Cryptocurrency News Today: Nasdaq Bets $100M on Kraken as Pepeto Presale Tops $11M
Nasdaq Ventures invested $100M in Kraken's parent, Payward, to enable stock trading on-chain by 2027. The Zcash ETF reached $500M in assets. Pepeto's presale topped $11M, with a cofounder known for launching Pepe coin, offering a zero-fee exchange and staking pool.
How this was made

The 30-second read
Why it matters
These capital moves may boost liquidity and price support for major cryptocurrencies, while presale projects like Pepeto attract speculative capital.
Market read
Significant institutional money entering crypto could drive short‑term price moves across major tokens.
What to watch
Regulatory outcomes for XRP and broader market volatility could dampen the upside.
Background
Nasdaq Ventures' $100 M investment in Payward (Kraken) and rapid growth of a Zcash ETF highlight a surge in institutional crypto funding.
Ticker impact
XRP is highlighted with price near $1.42 and potential regulatory vote impact.
Potential upside of 5-10% if regulatory outcome is favorable.
Recent price level and fund inflows suggest short‑term momentum, but outcome of vote is uncertain.
BNB is noted at $720 with large Grayscale allocation and a 47% drop from its peak.
Modest upside of 2-4% on continued fund inflows, but overall trend flat.
Fund inflows provide support, but price is far below prior highs, limiting upside.
The Zcash ETF reached $500 million in assets within two weeks, indicating strong demand for ZEC exposure.
Potential 3-6% price lift as ETF assets grow.
Large ETF asset accumulation signals investor interest, likely translating to spot price support.
Market effects
Increased institutional capital into crypto may lift broader digital asset sector.
Nasdaq's US‑based investment underscores growing US institutional exposure to crypto.
Large capital flows and ETF growth signal heightened global interest in crypto assets.
Counterpoint
The influx of capital could be a short‑term hype spike; fundamentals of many tokens remain weak.
Key entities
- InvestorNasdaq Ventures
Investment arm of Nasdaq committing $100 M to Payward.
- Crypto ExchangePayward (Kraken)
Parent company of Kraken receiving the Nasdaq investment.
- FundZcash ETF
ETF holding ZEC assets, reached $500 M in two weeks.




