THE LATEST CRYPTO NEWS

XRP has entered a new chapter in Japan’s payments market after Rakuten Wallet connected the token to Rakuten Pay and Rakuten Cash, giving millions of everyday users a route to interact with the cryptocurrency through an ecosystem they already use. The development is one of the most talked-about XRP adoption stories of the year, among many others. Crypto commentator Dr. Kamilah Stevenson relayed a message for investors fixated on XRP’s price chart: they are watching the wrong screen, while the XRP ecosystem is quietly being opened to 44 million new users. The Market Is Missing The Real XRP Story Stevenson’s comments are based on one idea: XRP adoption may be moving forward beneath the surface even when price action looks quiet. According to the crypto commentator, many investors judge adoption by whether the price jumps immediately after a headline. That is the wrong way to measure developments like the Rakuten Wallet rollout. Related Reading: Is XRP A Scam Or A Trillion-Dollar Coin? Pundit Shares The Answers As noted by Stevenson, 44 million people just got access to XRP. However, that is not a claim that 44 million people have bought the cryptocurrency. Instead, it references Rakuten Wallet, which added XRP to its Rakuten Pay app, allowing its 44 million users to use the cryptocurrency as a payment method across more than 5 million merchant locations in Japan.  Therefore, this implies that a consumer base of 44 million users now has access to XRP anytime they want, particularly to be used as a payment option. That matters for XRP because the cryptocurrency’s long-running investment thesis has always leaned heavily on payment utility. It also plays into the trend of an outlook of adoption by financial institutions. As noted by Stevenson, “this is exactly what institutional adoption looks like, and most people are completely missing it.” Price Is Not The First Signal To Watch Most crypto investors, especially retail traders, are always chasing headlines and expect the XRP price to jump very quickly to moves like this. However, there is a risk in expecting adoption to show up instantly on the price chart. Related Reading: Here’s Why The XRP Price Keeps Crashing Despite Bitcoin Rising On the other hand, real adoption doesn’t move prices immediately. Institutional money doesn’t move on headlines. The more important things are transaction volume, merchant adoption, and proof of concept at scale.  That view fits the Rakuten development more closely than a simple bullish price headline would. Rakuten Wallet’s rollout allows users to convert Rakuten Points into XRP, trade the asset in-app, and charge Rakuten Cash through Rakuten Wallet for spending with Rakuten Pay. Interestingly, the Rakuten development is one of many that are increasing the utility of XRP and the entire XRPL ecosystem on a global scale. While retail traders are watching the price chart, the real money is watching the infrastructure quietly built underneath.  Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

The XRP price action has long been a topic of debate in the crypto community, with analysts and investors discussing the reasons behind its weak performance despite ongoing bullish developments. Given the cryptocurrency’s persistent downtrend, some market participants have labeled XRP a scam, suggesting that it lacks real potential and its price is being deliberately suppressed. However, a crypto pundit has addressed these claims, debunking the scam label while shedding light on XRP’s long-term potential as a trillion-dollar asset.  Why Crypto Users Are Calling XRP A Scam Vincent Van Code, a crypto analyst on X, has outlined several reasons that counter the idea that XRP, the native token of the XRP Ledger (XRPL), could be a scam. In his post, he asked why people believed “XRP is a scam or it’s not being used.” The analyst’s question connects to the broader criticism that XRP’s price has remained low for years despite its active use in cross-border payments, strong community, partnerships with key financial institutions, and expansion into different regions.  Related Reading: Ripple Execs Are Firing Back And XRP Investors Could Be In For A Good Time Before XRP’s rally above $3.5 in 2025, the cryptocurrency was in a steady downward trend for years. The XRP price had been consolidating around the $0.5 level for over four years before it broke past that level in 2024 and jumped above $2.  With the SEC lawsuit officially over and new developments emerging for Ripple and the XRP Ledger, many believed it would be only a matter of time until the price began rallying again to an explosive high. However, XRP has done the opposite. After crashing from above $3.5 last year, the cryptocurrency has been trading at lower levels around $1.3 for months. This weak price action has prompted many in the crypto community to doubt XRP’s potential, with some labeling it a scam token.  Analyst Debunks XRP Scam Labels In his X post, Van Code noted that XRP cannot be a scam if Ripple, a $50 billion company, is actively using the cryptocurrency and working to make it a multi-trillion-dollar asset. He said that there are ongoing plans to use XRP to handle over $1.5 trillion in cross-border payments each year, highlighting its potential role as a bridge currency in global transactions.  Related Reading: XRP Price Set To Rise As It’s Set To Capture A $180 Trillion Market; Analyst Rather than focusing on near-term price action and current performance, the analyst emphasizes XRP’s core utility as a payments solution and how this could drive long-term potential. Van Code suggested that as XRP continues to be used for payments and gains widespread adoption, its price would begin to appreciate in good time. Until then, he urges investors and holders to remain patient as XRP builds real-world use and expands its network. Van Code also referenced a recent statement made by Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, who emphasized the importance of XRP, saying that “all roads lead back to Ripple’s North Star, XRP.” Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

Crypto analyst Ripple Bull Winkle has shared detailed insights into a new price model that predicts XRP’s valuation using theoretical liquidity metrics from the XRP Ledger (XRPL). The model calculates XRP’s required price under different adoption scenarios and potential growth in institutional money flows. In the near-term target, it predicts XRP could rally to $16 and forecasts a price explosion to $18,000 if the cryptocurrency becomes a dominant global bridge asset.  A Breakdown Of The $18,000 XRP Price Model In an X post published on Tuesday, Ripple Bull Winkle delved deep into a viral XRP price model that has quickly caught the attention of analysts and crypto investors. Market expert Vincent Van Code said the system was “arguably one of the better price modeling systems” he had ever seen.  Related Reading: XRP Ledger Hits New RWA Milestone, But Will This Have Any Impact On The Price? Van Code noted that the model uses real liquidity metrics from XRPL to create scenario-based price calculations for XRP. He also declared that the calculated $18,000 price target is “actually correct,” suggesting that XRP had a high chance of reaching this level if it follows the model’s setup to the letter. Notably, Ripple Bull Winkle said the new model was created by a researcher and calculates XRP’s price without speculation or hype. He explained that the system outlined five scenarios for XRP’s valuation. Each of these possible outcomes is linked to a specific use case and peak transaction volume.  The analyst noted that XRP’s projected surge to $18,000 is expected to occur when the cryptocurrency becomes a dominant global bridge asset. The researcher notes that to reach this level, XRP would have to hit a peak ticket of $50 billion in transaction volume.   Ripple Bull Winkle noted that this model does not predict XRP’s price but calculates the level that is mathematically required for XRP to serve as a leading bridge currency. In other words, the model shows that a price jump to $18,000 is justified if XRP meets the stated conditions. XRP’s Near-Mid Term Price Model Scenario For XRP’s near-term outlook, the model indicates that a price of $16 is needed to expand into Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) and remittance markets. At this stage, the peak ticket is also expected to hit $100 million. The model also notes that this scenario is already being supported by the current price and ongoing developments around XRP.  Related Reading: XRP And Bitcoin Investors Are ‘Trapped’, But Is There A Way Out? Interestingly, XRP’s mid-term outlook sees the cryptocurrency at the center of corporate treasuries and regional bank flows. This scenario calls for a required price range of $138 to $690 and a peak ticket of about $500 million. Ripple Bull Rinkle adds that this stage is where institutional and bank adoption will begin to have real price implications.  Moreover, the model noted that for all of its scenarios to play out, XRP needs to become a dominant neutral bridge with deep institutional usage across all major tokenization venues. For now, however, the cryptocurrency is still in a market driven by speculation rather than one fueled by utility. Featured image from Freepik, chart from Tradingview.com

The XRP price is trading around $1.37, but a new outlook from XRP commentator SMQKE is looking away from the short-term chart and back to the long-term utility case.  The analyst’s view centers on the simple idea that XRP’s value will not be decided by speculation alone but by whether it becomes a fundamental liquidity asset for international payments. With this in mind, the outlook is that XRP is about to rise to a significantly high and stable value. XRP’s Rise Starts With Bank And Payment Provider Adoption XRP has always been surrounded by ambitious price projections built around adoption and its proposed role in international fund transfers. Some of these forecasts have stretched as high as $25,000, based on the belief that a large-scale payment utility could eventually transform the cryptocurrency’s market value. Related Reading: Pundit Shares The Most Important Thing To Remember About XRP SMQKE’s outlook follows a similar adoption-based argument, although it does not attach a specific price target to XRP. Instead, the focus is on how XRP could rise to a much higher and more stable value over time, and it starts with adoption. According to him, the more banks integrate Ripple’s distributed ledger technology for international payments, the more transaction flow can move across the network. This is the foundation of the bullish case: rising usage creates more demand for liquidity, and XRP is designed to sit at the center of that settlement layer. The post also pointed to payment service providers such as Finastra, Volante, and CGI as part of the wider infrastructure that could feed transaction volume into the XRP Ledger. The argument is that these providers can tap into cross-currency real-time gross settlement functions and a neutral liquidity marketplace, creating a larger flow of payments beyond direct bank-to-bank usage.  Over time, as banks adopt Ripple’s distributed ledger solution for international payments and payment service providers take advantage of the cross-currency RTGS capability and neutral liquidity marketplace provided by the XRP Ledger, the transaction volumes of the network will grow massively. A $180 Trillion Market The number at the center of SMQKE’s post is $180 trillion, which is the estimated annual volume of the international payments market that XRP is positioned to serve as a bridge currency.  Related Reading: XRP OI Z-Score Just Dropped To Levels Seen Before Its 600% Rally In 2024 According to him, XRP is in the right position to become the best liquidity vehicle for these payment markets. That is the size of the market XRP is positioned to serve, and this is another factor as to why the XRP price will surge massively. SMQKE also pointed to XRP’s supply structure as another reason the token could rise over time. XRP’s maximum supply is capped at 100 billion tokens. Although calculations using this number make ultra-bullish price targets unrealistic, the saving grace is that XRP tokens cannot be mined, and the supply will constantly decrease. SMQKE also addressed XRP’s volatility as another factor why it’s set to rise, noting that wider demand could make the price more stable as usage becomes more constant due to a steady demand for XRP as a bridging currency. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

