Ripple Expands Presence in Traditional Finance with Acquisition of Hidden Road
Ripple is stepping up its presence in traditional finance with the acquisition of Hidden Road, a prime brokerage platform serving institutional clients.
Valued at $1.25 billion, the deal puts Ripple in a unique position as the first crypto-native company to control a global, multi-asset prime broker.
This move isn’t just about expanding Ripple’s footprint—it’s about turning XRP and RLUSD into key tools for financial heavyweights. Hidden Road’s vast trading network, reportedly processing around $10 billion daily, will soon rely on Ripple’s tech for settlement. That includes using the XRP Ledger for speed and RLUSD as collateral.
What’s noteworthy is the scale. Even a fraction of Hidden Road’s trading volume migrating to Ripple’s infrastructure could trigger a sharp rise in demand for XRP. And with RLUSD enabling cross-margining between crypto and traditional assets, institutions may be incentivized to adopt both tokens for efficiency and cost reduction.
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Analyst Jake Claverse sees this as more than just a business expansion—it’s a structural change that could redefine XRP’s role in finance. With trillions in potential annual flows now tied to Ripple’s ecosystem, the acquisition lays the groundwork for long-term integration at the highest levels.
Despite the big-picture implications, XRP recently fell to $1.83, shedding 8% in 24 hours and down 14% for the week. Markets may be slow to price in what could be one of Ripple’s most transformative plays yet.
Alexander Stefanov
