Ripple acquisitions totaling nearly $3 billion since 2023 have expanded the company beyond payments into custody, brokerage, treasury tools, and stablecoin infrastructure. Ripple’s goal is to build the financial rails that make XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) essential to institutional operations.
But Ripple’s acquisitions won’t move the XRP price overnight—infrastructure takes time to translate into real demand. Nonetheless, each acquisition adds a trust layer that could drive XRP’s demand and usage over time. The question is which acquisitions matter most and which would have a real influence on the XRP price.
Ripple’s $3B Acquisition Timeline
Ripple started with custody infrastructure and moved toward full-scale financial integration. The first major deal came in May 2023—Ripple acquired Metaco, a Swiss custody provider trusted by Citi, BNP Paribas, and BBVA, for $250 million. In June 2024, Ripple added Standard Custody, a New York Department of Financial Services-regulated trust company, gaining licensed U.S. custody capabilities.
The pace of Ripple acquisitions picked up in 2025. Hidden Road joined in April for $1.25 billion, bringing prime brokerage services that clear roughly $3 trillion annually. Rail followed in August for $200 million, adding stablecoin payment rails for cross-border business flows. GTreasury closed in October for $1 billion, expanding treasury management for Fortune 500 clients.
Palisade joined in November, adding wallet-as-a-service technology for fintechs. The total disclosed spending was roughly $2.7-$3 billion. Ripple says total ecosystem investments exceed $4 billion when including strategic partnerships and smaller deals.
| Deal | Date | Price | Service |
| Metaco | May 2023 | $250M | Bank-grade digital asset custody |
| Standard Custody | June 2024 | Undisclosed | NY-licensed digital asset trust |
| Hidden Road | April 2025 | $1.25B | Prime brokerage and clearing |
| Rail | Aug 2025 | $200M | Stablecoin payments infrastructure |
| GTreasury | Oct 2025 | $1B | Treasury management systems |
| Palisade | Nov 2025 | Undisclosed | Wallet-as-a-service custody |
What Each Ripple Acquisition Brings to XRP
Ripple’s acquisitions cover custody, brokerage, treasury, and payments. Each one adds a different path for institutional XRP usage.
- Hidden Road ($1.25B): Hidden Road clears roughly $3 trillion annually for over 300 institutions. Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin now serves as collateral across its prime brokerage products, which means faster settlements and more activity flowing through XRPL. As volume shifts on-chain, XRP gets used for transaction fees and liquidity—and more institutional traffic means steadier demand, which could eventually ignite a spike in XRP prices.
- Metaco ($250M): Metaco gives major banks secure infrastructure to hold digital assets without building systems internally—Citi, BBVA, and DBS already use it. When custody is easy and compliant, institutions are more likely to hold XRP long-term instead of just trading in and out.
- Rail ($200M): Rail connects business payments directly to RLUSD, bringing stablecoin transactions onto XRPL, and every transaction burns XRP in network fees. The model targets large-scale B2B payments, where speed and automation matter more than price speculation.
- GTreasury ($1B): GTreasury connects corporate finance systems to digital assets, allowing firms to manage cash, FX exposure, and settlements alongside XRP and RLUSD. When treasury teams can move money on-chain directly, XRP becomes an operational tool, not just a trading asset.
- Palisade and Standard Custody: Palisade and Standard Custody serve fintechs and digital-native firms, broadening access beyond large banks. Combined with Metaco, Ripple now offers custody options for institutions of all sizes. More custody access means more capital can hold XRP securely, which supports long-term network growth.
The Gap Between Ripple’s Acquisitions and XRP Price
Ripple acquisitions strengthen the network’s infrastructure, but that doesn’t mean the XRP price follows immediately. Building financial rails takes time, and XRP’s demand depends on how those systems get used in practice.
Bridge Use Limits Long-Term XRP Holding
Many payment flows treat XRP as a temporary bridge asset. Banks buy and sell within seconds to complete transfers, leaving no lasting impact on circulating supply. Volume can increase without holdings increasing. Infrastructure boosts utility, but if XRP is only held for seconds during settlement, its price pressure stays limited.