Ripple’s escrow accounts are among the wallets that may not be as protected as they appear. A new breakdown of every account on the XRP Ledger found that multi-signature wallets — including those tied to Ripple — hold 36.60 billion XRP, or over 36% of the total supply, but are not automatically shielded from future quantum threats without proper key management. Related Reading: Bitcoin Bull Run Brewing: ATH In Sight By Late 2026: Analyst What The Numbers Show The analysis was conducted by XRPL validator Vet, who reviewed all 7,810,364 accounts on the XRP Ledger. Based on that review, 23.16 billion XRP currently sits in wallets considered safe from quantum attack. That works out to 27% of all accounts — roughly 2.13 million wallets. Two factors account for their safety: either the wallets have never signed a transaction, meaning the public key has never been exposed, or the account holders rotated their keys and disabled master keys as an extra security step. The first group covers over 24% of accounts. The second, more deliberate group accounts for 2.65%. The logic is straightforward. When a wallet signs a transaction, its public key becomes visible on the ledger. A sufficiently advanced quantum computer could theoretically use that public key to work backward and derive the private key. Wallets that have never signed anything don’t have that exposure. Did a Full History deep dive on all 7.8M XRP Accounts for Quantum Threat exposure targeting dormant accounts. Genesis XRP accounts, the Satoshi Era equivalent, is 0.02% of all XRP supply that is dormant and exposed. Exposed supply increases as dormancy thresholds are lowered.… https://t.co/AxINT1RaXV pic.twitter.com/QvZD8zBCNg — Vet (@Vet_X0) April 29, 2026 Dormant Accounts Raise Hard Questions On the other side of the ledger, 76.82 billion XRP spread across 5.6 million accounts is considered exposed. But Vet noted that 96% of that amount belongs to users who are still active — people who, when the time comes, can move their funds to safer addresses. The harder problem is dormant accounts. Wallets that have been inactive for five or more years hold 2.94% of the total XRP supply, which amounts to 3.83% of all exposed XRP. At the far end, accounts with no activity since before 2014 represent just 0.02% of total supply. Reports indicate that group includes only 14,710 accounts, compared to 1.33 million in the five-year inactive category. For context, Vet pointed to Bitcoin, where holdings tied to Satoshi Nakamoto make up roughly 5% of total supply — much of which may never be moved. Nobody knows why dormant wallets were abandoned. Lost keys, forgotten accounts, and personal circumstances all come into play. That uncertainty makes them the most difficult part of the quantum exposure problem. A 2028 Deadline Already In Motion The XRP Ledger currently uses Ed25519 and secp256k1 cryptographic standards. Both remain secure today, but could become vulnerable as quantum computing advances. Related Reading: WLFI Selloff Deepens After Controversial Governance Vote Goes Live Ripple has laid out a four-phase roadmap aimed at making the network fully quantum-resistant by 2028. Early testing of new systems is already underway, with updates to the main network planned for later phases. The long-term fix for exposed wallets is expected to involve quantum-resistant encryption that lets users migrate funds to better-protected addresses. That works for people who still have access. For those who don’t — whether due to lost credentials or other circumstances — the exposure may be permanent. Featured image from ForkLog, chart from TradingView

Crypto pundit SMQKE has shared an important thing that XRP holders have to remember when it comes to the altcoin’s price. He alluded to the token’s historical price appreciation and noted that XRP is better positioned to record more significant gains following Ripple’s recent acquisitions.  What To Remember About XRP’s Price In an X post, SMQKE reminded XRP holders that the token delivered nearly 350x returns between 2017 and 2018, while Bitcoin and Ethereum gained 14x and 100x, respectively, during that period. He noted that this means XRP’s price increase was roughly 24x steeper than Bitcoin’s.  Related Reading: XRP Ledger Hits New RWA Milestone, But Will This Have Any Impact On The Price? The pundit remarked that this occurred before Ripple completed any of its major institutional acquisitions, with XRP recording those gains simply due to early network momentum. Now, the fundamentals are believed to be more bullish as Ripple has completed strategic acquisitions of over $3 billion since 2017 to build institutional-grade infrastructure.  SMQKE stated that these key moves include Ripple’s 2023 acquisition of Metaco for $250 million, which now provides bank-grade custody used by G-SIBs. In 2024, the crypto firm acquired Standard Custody, which is a New York-regulated trust services provider. Most of its acquisitions came last year, which have been bullish for XRP.  Ripple acquired Hidden Road, which is now Ripple Prime, for $1.25 billion. SMQKE noted that this is a prime brokerage that clears trillions annually. Ripple also acquired the stablecoin payments platform Rail, the corporate treasury management platform GTreasury, and the wallet and custody provider Palisade last year.  The pundit stated that these acquisitions create a much stronger foundation for durable price appreciation in XRP. He also alluded to the potential integration of XRP into SWIFT, FedNow, and DTCC. Based on this, SMQKE remarked that the altcoin’s past returns may have only been a preview of what its future network value could become.  Why Price Is Still Low SMQKE alluded to a statement from former Ripple executive Marcus Treacher, who noted that XRP isn’t a speculative currency but rather a long-term play for the future. He highlighted how the altcoin could grow massively in value over the long term as a result of what Ripple is building with XRP.  Related Reading: XRP OI Z-Score Just Dropped To Levels Seen Before Its 600% Rally In 2024 Treacher noted that transforming how payments work worldwide is a big deal and that once they achieve this with the XRP Ledger, everything else will start to fall into place. Meanwhile, SMQKE mentioned that news doesn’t move prices and that utility does. As such, he suggested that the focus should be on expanding XRP’s use cases and that the price will rise significantly as the altcoin continues to gain adoption.  At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.39, up in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

The XRP Ledger (XRPL) has achieved a new milestone, hitting $3 billion in total tokenized value on the network. Crypto pundit X Finance Bull highlighted the significance of this milestone, although it looks unlikely to have any impact on price for now.  XRP Ledger Hits $3 Billion In Total RWA Value According to data from RWA.xyz, the XRP Ledger has reached $3 billion in total RWA value, representing a 59% increase over the last 30 days. The network currently has 291 RWA projects on the network. Crypto pundit X Finance Bull noted that in a market where people keep acting like utility does not matter, money is still finding its way to chains built for real finance.  Related Reading: XRP Ledger Transactions Are Surging Again, Here Are The Numbers The crypto pundit reiterated that institutions are not guessing but moving toward infrastructure they can actually use. In another X post, X Finance Bull cited Ripple executive Luke Judges, who said that the total tokenized RWA value on the XRP Ledger is already closer to $3.75 billion.  The pundit remarked that the goal is for the XRP Ledger to rank first in total RWA value, while the network currently ranks 5th. Ripple is currently one of the projects tokenizing on the XRP Ledger with its RLUSD stablecoin, which has a total value of almost $382 million on the network.  Ondo Finance has also tokenized its short-term government treasuries on the XRP Ledger, with a total value of $323 million. Justtoken’s JMWH is the largest tokenized asset on the XRP Ledger with a total value of $1.76 billion. The token represents real-world energy-backed transactions. Justtoken also focuses on tokenizing several commodities.  Milestone Unlikely To Impact XRP Price For Now Crypto analyst Egrag Crypto stated that XRP’s wave 2 move to the downside is not done yet, signaling that this XRPL milestone is unlikely to impact price for now. The analyst also mentioned that the market is not done shaking out weak hands, with XRP’s momentum still stalling and the structure weakening.  Related Reading: The Crash Is Over? XRP Price About To Hit ‘Significant Bottom’ Commenting on the current price action, Egrag Crypto stated that XRP is sitting inside the red flag zone between $1.46 and $1.80. The key levels to watch are $1.46 (immediate support), $1.13 (confirming a breakdown), and $0.90 to $0.73 (likely the wave 2 completion). The analyst noted that the bearish path is preferred for now.  As such, XRP losing $1.46 is likely to trigger a continuation lower toward $1.13, then a drop below $1. This is expected to trigger a deep Wave 2 reset before expansion. Meanwhile, a bullish invalidation will occur if XRP reclaims the $1.80-$2 range and closes weekly above it. This will then lead to a Wave 3 expansion, with targets of $5, $8, and $13.  At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.39, down over 2% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

