Ripple is ramping up its push into traditional finance, using a mix of acquisitions and blockchain infrastructure upgrades to strengthen its position as a bridge between crypto and the banking world.
After grabbing headlines with its $1.25 billion purchase of prime broker Hidden Road earlier this year, Ripple is far from done. According to Chief Technology Officer David Schwartz, the company’s mergers and acquisitions team is actively exploring multiple new deals. He believes legacy financial institutions are still moving too slowly to capitalize on opportunities in the digital asset space, leaving the door open for agile players like Ripple.
“We don’t face the kind of competition from major banks that you might expect when pursuing strategic acquisitions,” Schwartz noted, emphasizing the advantage this gives Ripple in snapping up high-potential companies.
Ripple has already built out its reach with previous acquisitions of crypto custody firms like Metaco and Standard Custody. Now, it plans to integrate its soon-to-launch stablecoin, RLUSD, into brokerage services tied to Hidden Road, expanding its footprint in both payments and collateral management.
On the technical front, Ripple is investing in evolving the XRP Ledger (XRPL) to introduce Ethereum-style flexibility. While full programmability isn’t on the immediate horizon, Schwartz says the company is focused on maintaining robust security while gradually adding tools to allow more customized payments—such as receiving funds in a chosen digital asset instead of XRP.
Another innovation on the way is a native lending protocol for XRPL. Expected to roll out in Q3 2025 if approved, this system will blend off-chain loan approvals with on-chain tokenized repayments—bringing together elements of both traditional and decentralized finance.
Ripple’s recent burst of announcements includes plans for tokenized treasury bonds, a decentralized exchange geared toward institutional clients, and a new collaboration with cross-chain protocol Wormhole to facilitate asset transfers across different blockchains.
These moves reflect Ripple’s broader ambition: not just to operate in crypto, but to become a foundational player in reshaping global finance.
Alexander Stefanov
Reporter at Coindoo
Alex is an experienced finance journalist and a cryptocurrency and blockchain enthusiast. With over 8 years of experience covering the crypto, blockchain and fintech industries, he deeply understands the complex and constantly evolving world of digital assets. His insightful and thought-provoking articles provide readers with a clear picture of the latest developments and trends in the market. His passionate approach allows him to break down complex ideas into accessible and insightful content. Follow up on his content to be up to date with the most important trends and topics.
Source: https://coindoo.com/ripples-billion-dollar-bet-on-the-future-of-finance/