Payward sued its former auditor, Mazars, for abandoning a nearly complete audit during Operation Choke Point 2.0.
The Block•Daniel Kuhn7 Jul
The arbitration outcome may stabilize crypto auditing by deterring auditors from abandoning clients, enhancing trust and regulatory compliance.
CryptoBriefing•Editorial Team7 Jul
Aave founder Stani Kulechov has challenged reports that Kraken parent company Payward is negotiating to acquire a 15% stake in the decentralized lending protocol at a $385 million valuation, arguing that the reported terms misrepresent the situation. In a post…
Kraken has entered discussions to acquire a 15% stake in decentralized finance lending protocol Aave through its parent company Payward, in a deal that values the protocol at $385 million. According to a Coindesk report, Kraken is reportedly negotiating a…
The Aave Will Win proposal redirected 100% of protocol and Aave-branded product revenue to the DAO and AAVE token holders.
The Block•Daniel Kuhn25 Jun
Payward's lawsuits highlight vulnerabilities in crypto fund management, raising concerns about trust and security in decentralized finance systems.
CryptoBriefing•Editorial Team25 Jun
The app will face stiff competition in the prediction markets space, competing with dominant market leaders Kalshi and Polymarket.
The Block•RT Watson24 Jun
Onyx Odds' funding boost and strategic partnerships could reshape the prediction market landscape, challenging traditional sportsbooks' dominance.
CryptoBriefing•Editorial Team24 Jun
Crypto companies raised just over $600 million from venture investors in April, DefiLlama data shows . That’s despite the epidemic of “disingenuous innovation” that is plaguing the digital assets industry, Diego Martin, CEO of Yellow Capital, told DL News , referring to grand promises widely made by crypto startup teams that are rarely fulfilled. “Institutional investors typically wait for retail demand before taking a punt on innovation,” Martin said. To be sure, fundraising in April fell some 75% from March, which was a blockbuster month that saw massive raises in the prediction market sector amid a shifting focus in the crypto industry. “Trust is the primary barrier — and opportunity — to tap into, due to the nature of the technology we work with,” Martin said. Still, marquee investors including German banking giant Deutsche Börse Group, Andreessen Horowitz, Paradigm and Coinbase, all piled on capital into crypto companies including Kraken, OpenGradient , and Pixie Chess . These are the top three raises in April. Kraken, $200 million Payward, the parent company of crypto exchange Kraken, raised $200 million through a secondary share sale to Deutsche Börse. The deal gives the German banking group a minority stake as it moves deeper into digital assets. The move values Kraken at about $13.3 billion, down from $20 billion in late 2025. The company made five acquisition deals in 2025. Kraken’s co-CEO Arjun Sethi told DL News in September that the firm had more transactions lined up. Slash, $100 million Neobanking platform Slash raised $100 million in a Series C round led by Ribbit Capital. Khosla Ventures and Goodwater Capital also backed the raise. Slash provides banking tools for online businesses, including those using crypto. The latest round pushes Slash into unicorn territory, valuing the company at over $1 billion and bringing total funding past $160 million. New Enterprise Associates and Y Combinator also joined the round, marking their fourth investment in the company. Pharos, $44 million Pharos raised $44 million in a Series A round backed by SNZ Holding, Chainlink, and Flow Traders, Coindesk reported . The company is building a Layer 1 blockchain focused on handling large-scale financial activity. Pharos supports Ethereum-compatible applications, making it easier for crypto-native developers to use. You’re reading the latest instalment of The Weekly Raise, our column covering fundraising deals across the crypto and DeFi spaces, powered by DefiLlama. Lance Datskoluo is DL News’ Europe-based markets correspondent. Got a tip? Email him at lance@dlnews.com .