XRP news today: Ripple's Acquisition of Hidden Road May Boost XRP Price by 85%

XRP, a utility-driven asset in the cryptocurrency space, facilitates billions in cross-border payments and settles transactions in just 3 to 5 seconds. It is utilized by major banks and institutions globally. Despite its extensive utility, XRP's price remains relatively low. A recent analysis by All Things XRP highlights the reasons behind this discrepancy and potential future changes.

One of the primary reasons XRP’s utility does not impact its price is the manner in which it is acquired. Most institutional players obtain XRP over-the-counter (OTC) rather than through public exchanges. This means that even though banks are transacting with XRP, this volume does not appear in public trading data. This disconnect keeps the price relatively stable despite high utility.

However, this situation could soon change. Ripple recently acquired Hidden Road, a prime brokerage that handles over $3 trillion annually. If even a portion of this volume starts running through the public XRP Ledger (XRPL), the demand would become visible to markets, potentially causing the price to spike. This increased visibility could finally allow XRP’s real-world use to be reflected in its price charts.

Traders are closely monitoring the ongoing discussions around an XRP ETF and Ripple’s expanding network of CBDC and financial partnerships, which are boosting market sentiment. Speculation acts as a bridge between utility and price, and this bridge is currently under construction. Analysts predict an 85% chance of an XRP ETF approval this year, which could attract significant institutional investment.

Unlike Bitcoin, which is often seen as digital gold, XRP functions more like a financial rail. According to Teucrium’s CEO, XRP’s real-world use case might even surpass Bitcoin’s. As the cryptocurrency markets evolve from hype to utility, XRP stands to benefit significantly. Many people focus on market cap (price × supply), thinking it limits how high XRP can go. However, for utility tokens like XRP, what matters most is their usefulness. If XRP becomes essential for global payments, price growth is inevitable, regardless of market cap.

Currently, XRP’s price does not reflect its true potential. However, with institutional pipelines growing, more public usage on the horizon, and potential ETF access, the gap between price and utility may soon close. Real-world use could finally drive real price movement. On the other hand, some experts, such as Versan Aljarrah, CEO of Black Swan Capitalist, claim that XRP’s true value has already been set behind closed doors by financial giants like JP Morgan and BlackRock. He compares it to a pre-IPO stock, suggesting that institutions see XRP as key to global finance and may value it far higher than its current market price. This sparks debate over whether retail prices truly reflect its real utility.