XRP News Today: Ripple's Prime Brokerage: Paving Crypto's Path into Mainstream Finance

Ripple has launched a digital asset spot prime brokerage for U.S. institutional clients, marking a significant expansion into institutional-grade trading services while leveraging its XRP and RLUSD stablecoin ecosystems to bolster liquidity, according to a ValuetheMarkets report. The platform, introduced on November 3, allows over-the-counter (OTC) spot transactions for major digital assets, including XRP and RLUSD, through Ripple's newly established prime brokerage infrastructure, per a LookOnChain report. This move aligns with the company's broader strategy to integrate crypto-native tools with traditional financial systems, following its acquisition of Hidden Road, rebranded as Ripple Prime, which now operates as the first crypto-owned global multi-asset prime brokerage, as reported by ValuetheMarkets.

The launch coincides with Ripple's scheduled XRP escrow unlock of 1 billion tokens on November 1, 2025. While the full batch is valued at $2.49 billion, Ripple typically relocks 700–800 million tokens, limiting net new supply to $500–750 million and mitigating immediate market pressure, according to Coinpaprika. The company's predictable supply management has been a focal point for investors, particularly as institutional stakeholders like Japan's SBI Holdings hold over $10 billion in XRP, the largest corporate position in the asset, per Coinpedia. Meanwhile, Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin, launched under a New York DFS charter, has surged to a $789 million market cap, serving as a critical liquidity tool for cross-border transactions and institutional trading, according to a WebProNews report.

Institutional adoption of XRP has accelerated, with global firms collectively holding $11 billion in XRP reserves. Companies such as Trident Digital Tech Holdings and Webus International have allocated hundreds of millions to their digital asset treasuries, positioning XRP alongside Bitcoin and Ethereum as a core institutional asset, as Coinpedia reported. Ripple's strategic acquisitions—GTreasury, Rail, and Hidden Road—underscore its ambition to dominate institutional finance infrastructure, enabling services like cross-margin trading and tokenized asset settlements, according to a TimesTabloid article.

However, challenges persist. A major XRP stakeholder, Crypto Bitlord, threatened to sell his holdings after Western Union partnered with Solana for a USD-backed stablecoin, raising concerns about Ripple's cross-border payments dominance, as TimesTabloid reported. Despite this, Ripple's leadership emphasized long-term institutional partnerships, noting that Solana's $50 million, six-month deal with Western Union pales against Ripple's multi-trillion-dollar ecosystem, per the TimesTabloid coverage.

Regulatory clarity has also fueled Ripple's momentum. With the U.S. SEC case resolved, the company is pursuing a national banking charter to integrate directly with the U.S. financial system, according to a TimesTabloid analysis. RLUSD's compliance features, including NYDFS oversight and blockchain-agnostic deployment on both XRP Ledger and Ethereum, have attracted institutional trust, particularly in emerging markets like Africa, where it supports climate insurance initiatives, as WebProNews reported.

As Ripple navigates competitive pressures and regulatory tailwinds, its dual focus on XRP and RLUSD highlights a maturing crypto landscape. The prime brokerage launch, coupled with $11 billion in institutional XRP holdings and RLUSD's rapid adoption, signals a shift toward crypto's integration into mainstream finance, per Coinpedia.