October 9, 2026 โ MEXC, a pioneer in zero-fee digital asset trading, and Payward, the parent company of Kraken, shared their views on how crypto and traditional finance are converging during a TOKEN2049 Singapore panel. MEXC CEO Vugar Usi Zade and Payward Co-CEO Arjun Sethi discussed how broader market access, retail demand, and collaboration between platforms could shape the future of global trading.
Crypto and TradFi Move Closer Together
A key theme was the shift toward more connected, always-on markets. Vugar said blockchain infrastructure is challenging traditional market structures built around fixed trading hours, while users increasingly expect to access different asset classes through a more seamless experience.
“Over the next five years, we’ll see a convergence toward a single platform where asset classes and investments can move quickly and smoothly,” said Vugar. “Retail will be the main driver.”
Arjun highlighted the infrastructure challenge behind this shift, noting that 24/7 trading is ultimately about bringing assets and collateral into a more connected financial environment.
“24/7 trading really means: how do you bring all that collateral into one place?” said Arjun.
Collaboration Over Competition
Both speakers also highlighted collaboration as an important part of scaling the next generation of global trading platforms. Arjun noted that serving a much larger global user base will require platforms to work with partners that bring different strengths in their respective markets, explicitly pointing to MEXC as one such example.
“The only way to do that is to partner with folks, including MEXC, to be able to help succeed in their core markets,” said Arjun.
Vugar similarly emphasized that exchanges can increasingly build on one another’s strengths rather than approach every opportunity purely through competition.
MEXC brings a retail-first approach, deep liquidity, and broad experience in perpetual markets across crypto and TradFi assets, while Payward brings global financial infrastructure, professional trading capabilities, and strong market experience in the United States.
The discussion built on the two companies’ earlier indication that they are exploring broader collaboration, with both executives pointing to infrastructure, market access, and distribution as areas where greater connectivity between platforms could create value.
Trust and access were also highlighted as essential foundations for this evolution. Vugar described trust and access as two of the most important elements in building future financial platforms, while Arjun emphasized the importance of transparency as the industry becomes more connected.
The panel pointed to a future in which crypto and TradFi become increasingly connected, with collaboration between platforms helping bring together market access, infrastructure, and user reach to serve a broader global audience.
About MEXC
Founded in 2018, MEXC is a leading global multi-asset trading platform built as your zero-fee gateway to infinite opportunities. Serving users across 170+ markets, MEXC provides simple and efficient access to crypto, stocks, tokenized assets, derivatives, and a growing range of TradFi-linked opportunities through one account and one gateway.
With zero trading fees, deep liquidity, broad asset coverage, and a high-performance trading experience, MEXC is designed for retail users who want to discover earlier, act faster, and trade with fewer barriers. As crypto and traditional finance continue to converge, MEXC is committed to making global opportunities more accessible, helping users trade freely and MEXCmize every opportunity.
MEXC Official Website๏ฝ X ๏ฝ Telegram ๏ฝHow to Sign Up on MEXC
For media inquiries, please contact MEXC PR team: media@mexc.com
Source
Risk Disclaimer: This content does not constitute investment advice. Given the volatility of financial markets, including digital assets, tokenized assets, and traditional financial products, investors should carefully assess market conditioBefore making any investment or trading decisions, consider the news, the fundamentals of the underlying asset, and potential financial risks.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs MEXC x Payward Collaboration at TOKEN2049
1 What did MEXC and Payward announce at TOKEN2049
They announced a strategic collaboration to bridge crypto and traditional finance combining MEXCs crypto exchange platform with Paywards financial infrastructure and services
2 Who is Payward
Payward is the parent company of Kraken one of the oldest and largest crypto exchanges It also owns traditional finance businesses like Kraken Financial a USregulated bank
3 What is MEXC
MEXC is a global crypto exchange known for listing new tokens quickly and offering a wide range of trading pairs especially for altcoins and emerging projects
4 Why does this partnership matter
It signals that crypto exchanges and traditional finance players are increasingly working together instead of competingbringing more legitimacy liquidity and mainstream access to digital assets
5 What is TOKEN2049 and why announce there
TOKEN2049 is one of the biggest crypto conferences held in Singapore Companies announce major news there to reach investors media and industry leaders all at once
6 What does convergence of crypto and traditional finance mean
It means the lines between crypto platforms and traditional financial systems are blurringusers get crypto features with the safety and structure of traditional finance
7 What benefits does this bring to regular users
Potentially better liquidity more regulated services easier fiat onoff ramps and more trustsince traditional finance standards are being applied to crypto products
8 Will I be able to use Kraken and MEXC together now
Details are still emerging The collaboration likely means shared infrastructure or services but check official announcements for specific features and timelines
9 Does this mean MEXC is now regulated like a bank
Not automatically Regulation depends on licenses and jurisdictions Paywards regulated entities may provide compliance support but MEXCs status varies by country
10 What are the risks of cryptotraditional finance partnerships
Regulatory hurdles slower innovation and potential restrictions on certain tokens or services if traditional finance rules apply
11 How is this different from a merger or acquisition
A collaboration is a partnershipcompanies stay independent but work together