- Payward and SGB launched 24/7 settlement for institutional digital asset markets.
- The service initially supports USD transactions for select clients.
Payward, the financial infrastructure company behind Kraken, has partnered with Singapore Gulf Bank (SGB) to provide 24/7 settlement for institutional digital asset markets, according to an announcement on October 5, 2026.
Under the partnership, Payward has integrated SGB Net, SGB’s real-time, multi-currency clearing network. The tie allows eligible institutional clients of both companies to settle transactions instantly, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Markets run 24/7. Settlement should too. Payward has integrated SGB Net from @SGB_app, a real-time clearing network, so institutional clients can settle instantly, 24/7. Read the full announcement: https://t.co/pFPBOwqtEf
— Payward (@Payward) October 5, 2026
The initial service covers U.S. dollar transactions and is available to a select number of institutional clients in supported jurisdictions across Asia and the Gulf region. Payward and SGB said they plan to extend the service to additional clients and currencies over time, although no specific time was given.
The arrangement allows an SGB client to deposit funds with Payward and make those funds available for use immediately, including outside traditional banking hours. This addresses the timing difference between digital asset markets, which operate continuously, and conventional banking systems that often rely on fixed processing windows.
SGB Adds Kraken Prime for Digital Asset Liquidity
The partnership also includes Kraken Prime, Payward’s institutional prime brokerage platform. SGB will use Kraken Prime as an additional source of digital asset liquidity and plans to draw on Payward’s markets to price trades for its customers in the coming months.
SGB launched SGB Net in 2025 to provide real-time clearing for businesses operating in digital assets and says the network now processes more than $20 billion in fiat transactions each month. The bank is backed by Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund, Mumtalakat, and Singapore-based Whampoa Group.
SGB is licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain. The bank provides multi-currency accounts, international payments and digital asset services to eligible businesses and individuals.
For Payward, the agreement forms part of its broader Payward Banking infrastructure, which covers cash movement across deposits, payments, cards, custody and lending. The company has also expanded its banking relationships this year, including a September partnership with SoFi for 24/7 U.S. dollar settlement.