The mechanics behind XRP’s supply have always been public. A breakdown on X from crypto commentator Crypto Tony looks at the process of XRP unlocks in particular, with the theory that the payments technology company is, in fact, diluting every holder of XRP. The Escrow Machine and How It Works In a detailed post on X, a crypto commentator known as Crypto Tony laid out an interesting theory as to why Ripple keeps unlocking and selling millions of XRP every month to his hundreds of thousands of followers.  Related Reading: 4-Figure XRP: How High Will The Price Be If Ripple Captures 50% Of SWIFT? To understand the controversy, it starts with how XRP was created and distributed. When XRP launched in 2012, all 100 billion tokens were minted at once. Ripple’s founders took 20 billion for themselves and handed the remaining 80 billion to the company. For the first five years, nothing legally prevented Ripple from selling as much of that supply as it wanted. In late 2017, the company placed 55 billion XRP into escrow accounts on the XRP Ledger. These escrows release up to 1 billion XRP every month, automatically, on a fixed schedule. This was probably meant to address concerns that Ripple could flood the market at any time. Based on that framework, Ripple releases one billion XRP each month but relocks between 60% and 80% of the tokens, and they keep the rest, which is roughly 200 to 300 million XRP. According to Crypto Tony, the remainder is kept by Ripple and used to fund the entire company.  Ripple Is Diluting XRP Holders A major part of the analyst’s discussion is how Ripple has been diluting the value of traders holding XRP, citing major examples as to how this is happening.  Related Reading: Is XRP The Solution To Everything? Ripple President Drops Bombshell That Changes Everything That funding model has been acknowledged publicly. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has previously indicated in interviews that XRP sales play a role in sustaining the company. The more uncomfortable chapter noted by Crypto Tony concerns how Ripple has, at various points, used its commercial partnerships to move XRP into the market through a secondary layer of sellers. An example is when Ripple paid MoneyGram more than $61 million in market development fees to use XRP. MoneyGram subsequently told reporters it sold XRP as soon as it received it, holding no inventory of the token.  The SEC addressed this arrangement in its complaint against Ripple, writing that MoneyGram had become a conduit for Ripple’s unregistered XRP sales.  According to Crypto Tony, every holder of XRP is being slowly diluted by the company itself, by design, on a monthly schedule that’s written into the blockchain. This is a major reason as to why XRP is now down six consecutive months.  Crypto Tony also mentioned Jed McCaleb, co-founder of Ripple, as another conduit through which the holdings of XRP holders were diluted. McCaleb left the company with 9 billion XRP and spent 8 years dumping about $3.2 billion worth of his holdings. At the time of writing, Ripple still has about 33.355 billion XRP in its escrow wallets, according to data from XRPScan. Featured image from Pxfuel, chart from Tradingview.com

Odelia Torteman, the Director of Corporate Adoption at XRPL Commons, has revealed that BlackRock and Mastercard are showing interest in the XRP Ledger (XRPL). She also explained how the network is the right fit for these institutions as they look to move on-chain.  BlackRock and Mastercard Are Showing Interest In XRP XRP pundit Xaif shared a video in which Torteman confirmed that BlackRock and Mastercard were showing interest in the XRP Ledger, signaling that they could consider launching a product on the network. She also noted that the XRPL was designed from the beginning to support several use cases, which could align with these institutions’goals.  Related Reading: Ripple CEO Breaks Down How XRP Ledger DeFi Users Are Protected From Attacks Like KelpDAO Torteman further remarked that the XRP Ledger has pre-embedded features that support enterprise-grade use cases. She alluded to the pre-built AMM, DEX, and other features that developers are currently working on as part of the institutional DeFi roadmap, which could help onboard institutions such as BlackRock and Mastercard.  It is worth noting that the XRP Ledger recently added zero-knowledge (ZK) proof technology, which XRPL Commons announced in partnership with Boundless. XRPL Commons stated that on-chain privacy was the missing piece for institutional adoption, indicating that the network could now see greater adoption with the addition of on-chain privacy. BlackRock and Mastercard already have ties to the XRP ecosystem through their collaboration with Ripple. Last year, Ripple and Securitize, the issuer of BlackRock’s BUIDL fund, partnered to add RLUSD as a stablecoin off-ramp for the tokenized fund. Meanwhile, Ripple has collaborated with Mastercard for its Crypto Partner program. The firm revealed that the collaboration includes testing RLUSD on the XRPL to enable faster, regulated stablecoin settlement for Mastercard transactions.  Companies Set To Drive The Next Wave Of Adoption Xaif shared another video in which Ripple’s President Monica Long signaled that companies will drive the next wave of adoption for XRP and XRPL. She highlighted that her firm is already working with several partners who use its infrastructure for activities such as dollar clearing.  Related Reading: Ripple’s Tokenization Bet: Will XRP Price Explode As It Enters This Trillion-Dollar Industry? She also revealed that they are seeing more use cases for internal treasury management, with companies and banks looking for more efficient ways to move money across different entities in real time across the world. The Ripple president also opined that there is a significant use case with their Ripple Treasury product.  Notably, Ripple recently integrated XRP and RLUSD into the Ripple Treasury management system, enabling institutions to use these crypto assets in the same environment. Long highlighted how the focus for these institutions is to be able to manage payments efficiently, which is something crypto assets and stablecoins help with.  At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.42, up in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

The conversation around XRP’s long-term price potential has always gravitated toward one question: what happens when Ripple’s infrastructure meets global banking at scale?    That same line of thinking extends to scenarios where the XRP Ledger begins handling a significant share of SWIFT’s transaction flow. An XRP enthusiast called The Real Remi Relief, who is known for his ultra-bullish predictions for XRP, projected that the cryptocurrency would need to trade somewhere around $1,500 to $2,000 just to provide enough liquidity and keep slippage under control if this happens. 50% Of SWIFT Theory Produces A 4-Figure XRP Number Ripple’s ecosystem now has partnerships with around 300 institutions, mostly through its acquisition of Hidden Road in 2025. Furthermore, at least 30 of the 50-plus banks named in SWIFT’s new retail payments framework are already maintaining ties to Ripple’s network. Therefore, it is no longer theoretical that Ripple could absorb a notable chunk of SWIFT’s flows in the coming years.  Related Reading: Pundit Shows How XRP’s Performance Has Outpaced Hedge Funds Calculations on X by crypto commentator The Remi Relief are putting hard numbers to the scenario, and the figures land the XRP price in four-digit territory.  The model begins with SWIFT’s scale. SWIFT facilitates approximately $150 trillion in cross-border transactions annually. The Remi Relief’s framework applies a 50% capture scenario to that volume.  At that threshold, around $250 billion must be held in active XRP liquidity at any given moment to prevent slippage, which is a pricing disruption that occurs when large trades move through thin order books. The math produces a price in the range of $1,500 to $2,000 for each unit of XRP in order to prevent this. Scale the capture rate to 100% of SWIFT, and the projection doubles to anywhere between $3,000 and $4,000 per XRP.  The model works only if one accepts the starting assumption that XRP would actually be handling a huge portion of SWIFT flows in the first place.  Ripple Is Building For Institutions Ripple’s recent strategy shows why some investors think the long-term XRP case is becoming more serious. In April 2025, the company announced its $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road, one of the biggest deals in the crypto industry, and later completed that transaction as part of its push to build institutional-grade financial infrastructure. Related Reading: Japan Is Going In On XRP, But Can This Drive The Price To $10? Following its acquisition of GTreasury in 2025, Ripple expanded its Treasury platform into SWIFT’s ecosystem. Ripple Treasury’s platform now gives corporates a choice between traditional SWIFT rails and blockchain-powered settlement in seconds using XRP or RLUSD. However, building institutional rails is very different from capturing half of SWIFT, as the network is also not standing still. The network said that it would add a blockchain-based shared ledger to its infrastructure stack, and by early 2026, it said more than 50 banks across 16 countries are working to create a design focused initially on 24/7 cross-border payments. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

