In a significant development for the cryptocurrency sector, Ripple has successfully raised $500 million from a lineup of notable investors, including Citadel Securities, Fortress Investment Group, and prominent hedge funds such as Brevan Howard and Marshall Wace. This funding round elevates the valuation of the stablecoin firm to $40 billion, underscoring the growing interest in stablecoin enterprises as traditional financial institutions increasingly recognize the potential of digital currencies as a novel payment solution.
The landscape for cryptocurrency has shifted, particularly during the previous US administration under Donald Trump, which embraced the crypto industry and laid the groundwork for legislative frameworks overseeing the stablecoin market. Recent Congressional actions have facilitated greater involvement from major Wall Street players in the digital token realm, further validating the market as a strategic national focus.
Ripple’s CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, remarked that the latest funding round embodies “further validation of the market opportunity we’re aggressively pursuing.” Founded in 2012 and based in San Francisco, Ripple aims to emerge as a frontrunner in the stablecoin space and its supporting infrastructure. The company offers a suite of services that include payment solutions and custody services for fintech firms and large corporations alike. At present, Ripple operates its own stablecoin, RLUSD, with a nominal market value pegged at $1 billion, alongside its cryptocurrency, XRP, which boasts a market circulation of $133 billion, ranking as the fourth-largest digital token globally.
Stablecoins, which are typically pegged 1:1 to traditional currencies like the US dollar and backed by a range of assets including US Treasuries, play a crucial role in the crypto ecosystem. They serve as digital cash, allowing traders to seamlessly transition between various cryptocurrencies and fiat currencies. Large enterprises are increasingly considering stablecoins for cross-border payments and collateral management, as proponents argue that they enable faster and more cost-effective transactions compared to conventional payment methods.
Ripple’s recent valuation surpasses that of its primary US rival, Circle, which operates the second-largest stablecoin, USDC, currently valued at $26 billion following its listing on the New York Stock Exchange in May. Additionally, Ripple has positioned itself among the highest-valued private cryptocurrency companies, reinforcing its market stance by offering to repurchase $1 billion of its shares at the new valuation.
The company has experienced substantial growth, reporting that the value of payments processed on its platform has exceeded $95 billion in what it describes as its best year in 2025. In a bid to broaden its operational scope, Ripple has also made several strategic acquisitions in recent years, including Hidden Road, a crypto prime broker purchased for $1.25 billion, GTreasury, a corporate treasury management company acquired for $1 billion, and Rail, a stablecoin infrastructure provider purchased for $200 million.
