MEXC and Payward, parent company of Kraken, discussed the convergence of cryptocurrency and traditional finance during a TOKEN2049 Singapore panel in October 2026. MEXC CEO Vugar Usi Zade and Payward Co-CEO Arjun Sethi addressed how market access, retail demand, and inter-platform collaboration could influence the future of global trading.
Blockchain Infrastructure Reshaping Markets
A central theme of the discussion was the shift toward continuously accessible markets that blur distinctions between asset classes. Zade noted that blockchain infrastructure challenges traditional market structures built around fixed trading hours, while users increasingly expect seamless access to different asset types.
Zade stated that convergence toward unified platforms where asset classes move quickly and smoothly would occur over the coming five years, with retail traders as the primary driver. Sethi emphasized the infrastructure dimension of this shift, characterizing 24/7 trading as fundamentally about consolidating assets and collateral into a more interconnected financial environment.
Platform Collaboration as Growth Strategy
Both executives stressed collaboration over competition as essential for scaling next-generation trading platforms. Sethi noted that serving a larger global user base requires platforms to partner with organizations bringing distinct regional strengths, citing MEXC as an example.
Zade similarly described how exchanges can leverage each other's capabilities rather than compete across all opportunities. MEXC brings retail-focused design, deep liquidity, and experience in perpetual markets, while Payward offers global financial infrastructure and professional trading capabilities, particularly in the United States market.
Both companies indicated they are exploring broader collaboration, with infrastructure, market access, and distribution identified as potential areas of partnership that could create value through greater platform connectivity.
Trust and Transparency as Foundation
Zade emphasized trust and access as critical elements for building future financial platforms. Sethi highlighted transparency as increasingly important as the industry becomes more interconnected. The panel concluded by pointing toward a future in which crypto and traditional finance grow more integrated, with platform collaboration helping to combine market access, infrastructure, and user reach for a broader global audience.