“Pay attention. FOMO.” That was the blunt message from XRPL validator Vet, posted to X this week, as a string of major platforms moved to add XRP and XRP Ledger support across payments, exchanges, and self-custody tools. Related Reading: Consistent XRP Buys Could Deliver Outsized Gains By 2030: Finance Expert He was not talking about Ripple’s own products. He was pointing to independent adoption — and the list is getting harder to ignore. Binance And Bitget Expand Their XRPL Footprint Binance completed its integration of RLUSD — Ripple’s enterprise stablecoin — directly on the XRP Ledger back in February. Since then, trading pairs including RLUSD/USDT and RLUSD/XRP have gone live on the exchange, giving users faster and cheaper ways to move funds within the ecosystem. I’m not talking about Ripple products. I’m referring to XRPL integrations on Binance, Bitget, Rakuten Wallet, Exodus etc Pay attention, Fomo. — Vet (@Vet_X0) April 21, 2026 Bitget Wallet has since followed, adding the XRPL mainnet to its platform and enabling XRP and RLUSD transfers alongside cross-chain options. Reports indicate the wallet is also working with Ripple’s ecosystem to push RLUSD adoption further, including through real-world payment options like QR code transactions, crypto card payments, and bank transfers. Non stop wave of XRP integrations on various platforms, payment providers, exchanges and what not. Sometimes with XRPL issued asset support when it makes sense. Focus is on having XRP front and center. This will pay off when decades start happening in weeks again. — Vet (@Vet_X0) April 21, 2026 Exodus Movement expanded its own XRP Ledger support on April 16, rolling out upgraded tools for managing and moving XRP within its self-custody wallet. The update also brought RLUSD support to the platform for the first time. According to Exodus, XRP is already among the most actively used assets on its platform — and the new features were built in direct response to user demand. Rakuten Opens XRP To 44 Million Users In Japan Perhaps the single biggest development came from Japan. On April 14, Rakuten — one of the country’s largest e-commerce companies — brought XRP into its payment network through its subsidiary, Rakuten Wallet. Users can now spend XRP at more than 5 million merchant locations, trade it within the app, and convert Rakuten loyalty points into XRP. That last feature connects the token to one of Japan’s most widely used rewards systems, where trillions of points are already in circulation. The move puts XRP in front of more than 44 million users at once. These developments span a range of functions — trading, payments, transfers, and asset storage — across platforms that serve users well beyond the core crypto audience. Related Reading: Bitcoin Set For Stronger Week, Eyes $88K On Stable Macro Backdrop: Analyst A Pattern Building Toward The Next Market Cycle Vet, who runs a validator node on the XRP Ledger, framed the current stretch of activity as something to watch closely before market conditions shift. His post did not forecast a price move. It simply pointed to the pace of adoption and suggested that its full weight may not be felt until trading volumes pick up again. Featured image from Meta, chart from TradingView

Crypto pundit UnknowDLT has revealed that Japan has provided regulatory clarity for XRP, classifying it as a financial instrument. This comes amid predictions about the altcoin’s trajectory, including a possible rally to $10.  Japan Classifies XRP Along With Stocks And Bonds In an X post, the pundit noted that Japan has reclassified crypto assets as financial instruments, meaning that XRP now has the same legal status as a stock or bond. He added that the country with the strictest crypto regulations in the world has just put XRP on par with traditional financial assets.  Related Reading: Massive XRP Adoption Trend Paints The Most Bullish Picture Yet Amid this development, XRP pundit XRP Update noted that Japan was one of Ripple’s earliest strongholds. The pundit noted that, through its partnership with SBI, the company launched On-Demand Liquidity (ODL), using XRP as a bridge asset to enable real-time cross-border payments and eliminate pre-funding.  Since then, XRP has continued to witness massive adoption in Japan. Crypto pundit Xaif recently noted that Japan is tokenizing payments on the XRP Ledger. Specifically, SBI and Tobu Top Tours have partnered to issue prepaid payment tokens on the XRP Ledger, which are tied to the 30 trillion yen market.  Furthermore, Japanese crypto firm Rakuten Wallet has listed XRP for its 44 million users. These users will be able to buy XRP with loyalty points and can spend them across the country. This is part of an integration that connects XRP to up to 5 million merchants in the country. As such, XRP continues to see massive adoption in the country amid the token’s reclassification as a financial instrument.  A Rally To $13 Still In Play For XRP Crypto analyst Egrag Crypto has stated that an XRP rally to between $9 and $13 is still in play. He noted that market participants are focused on the descending triangle but are missing the bigger picture. He acknowledged that after 14 months of accumulation, the token formed this descending triangle and broke down as it statistically should.  Related Reading: XRP Is At A Critical Decision Point, But Can Price Still Rally To $2? However, Egrag Crypto said that this breakdown is not a trend failure but rather a liquidity sweep inside a macro uptrend. He added that the real structure is the Bifrost Bridge and that as long as XRP is rising in this macro channel, then the trend is intact. Also, the structure is bullish while the move is unfinished, signaling a further rally to the upside. The analyst stated that triangles are short-term patterns and that channels define cycles.  As such, Egrag Crypto is confident that XRP will still rally to as high as $13, with XRP still inside this macro channel. He added that a long accumulation translates to an explosive expansion.  At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.45, up in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

A partnership between BlackRock, Mastercard, Gemini, and Ripple recently completed tests using a regulated stablecoin to settle card payments on the XRP Ledger. This move shows how traditional financial giants are shifting from watching blockchain technology to actually putting it to work. Related Reading: XRP Poised To Dominate New DeFi Cycle, XRPL Validator Says The trial focused on RLUSD, a stablecoin designed to help banks process payments with more transparency and speed than current systems allow. Major Institutions Explore Blockchain Infrastructure Ripple executive Odelia Torteman shared details about these developments during a recent industry forum in London. While many people view XRP as a token for trading, firms like BlackRock and Franklin Templeton are looking at the underlying ledger as a tool for institutional finance. The network was built to handle cross-border transactions and move multiple types of assets at once. It includes a built-in decentralized exchange and an automated market maker. These features allow large companies to trade and move value without being fully reliant on traditional middlemen. Last September, Franklin Templeton joined forces with Ripple and DBS Bank to introduce new ways to lend and trade. They used money market funds that were turned into digital tokens to increase liquidity. By combining these tokens with regulated stablecoins, the firms aim to make capital move more efficiently while staying within legal rules. This approach helps build trust for large investors who are often wary of the volatile nature of the broader crypto market. BlackRock And Ripple Link Investment Funds Reports indicate that the reach of this technology is expanding into the world of Treasury products. Ripple worked with Securitize to create a system where investors in BlackRock’s BUIDL fund can turn their holdings into RLUSD. This setup allows for liquidity 24 hours a day through the use of smart contracts. Normally, pulling money out of these types of funds can take time and only happens during banking hours. This new method changes that by allowing constant access to funds. Future Growth For Bridge Assets Data shows that the XRP Ledger is being positioned as a primary choice for firms that need to meet strict identity and compliance standards. It uses “trust lines” and specific tools to handle know-your-customer requirements. Related Reading: $1.4 Billion Pours Into Crypto — What’s Driving The Surge? It is evident that the actual application of XRP is changing as more institutions start participating in its operations. The coin has traditionally been used for speculative purposes by individual traders through exchanges; however, it is currently being applied as a technical medium of liquidity. As a digital asset, XRP acts as a mediator for banks and facilitates transactions in various forms of value worldwide in a matter of seconds. Featured image from The Wall Street Experience, chart from TradingView

David Schwartz, the former Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Ripple, has addressed recent concerns over DeFi bridge security, reassuring XRP Ledger (XRPL) users that the network is not exposed to attacks like those linked to the Kelp DAO exploit. He emphasized that vulnerability in cross-chain bridge systems largely depends on how they are designed and implemented, as well as on the level of reliance on external bridge infrastructure.  How XRP Users Remain Protected From Kelp DAO-Related Exploits In an X post on April 20, Schwartz provided context on how users in the XRP Ledger (XRPL) ecosystem are positioned differently from those exposed to cross-chain risks in Kelp DAO exploits. The discussion follows concerns in the DeFi space after Kelp DAO suffered a major security breach tied to vulnerabilities in its bridging infrastructure. This hack resulted in approximately $292 million in rsETH tokens being stolen from the protocol and immediately used as debt collateral on Aave, a lending protocol.  Related Reading: What’s Really Going On With Ripple’s XRP Ledger And Are Investors Coming Back? Schwartz noted that his past evaluations of DeFi bridging systems, including those considered for Ripple’s stablecoin RLUSD, were heavily focused on security design. According to his assessment, many of these systems already had strong mechanisms to prevent the type of fraudulent cross-chain message manipulation observed during the Kelp DAO attack. However, he noted that actual protection depends on whether projects fully activate those safeguards.  The ex-Ripple CTO also pointed to a recurring issue in DeFi infrastructures, where security features exist but are often practiced optionally. He noted that most bridge providers tend to promote their systems as “super safe,” while also emphasizing ease of use and fast deployment across different blockchains. In reality, some of these stronger security settings are left optional or disabled. As a result, Schwartz noted that many developers sometimes choose simpler configurations instead of fully enabling the full set of available security options. He added that, due to the trade-off between convenience and the costs of operational complexity, some teams avoid more robust setups. In his view, this creates a serious gap and can leave systems exposed to attacks that the underlying design was intended to prevent.  For XRP Ledger users, Schwartz noted that the blockchain’s reliance on bridge security systems is significantly reduced. As a result, exposure to vulnerabilities similar to the Kelp DAO incident is structurally limited.  How XRP Ledger Design Reduces Reliance On Bridge Systems Schwartz has noted a structural difference in how the XRP Ledger operates compared to many DeFi ecosystems that depend on external bridges. In systems like Kelp DAO’s rsETH setup, assets move across chains through third-party bridge protocols, which introduce additional points of failure if verification rules are not strictly enforced. Related Reading: Pundit Says This Chart Paints The Clearest Macro Picture For XRP In contrast, the XRP Ledger is designed with built-in transaction finality and does not rely on the same type of external cross-chain messaging infrastructure for its core functions. This significantly reduces the ledger’s exposure to security breaches and exploits that target tricking bridge validators or falsifying cross-chain instructions. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com