RLUSD Creates Internal Competition for XRP
RLUSD’s growth expands activity on XRPL, but stablecoins offer payments without volatility. Ripple Payments can operate without XRP in some cases, which means less forced buying of the token. XRP still powers network fees and liquidity, but RLUSD may take over roles investors expected XRP to dominate.
Integration Takes Time
Ripple’s deals won’t turn into adoption overnight. Hidden Road’s acquisition closed in late October 2025, and its full XRPL integration spans multiple quarters. GTreasury and Palisade still face rollout and regulatory steps as institutions test systems before scaling volume. The XRP price will likely lag until usage data shows real demand.
When the Acquisitions Could Move XRP Price
Ripple’s acquisitions build long-term structure for the ecosystem, but their effect on the XRP price depends on rollout timing and real usage. We expect the impact to come in stages.
Near-Term (Q1-Q2 2026)
Hidden Road’s integration with RLUSD and XRPL post-trade systems should be the first measurable catalyst. RLUSD recently crossed $1.5 billion in market cap, and if it reaches $2 billion and daily transactions climb toward 50 million, it would mark an early evidence the infrastructure is driving real on-chain demand.
Mid-Term (H2 2026)
The mid-term phase depends on GTreasury onboarding corporate clients and banks expanding custody offerings. If large institutions start holding XRP alongside their operational balances, the demand picture changes. Treasury integration moves XRP into corporate workflows, and post-ETF allocations could mean longer holding periods instead of quick trades.
Long-Term (2027 and Beyond)
By this stage, custody, brokerage, and payments could work together as one system. Large-scale clearing volume and custody expansion would keep the XRP ledger active. RLUSD growth and stable regulatory frameworks would reinforce network activity, with XRP benefiting through fees and liquidity demand.
XRP Price Outlook 2026: Bullish, Base, and Bearish Cases
Ripple has spent nearly $3 billion building institutional infrastructure. Whether that investment moves the XRP price depends on one thing: do institutions hold the token, or just pass through it?
Bullish Case: $3.50 to $5.00
XRP reaches this range if institutions start holding and not just transacting with it. Right now, most payment flows treat XRP as a bridge for buying and selling within seconds. If Ripple’s custody and treasury tools convince banks to keep XRP on their balance sheets, supply would tighten.
Exchange balances are already at seven-year lows. Add sustained ETF inflows past $2 billion and RLUSD growth driving real XRPL activity, and $3.50 to $5.00 becomes realistic for the XRP price by late 2026.
Base Case: $2.00 to $3
XRP lands here if adoption grows but doesn’t accelerate. Ripple’s integrations would roll out on schedule and institutions could use the tools, but XRP remains a market follower. When Bitcoin rallies, XRP rallies, and when Bitcoin drops, XRP drops harder. This is the “nothing breaks, nothing ignites” scenario, and XRP could trade between $2 and $3 through 2026, moving with the broader market.
Bearish Case: $1.20 to $1.85
XRP falls to this range if the acquisitions fail to create holding demand. Bridge-only usage would dominate, meaning banks flip XRP within seconds rather than keeping it on balance sheets. RLUSD could absorb the settlement roles investors expected XRP to fill. If ETF inflows stall and macro pressure keeps institutions on the sidelines, the XRP price could drift between $1.20 and $1.85, waiting for catalysts that might not come.
Will Ripple’s Acquisitions Boost XRP Price?
Ripple has assembled something no other crypto network has: a full institutional stack covering custody, clearing, treasury, and payments. But infrastructure doesn’t move asset prices on its own. XRP will respond when transaction volume climbs and institutions start holding, not just using the token as a temporary bridge. The acquisitions give Ripple the tools, but whether they translate into XRP price gains depends on adoption, and that takes time.
For investors, the bullish case could play out by late 2026 if integrations accelerate. The base case could stretch into 2027, while the bearish case means waiting even longer. Ripple has made the investment, now the market decides if it pays off.
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