MEXC, a zero-fee digital asset trading platform, and Payward, the parent company of Kraken, used their panel at TOKEN2049 Singapore on Oct. 9, 2026 to signal that crypto and traditional finance are moving toward more connected, always-on markets and that collaboration may replace purely competitive dynamics among trading platforms.
MEXC CEO Vugar Usi Zade argued that blockchain infrastructure is challenging traditional markets built around fixed trading hours, and that users increasingly expect seamless access to different asset classes. “Over the next five years, we’ll see a convergence toward a singular platform where asset classes and investments can move quickly and smoothly,” Zade said, adding that retail will be the main driver.
Payward Co-CEO Arjun Sethi focused on infrastructure, saying 24/7 trading is fundamentally 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?” Sethi said.
Both executives emphasized collaboration over competition. Sethi explicitly pointed to MEXC as a partner, saying, “The only way to do that is to partner with folks, including MEXC, to be able to help succeed in their core markets.” Zade likewise said exchanges can build on one another’s strengths. MEXC brings a retail-first approach, deep liquidity and perpetuals experience across crypto and TradFi assets, while Payward brings global financial infrastructure, professional trading capabilities and US market experience.
The discussion follows earlier indications that the companies are exploring broader collaboration across infrastructure, market access and distribution. Both leaders also highlighted trust, access and transparency as foundations for more connected financial platforms.
MEXC, founded in 2018, serves users in more than 170 markets and offers crypto, stocks, tokenized assets, derivatives and a growing range of TradFi-linked opportunities through one account.