Ripple is building a multi-stage plan to prepare the XRP Ledger (XRPL) for an eventual shift to post-quantum cryptography, setting a 2028 target for full readiness. This comes as advances in quantum computing force blockchain developers to think more concretely about how existing security systems may need to change in preparation for “Q-day.” The company […]
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XRP’s decentralized finance ecosystem is growing fast. Its FXRP supply is closing in on 160 million tokens, a milestone that signals rising adoption just months after launch — and the numbers are fueling a broader argument about where XRP stands in the future of decentralized finance. Related Reading: $1.4 Billion Pours Into Crypto — What’s Driving The Surge? XRPL Validator Makes The Case For Stability A validator on the XRP Ledger known as Vet made waves on X this week, arguing that XRP is built to drive the next phase of DeFi in a way that other protocols are not. His argument doesn’t rest on raw performance data. Instead, it centers on what the XRP Ledger was deliberately designed to leave out. According to Vet, the protocol skips features like complex smart contract composability and staking — tools common on rival chains — because those features carry hidden dangers. Classic DeFi has a long way to go to replace TradFi completely as we can see. XRP will lead the new wave of DeFi. People aren’t ready for it but it’s inevitable, our protocol design choices are superior and more robust for high value use cases such as DeFi replacing TradFi. — Vet (@Vet_X0) April 19, 2026 Cascading failures, layered bugs, and compounding risks are what he calls “multiplicative risk.” By avoiding them, he says, the XRP Ledger becomes a more solid base for high-value financial applications. Traditional finance, he added, is far from being replaced by existing DeFi systems, and XRP’s design makes it better suited for that long transition. A portion of the FXRP supply is already locked into protocols including Firelight, Kinetic, BlazeSwap, and Upshift. XRP holders are using these platforms for yield and liquidity, marking the early stages of an ecosystem that continues to build out through Flare Network’s staking infrastructure. Flare Founder Fires Back Not everyone accepted Vet’s framing without question. Hugo Philion, the founder of Flare Network, pushed back on what he saw as premature claims of superiority. Philion said he supports both XRP and the XRP Ledger, but argued that no protocol earns the right to claim it is better until it has been put through real pressure at real scale. As you know I am a big believer in XRPL and XRP but this kind of grave dancing is extremely unseemly especially as various protocols have had issues and bugs when being rolled out on XRP Ledger. Before commenting on the superiority of protocol design choices etc you would need… — Hugo Philion (@HugoPhilion) April 20, 2026 He pointed out that multiple crypto protocols — including those tied to XRPL — have run into bugs and rollout problems. Related Reading: XRP A Strong Buy Before 2027 Despite 27% Drop In 2026: Finance Advisory Firm DeFi, he said, is still maturing across the board, and XRP’s entry into the space should be seen as part of that wider development, not a leap ahead of it. Vet responded by clarifying his position. He was not arguing that XRP beats the competition outright. His point, he said, was about managing downside risk — and that the trade-offs baked into the XRP Ledger are intentional choices, not shortcomings. Featured image from Meta, chart from TradingView

The crypto market is buzzing after new speculation about a potential collaboration between Solana (SOL) and XRP spread across social media. This comes alongside claims of a wrapped XRP (wXRP) expansion into Solana-based decentralized finance. The developments have fueled debates among traders and analysts, with some pointing toward potential liquidity shifts and others highlighting their bullish impact on prices. If true, an integration between Solana and XRP could be the catalyst the market has been anticipating to push them toward much higher valuations.  Solana Drops “XRP” Bomb On X The team behind the Solana blockchain has triggered widespread discussion across the crypto market after a recent X post that referenced XRP. The post featured a short video accompanied by the curt text “XRP,” which immediately captured the attention of the Solana and XRP communities and generated over 1.8 million views at the time of writing.  Related Reading: Here’s How Solana And XRP ETFs Have Performed Compared To Bitcoin And Ethereum Many traders and analysts tried interpreting the cryptic post, with some questioning whether a deeper connection between the two blockchain ecosystems was being hinted at. Solana later followed with an even more teaser-like message, declaring that it was “time to flip the switch.” This further intensified debates and speculation that something significant could be coming for XRP and Solana.  Despite the excitement and chatter, there has been no official confirmation of a partnership or technical integration between Solana and the XRP Ledger (XRPL). Much of the reaction has come from interpretations within the crypto community, where cryptic marketing posts are often treated as potential signs of upcoming developments.  Some community members believe that Solana’s message could point to future interoperability or a merger between the two ecosystems. Others argue it may be attention-driven content designed to engage both the Solana and XRP communities without any underlying technical announcement. At the same time, some claim that a potential partnership or integration could be bullish for both cryptocurrencies’ prices.  Whatever the case, the Solana-related activity remains speculative and has not been backed by formal documentation from either ecosystem.  A Possible Integration Between Solana And XRP Separately on X, a pseudonymous crypto analyst, SMQKE, has drawn attention to a potential expansion of XRP utility on Solana-based DeFi platforms. The analyst shared a screenshot of a digital assets report published by AmplifyETFs, suggesting that XRP is poised to expand its functional use through the introduction of a wrapped XRP asset designed to operate within Solana’s decentralized applications (dApps).  Related Reading: XRP Is At A Critical Decision Point, But Can Price Still Rally To $2? SMQKE noted that the wXRP is backed 1:1 by native XRP and will be held in regulated custody through Hex Trust, with interoperability enabled by infrastructure connected to LayerZero, an omnichain protocol. The structure allows XRP holders to move value into the Solana ecosystem while maintaining the ability to redeem it back into native XRP on its ledger.  The significance of this development is that it could potentially extend XRP beyond its traditional role in payments and settlement. By becoming available within Solana DeFi platforms, XRP could be used in lending markets, liquidity pools, and trading systems that are more active than those typically associated with its native network. Featured image from Medium, chart from Tradingview.com

After losing 63% of its value over several tough months and challenging investor confidence, XRP made a strong comeback in April. XRP’s recovery is driven by new privacy features for institutions, major retail adoption in Asia, and renewed interest in exchange-traded funds. Cryptorank data shows XRP is on track for its first positive monthly close since September […]
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The Securities and Exchange Commission said on April 13 that certain crypto user interfaces tied to XRP other digital assets can avoid broker-dealer registration when they stay out of custody, order routing, and trade execution. Related Reading: Dollar’s Shrinking Value Adds Fuel To XRP Bull Case: Finance Expert The staff statement is temporary and will be withdrawn in five years unless the Commission acts first, but it gives developers a clearer lane for now. XRPL Gets A Lift From The New Guidance That shift matters for the XRP Ledger because the network already includes a built-in decentralized exchange, along with order books, automated market makers, and cross-currency routing. XRPL documentation says those features are native to the ledger, which means developers can build on top of existing market infrastructure instead of creating a separate exchange from scratch. Extremely good news for DeFi on XRP! Why? We have XRP protocol level Decentralized Exchange, with orderbooks and automated market makers and native cross currency transaction routing. Means, providing just access to the XRP DEX doesn’t require registration. Because you don’t… https://t.co/Z8U5tsX02O — Vet (@Vet_X0) April 13, 2026 Some analysts say the setup aligns closely with the SEC’s new language. XRPL validator Vet argued that simply giving users access to the XRP DEX should not trigger registration, since the interface is not holding funds or carrying out trades itself. On X, Vet called the development “extremely good news for DeFi on XRP,” citing the XRP Ledger’s built-in design. That reading matches the general direction of the SEC statement, but it is still an interpretation, not a formal exemption. Reports point to the ledger’s design as a reason XRP DeFi could move faster than many other ecosystems. Because the network already handles routing and settlement at the protocol level, front-end builders may have less work to do than on chains where liquidity is split across many separate venues. What The SEC Drew The Line Around The SEC staff statement is narrow. It covers interfaces that let users prepare crypto asset securities transactions through a self-custodial wallet, while staying away from solicitation, custody, trade execution, and order routing. It also says such providers should rely on objective, pre-disclosed parameters, offer users control over defaults, and disclose material facts about fees, conflicts, and the limits of the interface. Related Reading: TRUMP Buying Frenzy Builds Ahead Of Mar-A-Lago Power Event The statement goes further by saying a covered interface should not comment on routes, claim a route is best, or exercise discretion over the market data and transaction details it shows. It also says the provider’s compensation must be fixed and product-agnostic, with no payments tied to the size or outcome of individual trades. Those conditions matter because they set the boundary between a software tool and a broker-like service. For XRP developers, the point is not that the SEC has blessed the XRPL outright. The point is that the agency’s staff is now describing a category of front ends that may be able to operate without broker-dealer registration if they stay inside strict limits. Featured image from Vecteezy, chart from TradingView

