TradFi meets crypto: Norway & US – Thursday, 8 January 2026

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After launching and presenting the vision for Kaupr Today on Sunday, and sending out the first regular newsletters earlier this week, today’s edition zooms in on how Norwegian savings apps, brokers, and asset managers are bringing bitcoin and digital assets into mainstream portfolios. At the same time, signals from the U.S. show how stablecoins, tokenized deposits, and even state-issued tokens are reshaping the plumbing of global finance that Nordic players plug into.

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Welcome!
Morten

Arctic taps TÝR to offer crypto trading to Norwegian clients

Arctic Securities will from January 2026 let clients trade bitcoin and selected digital assets through a referral-based partnership with TÝR Markets, which handles trading, liquidity, and infrastructure. The setup lets Arctic expand its product range without building its own crypto stack, while giving Norwegian investors direct access to a fast-growing market on professional terms.​

Why it matters: This is a concrete step in Norway’s “TradFi meets crypto” shift, where a mainstream broker plugs into specialist infrastructure instead of sitting out the asset class. It lowers friction for Norwegian clients to get regulated bitcoin and digital asset exposure, and signals that local incumbents see this market as too big to ignore.

Recommended: Arctic Securities opens crypto trading through cooperation with TÝR Markets Kaupr​

Stackbyme’s earlier TÝR deal shows Norway’s retail crypto shift

TradFi’s crypto turn in Norway has been building for a while: earlier this autumn, Stackbyme partnered with TÝR Markets to enable direct crypto trading inside its investment app, giving Norwegian retail investors access to bitcoin and selected cryptocurrencies alongside their existing funds and stocks. This integration lets users trade digital assets in the same interface they already use to manage their broader portfolios, tightening the link between everyday investing and crypto.

Why it matters: Put next to today’s Arctic–TÝR announcement, Stackbyme’s earlier move shows that both brokers and consumer apps in Norway are wiring crypto into existing investment journeys rather than treating it as a separate, speculative silo. It underlines how TÝR is becoming core infrastructure for Norwegian access to digital assets, from retail users to more traditional finance channels.

Source: StackXMe and TÝR Markets Enter Into Partnership on Crypto Trading, Kaupr

K33 and Pensum lay groundwork for institutional-grade bitcoin exposure in Norway

Earlier this year, K33 and Pensum Asset Management announced a collaboration to build safe and professional solutions for Norwegian investors seeking exposure to bitcoin and digital assets, starting with research, insights, and training. The partnership focuses on creating a regulatory and institutional framework for wealthy individuals, family offices, and institutional clients who want structured, compliant access to this asset class.

Why it matters: Together with recent TÝR-powered initiatives on the brokerage and retail side, this K33–Pensum effort shows Norway’s crypto market maturing across the full stack – from consumer apps and brokers to wealth managers and institutional allocators. It signals that digital assets are increasingly being treated as a strategic portfolio allocation rather than a fringe speculation.

Source: Pensum and K33 enter into partnership for digital assets, Kaupr​​

Barclays backs stablecoin settlement firm as tokenized finance infrastructure builds out

Barclays has invested in a stablecoin-focused settlement company, underscoring how major banks are moving from pilots to direct bets on tokenized payment and market infrastructure. The deal gives the bank exposure to plumbing that uses stablecoins to move value more efficiently across markets, positioning it closer to on-chain rails that could underpin future securities, FX, and payments activity.​

Why it matters: For Nordic banks and fintechs watching from the sidelines, a Tier‑1 bank taking equity risk in stablecoin settlement infrastructure is a clear signal that tokenization is shifting from theory to production. It raises competitive pressure on regional players to decide whether they plug into similar rails, build their own, or risk being routed around as cross‑border capital becomes more programmable.

Source: Barclays invests in stablecoin settlement firm as tokenized infrastructure advances, Coindesk​

JPM Coin deposit token expands to Canton Network

JP Morgan plans to bring its JPM Coin deposit token to the Canton Network in a phased rollout through 2026, extending the token beyond its initial institutional launch on the Base blockchain. Canton is a privacy-friendly public network that links institutional permissioned ledgers and is already used by players like BNP Paribas, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Equilend, Broadridge, and Lloyds Bank, which recently completed a pilot deposit-token transaction there.​

Why it matters: This shows blue-chip banks are standardizing on tokenized deposit rails across both retail-adjacent chains and institutional-grade networks, not treating them as side experiments. For Nordic banks and market infrastructures, it raises the bar on interoperability and privacy expectations if they want to plug into the same cross-border, 24/7 settlement fabric.​

Source: https://www.ledgerinsights.com/jp-morgan-to-bring-jpm-coin-deposit-token-to-canton-network/

Wyoming’s token turns a U.S. state into a stablecoin issuer

Wyoming has launched FRNT, a state-issued stable token on Solana, positioning itself as the first U.S. state to issue a blockchain-based instrument that tracks the U.S. dollar. The token is designed to function as a stable-value instrument backed by state-managed reserves and aims to support payments, treasury operations, and on-chain financial services within a clear legal framework.​

Why it matters: FRNT pushes the idea of “public sector stablecoins” from theory into live deployment, challenging central banks and commercial stablecoin issuers alike. It also sets a reference point for how jurisdictions, including Nordic ones, might design their own tokenized cash instruments that sit somewhere between bank money, stablecoins, and future CBDCs.

Source: 'A milestone in financial innovation': Wyoming issues first state-backed stablecoin on Solana, The Block​

What to watch out for today

Norwegian savings apps, brokers, and wealth managers are quietly normalizing bitcoin and digital assets at the same time as the U.S. pushes ahead with stablecoins, tokenized deposits, and state-issued tokens.​

Why it matters: Crypto and tokenized money are starting to live inside mainstream financial plumbing rather than at the edges – in Norway’s investment and advisory channels and in U.S. market infrastructure alike.

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Best regards
Morten Myrstad
Founder & Editor