Ripple’s longtime chief technology officer David Schwartz will step back from daily operations by the end of 2025. After more than 13 years with the company, Schwartz confirmed that he will serve as CTO emeritus and join Ripple’s board.
Schwartz is one of the original architects of the XRP Ledger. His departure from day-to-day responsibilities marks a major shift for Ripple’s technical leadership. The company’s senior vice president of engineering will take over his role leading the technology team.
In his announcement on X, Schwartz emphasized that he will remain engaged with the XRP community. He also noted that he plans to dedicate more time to family and personal projects, signaling a different chapter while keeping ties to Ripple’s ecosystem.
XRP Ledger Activates Multi-Purpose Tokens Amendment
The XRP Ledger’s “Multi-Purpose Tokens” (XLS-33, MPT) amendment officially activated today. The upgrade follows two weeks of supermajority validator support, which is required for any change on the ledger.
MPT introduces a simplified token model designed for fungible assets such as stablecoins. It aims to reduce complexity in creating and using tokens on the XRP Ledger. This makes it easier for developers and businesses to issue digital assets directly on the network.
Community trackers and developer groups highlighted October 1 as the activation date after the amendment gained the necessary validator backing. The XRPL’s official amendment registry now lists MPT as active, marking a significant expansion of the ledger’s capabilities.
i-payout Adds Ripple Payments in the US and Canada
Global disbursements company i-payout announced that its payment system now runs on Ripple technology in the United States and Canada. The rollout covers merchant settlements, freelancer earnings, and treasury payouts across different platforms.
The integration is already live and marks a move from pilot projects to production-scale use. i-payout said it will also add payouts in RLUSD, Ripple’s USD-backed stablecoin, as the service expands beyond North America.
This expansion places Ripple at the core of mainstream disbursement solutions. By pairing blockchain settlement with stablecoin functionality, i-payout positions itself to streamline cross-border transactions for enterprise clients.
FOMO Pay Launches RLUSD for Singapore Merchants
Singapore’s licensed payments firm FOMO Pay announced support for Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin today. The rollout enables merchants to accept RLUSD for payments and cross-border transactions.
The company operates as a Major Payment Institution under the Monetary Authority of Singapore. By adding RLUSD, it expands existing multi-currency services to include a stablecoin rail. This allows merchants to access faster settlement and transparent reconciliation in regional trade.
Ripple has promoted RLUSD as an enterprise-grade stablecoin. The integration with FOMO Pay underscores its growing adoption in Asia, where cross-border trade requires efficient settlement channels.
Ripple Legal Chief Urges US Congress on Crypto Legislation
Ripple’s chief legal officer, Stuart Alderoty, renewed his call for U.S. lawmakers to pass comprehensive crypto legislation. In a statement, he said Americans are already using crypto and want stronger consumer protections.
Alderoty warned that the absence of clear rules risks driving crypto talent and innovation overseas. His remarks follow Ripple’s settlement with U.S. regulators earlier this year, which reinforced the company’s push for regulatory clarity.
The appeal comes as U.S. regulators consider broader policies, including ETF approvals and digital asset oversight. Ripple continues to position itself as a leading voice in the push for a clear framework around cryptocurrencies.
XRP’s Q4 pattern stands out in historical returns
XRP’s quarterly heat map shows its largest surges often arrive in Q4. Notably, 2017 closed with +1,064%, while 2014 posted +426.1% and 2013 ended at +150.6%. More recently, 2024 finished Q4 at +240.1%, and 2023 ended with +20.2%.
However, the record also shows sharp Q4 drawdowns in several years. 2022 printed −29.2%, 2021 came in at −12.7%, and 2019 and 2018 ended at −26.5% and −39.1%, respectively. These swings underline how outcomes vary by cycle.
Taken together, the data highlights a recurring Q4 strength in multiple cycles alongside periods of notable weakness. The mix of double- and triple-digit moves in both directions explains why Q4 remains the most watched quarter on XRP’s calendar.
XRP Heatmap Signals Heavy Liquidity Near $2.25
A new XRP heatmap from Coinglass highlights a dense liquidity cluster at the $2.25 level. The chart shows concentrated activity, with order depth building in that zone since mid-September. Liquidity pockets like this often attract price moves as market makers test support and resistance ranges.
The heatmap further reveals lighter but consistent liquidity bands stretching between $2.00 and $3.00, suggesting traders are actively placing orders across this corridor. Historically, such liquidity zones act as magnets, pulling price action toward them before a major breakout or breakdown.
Based on this structure, my analysis points to a possible move down toward $2.25 before any larger shift. Clearing liquidity at that point could set the stage for a rebound, especially if volume increases once the cluster is tested. The market’s reaction at that zone will be critical for XRP’s short-term trend.
XRP forms a bullish flag; a confirmed breakout would target about $4.85 (+71%)
On October 1, 2025, the dailyXRP/USD chart on Bitstamp shows a clear bullish flag. Price trades around $2.84 while it presses the flag’s upper boundary after a July surge. Volume cooled during the pullback, and the 50-day Exponential Moving Average sits near $2.92 above spot.
The structure fits a textbook flag: a sharp advance builds the flagpole, then a downward-sloping, parallel channel marks consolidation. Buyers defend higher lows inside the channel, while sellers cap lower highs along the top rail. When price closes above that upper rail with rising volume, the pattern signals trend continuation.
A bullish flag implies a measured move based on the flagpole. From today’s chart, that projection aligns with a 71 percent advance from the current price, placing a target near $4.85. Traders often look for a daily close above the channel top around the $3.05–$3.15 area, plus stronger volume, to confirm momentum.
Until that break, the move remains unconfirmed. However, the pattern, the cooling volume during consolidation, and repeated tests of resistance together keep the upside setup intact. A confirmed breakout would shift focus to the $4.85 objective and intermediate supply zones on the way there.
XRP daily RSI sits below 50, momentum neutral to weak (Oct 1, 2025)
Today’s Relative Strength Index (14) prints ~45, with its signal average near 46 on the daily chart. That placement keeps momentum below the 50 midpoint, so sellers still hold a slight edge. However, readings remain well above 30, which means no oversold pressure yet.
Through September, RSI swung between the low-40s and low-50s. Those moves show range-bound momentum rather than a clear trend. We also see July’s spike into overbought territory above 70, followed by a steady cool-down into August; that comedown has now flattened, which often precedes a direction change.
From here, watch the 50 line. If RSI pushes and holds above 50 while the signal turns up, momentum would align with a bullish continuation and support the flag breakout case. Conversely, if RSI rolls under 40, bears regain control and risk a deeper retest on price. In short, the gauge leans neutral-bearish today, and a clean move over 50 would be the first confirmation that buyers are back in charge.
XRP daily MACD sits below signal and zero, momentum weak but near an inflection (Oct 1, 2025)
XRP’s Moving Average Convergence Divergence shows the MACD line around −0.0358 and the signal line near −0.0271, with a negative histogram near −0.0087. This places momentum below zero and below the signal, which points to a weak bias today. The September bullish push faded as the histogram flipped from green to red late month.
Through July, MACD spiked to cycle highs and then rolled over sharply in August, staying sub-zero for most of September. Recent bars cluster close to the zero line, which often precedes a direction change. However, the current slope on both lines still tilts down, so buyers have not reclaimed control.
From here, watch for two confirmations. First, a bullish cross where MACD rises back above the signal while the histogram turns and holds green. Second, a zero-line reclaim, which would align momentum with the bullish flag setup on price. If the histogram expands further negative and the lines keep drifting down, XRP risks another retest of support before any breakout attempt.