As institutional capital increasingly explores blockchain infrastructure, the focus is shifting from experimentation to execution. In this evolving landscape, the XRP Ledger is steadily positioning itself at the center of efficiency, scalability, and reliability. With its ability to handle high-value transactions at speed and low cost, it is emerging as a serious contender for institutions seeking to move capital seamlessly across global markets. The XRP Ledger is emerging as a foundational layer for trillions of dollars in institutional opportunity. An analyst known as ChartNerd on X has reported a video in which Marius Jurgilas, CEO of Axiology, highlighted the scale of the opportunity, pointing to multi-trillion-dollar funding gaps and idle capital across European markets waiting to be tokenized on-chain. Tokenization Of Real-World Assets On The XRP Ledger At the center of this transformation is Axiology’s permissioned implementation of XRPL. The platform is designed to compress today’s complex capital market stack, including broker-dealers, custodians, and intermediaries, into a single, efficient, and compliant layer. This specific DLT infrastructure is being deployed within the European Central Bank’s (ECB) pilot initiatives, specifically the PONTES program, which is scheduled to begin in Q3 2026. Related Reading: XRP Could Be The Hidden Beneficiary Of FedNow Expansion — Here’s Why Further reinforcing its institutional credibility, Axiology has become only the second company to secure a Trading and Settlement System (TSS) license under the European Union’s (EU) DLT pilot regime for Central Bank Money Settlement. This TSS license allows the firm to operate a trading and settlement system using distributed ledger technology. Crypto analyst Skipper has also revealed that Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, has consistently maintained that XRP was not limited to payments alone. From the beginning, Ripple’s goal was to build real-world utility technology capable of solving deep inefficiencies within the global financial system, rather than accelerating the movement of money. According to Brad, what initially emerged as a solution for cross-border payments has evolved into a much broader ecosystem. Presently, XRP and XRPL are being explored for a growing range of use cases, including asset tokenization, liquidity solutions, and wider financial applications. As adoption increases and use cases expand, that early vision is beginning to take shape, showing that the strategy was always about starting small and building toward something much bigger. The Imbalance That Could Reshape XRP Markets XRP is entering a phase where market structure is becoming the dominant force behind price behavior. A researcher known as SMQKE on X pointed out that only 1.7 billion XRP is left on exchanges, marking the lowest available exchange supply in seven years. Related Reading: XRP Holders Are Seeing Major Losses Since The Bull Market, And The Numbers Are Rising 21Shares describes this dynamic as a supply-shock mechanism, a scenario where declining liquid supply collides with growing demand. SMQKE explains that this convergence of scale and scarcity is the primary engine for a non-linear repricing event throughout 2026. Featured image from Pxfuel, chart from Tradingview.com

An XRP expert has shared reassuring messages to investors and traders as the cryptocurrency’s price continues to trend downwards, showing no signs of a short-term rebound. The analyst has advised investors not to worry about XRP’s price action or recent weakness, urging them to focus instead on its broader outlook and the significant institutional volume that could flow through the blockchain in the future.  Why Investors Should Stay Calm About The XRP Price Pseudonymous market analyst @UnknowDLT is offering calm guidance to the broader XRP community as investors and traders navigate the current bearish cycle. The analyst encouraged market participants not to fret over the recent price declines or to become increasingly desperate, even as the short-term outlook becomes more uncertain.  Related Reading: XRP Battle Zones Have Been Drawn: The Move To $31 That Could Change Everything The analyst reassured investors, emphasizing XRP’s long-term potential. He pointed out that major institutions like the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) could soon be channeling as much as $3.8 quadrillion across multiple blockchains in the industry, including the XRP Ledger (XRPL). He explained that even a small fraction of this volume flowing through the XRPL, about 5-10%, could be a major game changer for XRP. The analyst noted that the influx of capital could dramatically influence price, potentially generating substantial return on investment (ROI) for investors. Looking at the bigger picture, @UnknowDLT has emphasized that XRP’s adoption by major financial players and its role as a channel for institutional capital could become the factor that reverses the current bearish market and negative sentiment.   Despite his encouragement, many community members remain skeptical, expressing more concerns about XRP’s price performance. One user suggested that many investors are panicking because XRP has no clear direction. He noted that many believe that an explosive price rally might be a pipe dream, highlighting that the longer it takes to materialize, the stronger the doubts become. Another member advised @UnknowDLT not to blame investors who have been holding XRP for years. He pointed out that many influencers continue to make absurd price predictions for XRP by year’s end, fueling FOMO and raising hopes, only for the cryptocurrency to decline, leaving investors disappointed once again.   Other Factors Supporting XRP Price Growth In a follow-up post, @UnknowDLT highlighted additional bullish factors that could propel XRP from its ongoing price slump. The analyst noted that Ripple, the crypto company behind XRP, which also holds more than 40% of its supply, has partnered with several TIER 1 banks.  Related Reading: XRP Premium FVG Could Pull Price Higher In The Short Term, But There’s A Problem He noted that these partnerships are strategic, as XRP could soon be classified as a TIER 1 asset by the Bank of International Settlements (BIS). Such a designation would place the cryptocurrency alongside traditional assets like gold, effectively elevating its market status.  @UnknowDLT has stated that most XRP holders are not prepared for what lies ahead, underscoring his strong bullish outlook for the cryptocurrency.  Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

For years, many have viewed XRP through the lens of price speculation, hoping it would remain cheap long enough to accumulate massive holdings. However, David Schwartz is pushing back on that narrative, making it clear that XRP was never designed to stay cheap. Instead, its value is deeply tied to its role as a high-efficiency bridge asset for global payments, where utility drives long-term pricing. David Schwartz Challenges The Cheap XRP Narrative In a recent X post, Diana revealed that the Ripple ex-CTO David Joelkatz Schwartz has revisited one of his most widely discussed statements from 2017, that XRP “can’t be dirt cheap,” and clarified that the community has long misunderstood it. Many interpreted the comment through the lens of investor gains, but Schwartz now emphasized that this was from a payments perspective. Related Reading: XRP Analyst Shares What To Expect Once Ripple Taps This $12.5 Trillion Industry He explained that the statement was rooted in XRP’s role as a payment tool, not from a holder’s perspective. At the same time, he referred specifically to the mechanics of using XRP to move value across borders. From a payments standpoint, the dollar value of a transaction remains constant regardless of the XRP price. However, if XRP is priced too low, significantly more tokens are required to process the same transactions. This creates more friction, slippage, and inefficiency for large flows. In contrast, a higher XRP price can make large-scale payment use efficient, not because holders need a pump, but because the system works better with fewer tokens. REAL Token Powers The Next Phase Of XRP Ledger Growth Momentum around XRP continues to build as major players double down on its long-term prospects. An influencer and ambassador known as Ledger Man on X has noted that Yoshitaka Kitao, the CEO of Japan’s SBI Holdings, has reportedly expressed strong confidence in XRP’s future, even suggesting that the asset could become very expensive as adoption grows. Related Reading: XRP Ledger Linked To SWIFT In New Wave Of Backend Integration Speculation This outlook comes as SBI deepens its collaboration with Ripple, exploring new initiatives including RLUSD integration and blockchain-based bond solutions. Meanwhile, attention is turning to the expanding ecosystem around the XRP Ledger.  In less than 10 days, RealFi is expected to unveil a major partnership, an announcement aimed at expanding XRPL globally. Powered by the REAL Token, the initiative is designed to introduce payment rewards across multiple industries, signaling a broader push to bring real-world utility to blockchain technology.  Ledger Man emphasized that these developments highlight a growing convergence, and RealFi is rapidly gaining momentum. The conversation around tokenization is gaining urgency at the highest levels of finance. According to Amelie’s post, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink had recently argued that the industry may be underestimating how rapidly every financial asset could become tokenized. This broader vision appears to align with the developments on the XRP Ledger. On April 17th, a major global partnership is expected to launch on the XRPL, with REAL Token built on XRPL, it’s positioned to help power the ecosystem. Featured image from Vectorstock, chart from Tradingview.com

