in December 2025, as both companies look to bridge traditional financial infrastructure with the growing digital asset economy. Deutsche Börse said the expanded relationship will span regulated crypto trading, tokenized markets, derivatives, and institutional liquidity solutions across multiple regions.

The German exchange operator has accelerated its digital asset strategy over the past year. In 2024, it launched a dedicated crypto trading platform aimed at institutional investors. More recently, in March 2025, it unveiled plans to offer crypto custody and settlement services through Clearstream, its post-trade infrastructure arm.

Kraken, one of the longest-standing cryptocurrency exchanges, has focused on expanding its institutional offerings in recent years, including custody, derivatives, and infrastructure services. The partnership with Deutsche Börse is expected to enhance access for institutional clients seeking regulated exposure to digital assets.

Kraken’s extortion attempts

Yesterday, Kraken disclosed two insider-related security incidents involving support staff who accessed limited client data, followed by an extortion attempt by a criminal group. The company said no systems were breached and no client funds were at risk, emphasizing that the incidents were confined to internal support tools rather than core infrastructure.

Kraken’s chief security officer said attackers are demanding payment and threatening to release videos allegedly showing internal systems with user data. The firm refused negotiating and stated it will not comply.

Around 2,000 accounts, or about 0.02% of users, were potentially affected. Kraken identified the individuals responsible in both cases, revoked access, and notified impacted users.

The incidents, which began in February 2025, highlight ongoing insider threat risks. Kraken said it is working with law enforcement, strengthening safeguards, and tightening access controls while maintaining that its core systems remained secure throughout.

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