Toku vs Magna (now part of Kraken's parent company, Payward)

Magna joined Payward, Kraken's parent company, in February 2026 and continues to operate as a standalone product. Comparing it with Toku? The main difference is what each platform handles. Magna focuses on onchain token vesting and distribution. Toku connects token grant administration to payroll and tax withholding in 100+ countries, independently of any exchange.

Toku

Toku: Token grants connected to payroll

Track who receives tokens, when they vest, and what needs to be withheld in each country. Toku connects grant administration to payroll without taking custody of your tokens or requiring a particular exchange.

Magna

Magna: Onchain vesting and distribution

Manage vesting contracts, claim portals, and token distributions. Magna now operates under Payward and reports serving more than 160 clients, with a peak of $60 billion in tokens locked in 2025.

What Toku offers

Token grants, tax withholding, and payroll in one workflow

Managing token grants means keeping accurate records and handling the obligations that come with paying people in tokens. Toku connects grant records and vesting schedules to local tax withholding and payroll in 100+ countries.

Token grant records and vesting schedules

Grants and vesting schedules maintained in one connected workflow.

Tax withholding connected to payroll in 100+ countries

Local tax withholding calculated and processed through payroll in 100+ countries.

Non-custodial administration

Toku administers your grants without holding your tokens or private keys.

Freedom to choose your exchange or custodian

Works with your choice of exchange or custodian — no particular venue required.

Key differences

As of September 2026.

Ownership

Toku is an independent company. Magna is owned by Payward, Kraken's parent company.

Core focus

Magna focuses on the infrastructure for onchain vesting and distribution. Toku focuses on grant records, administration, and the tax withholding tied to those grants.

Employment and payroll

Toku connects token grant administration with EOR, AOR, and payroll services for recipients.

Comparison table

As of September 2026.

Magna handles onchain vesting and distribution. Toku handles the payroll and tax withholding that paying employees in tokens creates — in 100+ countries, independent of any exchange.

FeatureTokuMagna
OwnershipIndependent companyPart of Payward, Kraken's parent company, since February 2026
Token grant records and vesting schedulesYesYes
Onchain distributionsCoordinated through your custody setup; Toku does not hold your tokensVesting contracts and claim portals are a core focus
Tax withholding on token distributionsConnected to payroll in 100+ countriesNot a payroll product
Employment services for token recipientsEOR and AOR services availableNo
Independent ownershipIndependent of exchangesOwned by Kraken's parent company

Magna helps teams manage onchain vesting and token distributions at scale. For teams paying employees in tokens, there is also payroll and tax withholding to handle. A grant to an employee in Germany, Japan, or Brazil can carry local obligations that someone needs to calculate, process, and report. Toku connects those responsibilities to the grant records and vesting schedules your team already manages.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Payward, Kraken's parent company, acquired Magna in February 2026. Magna continues to operate as a standalone product under Payward's ownership.
Magna focuses on onchain vesting and distribution — vesting contracts, claim portals, and token unlocks. Toku is an independent provider that connects token grant administration to payroll and tax withholding in 100+ countries, is non-custodial, and works with your choice of exchange or custodian.
Toku administers distributions non-custodially: it maintains the grant records and vesting schedules while the tokens move through your own custody setup. Toku does not hold your tokens or private keys.
Teams that want grant administration connected to payroll and tax withholding often consider Toku. Toku connects grant records and vesting to tax withholding and payroll in 100+ countries, independently of any exchange.

Token grant administration, independent of any exchange

Connect token grants, tax withholding, and global payroll with Toku.

Toku stablecoin payroll platform