An XRP analyst has outlined the dramatic changes that could happen for the cryptocurrency as Ripple positions itself to integrate with a massive $12.5 trillion payments ecosystem. In a detailed post on X, the analyst highlighted Ripple’s $1 billion acquisition of GTreasury, which the crypto company has since rebranded as Ripple Treasury. This strategic takeover now grants Ripple access to an extensive network of traditional banks and a massive payment volume, which the expert believes could benefit the XRP Ledger (XRPL) and, in turn, drive the cryptocurrency’s price upward.  Ripple Gains Access To $12.5 Trillion Market Market analyst X Finance Bull has questioned what possible price changes and developmental milestones could occur if Ripple can tap into a $12.5 trillion payment pipeline. In his post on X, he explained that the launch of Ripple Treasury now grants Ripple access to over 13,000 connected banks and more than 1,000 corporate clients, including Volvo, Subway, and STIHL. Collectively, these clients handle a combined annual payment volume of $12.5 trillion.  Related Reading: XRP Expert Says The Moment Has Finally Come, Here’s What He Means Right now, zero percent of this enormous payment flow passes through cryptocurrencies, a gap that X Finance Bull said represents a major opportunity for XRP. He also claimed that Ripple’s CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, had made the same point, noting that Ripple was specifically designed to bridge this gap.  Currently, Ripple Treasury manages the company’s full corporate workflow, covering payments, cash forecasting, netting, reconciliation, risk, liquidity, and regulatory reporting. To make this work, X Finance Bull stated that ClearConnect, a proprietary API connectivity suite launched by GTreasury in 2022, will serve as a bridge linking Ripple Treasury to banks and ERP systems. And on the other side, with XRPL, Ripple’s blockchain infrastructure.  This approach will enable payments and financial operations to move on the blockchain without requiring companies to change their existing systems. It also creates a multi-utility powerhouse under one ecosystem, consisting of wallet storage, payments, custody, prime brokerage, and compliance.  Supply Limits And Payment Volume To Fuel XRP Price Growth In his post, X Finance Bull noted that 769 million XRP tokens are currently locked in Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), which collectively manage $1.1 billion in assets across seven funds. He noted that this concentration is significantly tightening XRP’s available supply, which could place upward pressure on its price. Related Reading: XRP To Enter This $100 Trillion Custody Pool And This Is How It Will Happen Meanwhile, the analyst stated that the $12.5 trillion in annual payments from Ripple Treasury could have a significant impact on prices if it moves through XRPL. The analyst projected that if just 1% of this volume were to flow through the XRP Ledger, it would generate about $125 billion in new annual transaction volume for the blockchain.  He noted that such volumes could dramatically influence liquidity demand and XRP’s price behavior. Additionally, X Finance Bull highlighted that, given XRP’s strong infrastructure, the cryptocurrency’s current price below $1.4 significantly underestimates its real-world potential. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

Jed McCaleb, the founder of Ripple and Stellar (XLM), has announced plans to redirect a whopping $1 billion from his XRP fortune into a new investment outside the cryptocurrency space. The crypto founder and Silicon Valley billionaire is now turning his focus toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), aiming to build an AI system based on the human brain.  Ripple Founder To Invest $1 Billion Into AI Research In an interview with Forbes, McCaleb disclosed plans to allocate approximately $1 billion from his estimated $3.9 billion in XRP holdings to fund efforts focused on AGI. The move comes after he previously dropped $1 billion to build a private space station in 2025.  Related Reading: XRP Expert Says The Moment Has Finally Come, Here’s What He Means The new investment is expected to come through the Astera Institute, a non-profit research organization based in California that McCaleb founded. Recently, the institute has increased its focus on neuroscience-inspired approaches to AI development. As a result, in addition to the $1 billion allocation for the core AGI project, McCaleb stated that he will pledge another $600 million specifically toward neuroscience research.  The Ripple founder shared his ambitious goal of studying the human brain as a model for building more capable, potentially safer artificial intelligence systems. He noted that researchers at the Astera Institute intend to use brain-computer interfaces to record neural activity patterns in mice as they perform everyday tasks, such as navigating mazes. They would then record and use these biological data and insights to design completely new AI systems that go beyond today’s popular transformer models.  In the interview, McCaleb expressed skepticism about current mainstream AI methods. He pointed out that while transformers, a type of AI model, are good at making predictions, they struggle with long-term planning, decision-making, and self-driven goals. He believes using a brain-inspired framework could create an AI system that is easier for humans to understand and control.  Interestingly, McCaleb described his time in cryptocurrency as “a big detour” from his deeper interest in AI. He explained that he had always wanted to work in artificial intelligence but only found the opportunity after stepping back from the cryptocurrency industry. He expressed strong belief in his ambitions, declaring that “AI is going to be the most transformative thing that humans ever create.” Although he remains a pivotal figure in Ripple’s history, McCaleb left the company and sold all his XRP by 2022.  A Quick Dive Into McCaleb’s Role In Ripple and XRP McCaleb initially entered the crypto industry as a programmer with previous experience running the now-defunct Mt. Gox, one of the earliest major Bitcoin exchanges. In 2011, he began developing the Ripple protocol and later recruited key figures like former Ripple CTO David Schwartz. Related Reading: XRP Global Distribution Shows The Major Holders And What It’s Being Used For In 2022, McCaleb co-founded OpenCoin, which later became Ripple Labs, now Ripple. He founded the company alongside Chris Larsen and served as CTO while contributing to the development of the XRP Ledger (XRPL). Following XRPL’s launch, McCaleb and other early co-founders each received personal stakes worth approximately 9 billion XRP, around 9% of the total supply. This allocation contributed significantly to his personal wealth today. Featured image from Freepik, chart from Tradingview.com

Ripple is trying to reshape the institutional case for the XRP Ledger (XRPL) around two issues that have long limited the use of public blockchains in mainstream finance: privacy and software risk. The company’s argument is that banks, payment firms, and asset managers may be more willing to use a public ledger for tokenized cash, […]
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Crypto pundit X Finance Bull has highlighted XRP’s mass adoption and its use across several continents. Given the altcoin’s global utility, the analyst noted that the token won’t remain undervalued forever, hinting it could still reach higher prices.  Pundit Points To XRP’s Global Adoption Among Different Countries In an X post, X Finance Bull said that the estimated global distribution of XRP holders paints a picture most people miss. He revealed that Asia-Pacific leads with roughly 35% to 40% of holders and holds an average of 4,200 XRP. The primary uses of the altcoin among these Asia-Pacific holders are remittances and trading. The pundit noted that this is real people moving money across borders using XRP, highlighting the token’s utility.  Related Reading: XRP Season About To Start? Historical Oversold Levels Point To Major Rally Furthermore, North America accounts for 25% to 30% of XRP holders globally, with smaller average holdings of around 1,850 XRP. The use case for the token among these holders is shifting towards institutional positioning, the pundit stated. Notably, demand for the altcoin has increased since the XRP ETFs launched last year. Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs is currently the largest XRP holder among these institutional investors.  X Finance Bull also revealed that Europe accounts for 20% to 25% of holders, with an average of 2,100 XRP. These holders are said to be holding the token for portfolio diversification. Latin America is behind, accounting for between 8% to 12% of holders. As in the Asia-Pacific region, the primary use case in Latin America is cross-border payments.  In line with this, the pundit said that the altcoin isn’t limited to a single country and is a global asset, solving different problems for different people depending on where they live. He added that this kind of global utility doesn’t stay undervalued forever.  Bull Case For The Altcoin In another X post, X Finance Bull made a bullish case for XRP, noting that 12 of the 30 banks SWIFT is collaborating with on a blockchain-based shared ledger for real-time, 24/7 cross-border payments are confirmed Ripple partners. He described this development as the moment he had been watching for.  Related Reading: Analyst Reveals The Plan For XRP Price Using The Bitcoin Chart The pundit remarked that these 12 banks are linked to Ripple through payment networks, custody, steering groups, or banking consortia. He noted that the regulatory framework and the infrastructure are arriving at the same time and that the banks designing SWIFT’s blockchain future are the same ones that have partnered with Ripple. X Finance Bull added that the architecture of the future is being built by institutions that already know the XRP Ledger inside and out.  At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.32, down over 2% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

As Wall Street accelerates its shift toward tokenized assets, XRP is increasingly being viewed as a potential bridge at the center of this transformation. Major financial players are exploring blockchain-based versions of stocks, ETFs, and the demand for efficient, real-time settlement infrastructure is intensifying. This shift is placing renewed focus on blockchain solutions capable of supporting global-scale liquidity and interoperability. How XRP Gains Relevance In Tokenized Financial Markets The shift toward tokenized finance is accelerating, with Ripple and XRP increasingly positioned at the center of  Wall Street transformation. An analyst known as Pumpius on X revealed that a key part of this development is a reported collaboration between Franklim Templeton, worth $1.7 trillion, and Ondo Finance to issue tokens backed by real-world assets such as stocks and ETFs. Related Reading: Ripple Pushes XRP Global With Multi-Continent Expansion Drive Pumpius argues that while this is being framed as innovation, it connected the dots. At the early stage of this partnership, Ripple and Ondo have already introduced tokenized US Treasuries through OUSG on the XRP Ledger, leveraging RLUSD for near-instant minting and redemption. In parallel, Ripple has collaborated with Franklin Templeton and DBS Bank to explore tokenized fund trading and lending with sgBENJI and RLUSD on the XRPL. Currently, Franklin Templeton is reportedly moving into the ecosystem, using Ondo to tokenize its own EFTs, growth funds, large-cap stocks, gold, high-yield bonds, and income products. Within this model, the XRP Ledger serves as the underlying rails, and the Ripple RLUSD stablecoin facilitates settlement. This quietly reinforces the role of the XRP ecosystem in enabling seamless asset movement. XRP Ledger Moves From Experimentation To Real-World Deployment A major shift may be underway across Africa as Ripple expands its infrastructure footprint, particularly around the XRP Ledger. Crypto analyst Stellar Rippler has reported that Nigeria is currently adopting the Ledger infrastructure through instant Naira payouts and payments, Ripple Custody, and zero-knowledge privacy pilots on the XRPL. Related Reading: Why SWIFT’s Latest Global Payments Infrastructure Is Bullish For XRP Holders One of the most notable advancements in this move is Ripple supercharging crypto-to-Naira payment through Redotpay, enabling users to send XRP or RLUSD and receive local currency directly into Nigerian bank accounts within minutes. On the institutional side, Absa Bank, one of South Africa’s biggest banks, is now Ripple’s first major custody partner on the continent. Ripple has also collaborated with Mobile Financial Services (MFS) to bring on-demand liquidity (ODL) solutions across Africa. Meanwhile, a pilot program led by the DNAOnChain initiative involving zero-knowledge (ZK) privacy technology is reportedly underway on the XRPL testnet in Nigeria. These zero-knowledge proofs are anchoring real privacy infrastructure. According to Stellar Rippler, they don’t want individuals connecting the dots on Africa’s remittance revolution, including private on-chain infrastructure and institutional rails. Featured image from Freepik, chart from Tradingview.com

Analysts suggest that the XRP price, currently sitting near $1.40, is undervalued. Although the cryptocurrency rose above $3 last year, it failed to reach a new all-time high and has since faced a major downturn as its technical structure weakened. Despite this, analysts maintain a strong bullish outlook, arguing that even a $10 valuation is too low for the cryptocurrency. At the same time, other experts are highlighting developing factors that could help XRP break free from its current suppression and potentially reach higher levels.  What XRP’s Fair Value Really Looks Like Bird, an XRP Ledger (XRPL) developer, took to X on Wednesday, March 25, to present his new bullish outlook for XRP. Firstly, the analyst highlighted the discrepancy between XRP’s current price and what he believes should be its true value.  Related Reading: XRP Pundit Shares Why You Shouldn’t Get Tricked By The Price Rebound Bird stated plainly that “XRP is a $100+ token trading at $1.40.” The developer’s statement suggests a strong belief that the cryptocurrency’s current price does not reflect its underlying utility potential. His reasoning likely centers on XRP’s role in the global payments ecosystem, particularly its use by financial institutions for cross-border transactions. Unlike many cryptocurrencies that derive value primarily from speculative interest and hype, XRP is positioned as a functional settlement layer for banks and payment providers worldwide. Supporters of the cryptocurrency have long argued that XRP’s price could skyrocket due to the demand and liquidity that could come from its core utility. Looking at Bird’s statement from another angle, the gap between $1.40 and $100 could also represent one of the most compelling opportunities in the current crypto market. He closed his post by telling followers “you know what to do,” subtly hinting that now may be the right time to accumulate XRP at its current price. In response, some members of the community boldly declared that they would continue buying XRP, underscoring their strong confidence in the cryptocurrency’s potential to reach $100. XRP Price Remains Suppressed Luke Suthers, a well-known XRP advocate, has also shared his bullish thesis on the cryptocurrency’s value. This time, he outlines several developing catalysts that could propel the altcoin upward rather than a specific price target.  Related Reading: Analyst Reveals The Plan For XRP Price Using The Bitcoin Chart Suthers noted that the XRP price is currently being suppressed. He emphasized that while banks and institutions accumulate the cryptocurrency behind the scenes, XRP is still trading around $1.40. At the same time, the analyst also noted that Ripple, the crypto payments company, is actively expanding its rails and acquiring additional companies to strengthen its ecosystem. Based on these bullish developments, Suthers concludes that XRP’s price is undervalued, arguing that it does not reflect its true value. He pointed out that major players are already positioning themselves ahead of an expected market shift and liquidity wave. Suthers warns investors not to get left behind, urging them to consider positioning strategically as well. Featured image from Freepik, chart from Tradingview.com

Crypto pundit X Finance Bull has explained how XRP is positioned to absorb a share of the $100 trillion in assets that the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) has in custody. He notably mentioned Ripple and the role the crypto firm is playing in making this possible for XRP.  How XRP Is Positioned To Take A Share of DTCC’s $100 Trillion Assets In an X post, X Finance Bull noted that in 2025, DTCC filed patents that named Ripple and the XRP Ledger as compatible infrastructure for tokenized finance. Following that, Ripple acquired Hidden Road, a prime brokerage that clears $3 trillion annually for over 300 institutional clients, for $1.25 billion.  Related Reading: Why SWIFT’s Latest Global Payments Infrastructure Is Bullish For XRP Holders The pundit then mentioned that earlier this month, Hidden Road, which is now Ripple Prime, was added to the DTCC’s NSCC directory. He noted that this is the same clearing infrastructure used by Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan. X Finance Bull added that no crypto company has ever achieved this feat, with Ripple now embedded inside Wall Street’s machinery. The pundit believes that these developments position XRP to gain a share of DTCC’s custody assets.  X Finance Bull noted that the tokenization market is projected to hit between $16 and $30 trillion by 2030. Meanwhile, the DTCC’s director has spoken about a $100 trillion tokenization goal. He added that Ripple is inside the system and alleged that there are stated plans to migrate post-trade activity to the XRP Ledger.  The pundit stated that noting that is guaranteed for XRP, but that the positioning is undeniable. In line with this, he remarked that XRP holders aren’t betting on hype but on infrastructure that is already built from the inside out.  Ripple Working To Improve XRP Ledger’s Security Ripple has unveiled new plans to improve the XRP Ledger’s security as more institutions adopt the network and tokenize real-world assets on it. Ripple’s Head of Engineering, Ayo Akinyele, announced in an X post that they are taking a more proactive, AI-driven approach to strengthen the network’s security. Related Reading: Why The XRP Supply In The Billions Is Not A Problem This approach will include AI-assisted testing across the development lifecycle, a dedicated red team, and higher standards for how they evaluate changes before they go live. The Ripple executive noted that the goal is to continuously strengthen the XRP Ledger’s reliability as the network scales to support global payments, tokenized assets, and institutional use cases.  It is worth noting that the XRP Ledger currently ranks 8th in tokenized RWA, with a total tokenized value of $1.9 billion on the network, according to RWA.xyz. Ripple has continued to secure partnerships with institutions that it has onboarded to tokenize their financial products on the network.  At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.36, down over 2% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

A flood of forgotten funds has quietly found its way back to XRP Ledger users, after a decentralized exchange founder scanned the entire network to track down expired escrows that holders had abandoned — some without even knowing the money was still there. Related Reading: Crypto Adoption No Longer Optional, Survey Finds As 72% Of Finance Leaders Signal Commitment First Ledger Founder Scans Entire Network To Recover Idle Funds Adam, the founder of First Ledger, a decentralized exchange built on the XRP Ledger, combed through every corner of the blockchain to locate escrows whose time conditions had long since passed but had never been completed. Reports say the recovered total came to 750,218 XRP — worth just over $1 million at current prices. First Ledger now runs regular scans to catch eligible escrows as soon as they become available, releasing them before they fall through the cracks again. XRPL validator Vet confirmed the figures, noting that the bulk of the locked funds belonged to ordinary community members, not institutions. Many holders had set time-based conditions on their XRP years ago and simply moved on, either forgetting the funds existed or not knowing what steps were needed to claim them. Escrow unlocks spiking on XRP. Over $1,000,000 or 750,218 XRP total in Escrows just got unlocked. Lots of those escrows were created by holders and community members and timelock expired, but they forgot or didn’t know how to unlock and receive their XRP back.@xrpl_adam… pic.twitter.com/eSdMQmlSFM — Vet (@Vet_X0) March 20, 2026 The escrow system on the XRP Ledger does not release funds on its own. Once a timelock expires, the recipient must still send a specific transaction — called an EscrowFinish — to collect what’s theirs. Miss that window, and a separate deadline kicks in. If that second deadline passes without action, the escrow expires entirely and can no longer be claimed. At that point, only a cancellation transaction can return the XRP to whoever sent it in the first place. In some cases, if no expiration date was ever set, the funds can sit locked indefinitely. Record Transaction Counts Signal Broader Usage Growth The recovered funds are just one piece of a wider activity surge on the network. Data shows that deposits into automated market makers hit an all-time high of 70,735 on Feb. 28. Related Reading: Bitcoin Holds As Gold Posts Worst Week Since 1983 Amid Iran War AccountSet transactions — used to update account settings without moving any money — climbed to 114,690 on March 20, the highest single-day count the network has ever recorded. Error messages tied to insufficient XRP reserves also spiked above 370,000 on March 18, the highest reading in three years. That number reflects users trying to place new offers without holding enough XRP to meet the network’s minimum balance requirements — a sign that new participants are showing up and running into the system for the first time. Featured image from Vecteezy, chart from TradingView