XRP News Today: The XRP Ecosystem Faces a Quiet Revolution from Rivals in Payments and DeFi

XRP has maintained a relatively stable price in recent months despite the launch of competing blockchain technologies and shifting investor sentiment. As of the latest available data, XRP trades at approximately $2.84, with a market capitalization of $169.27 billion and a 24-hour trading volume of $4.54 billion. Analysts have noted a decline in daily trading activity, with volumes dropping by nearly 39.5% compared to earlier in the year. Despite this, XRP remains one of the largest altcoins by market cap, driven in part by the global adoption of its payment and liquidity solutions [3].

The emergence of new cross-border payment platforms, such as Remittix (RTX), has introduced a potential shift in the landscape. Remittix is a decentralized finance (DeFi) project designed to facilitate real-time, low-cost international transactions. It enables users to send crypto directly to bank accounts in over 30 countries, with real-time foreign exchange (FX) conversion and support for more than 40 cryptocurrencies and 30 fiat currencies [4]. The project has raised over $23.7 million in its presale, selling more than 644 million RTX tokens at a price of $0.1030 apiece. Its beta wallet, set to launch in Q3 2025, offers a mobile-first experience tailored to both freelancers and global remitters [3]. This practical application sets RTX apart from speculative tokens and positions it as a potential disruptor in the crypto-to-fiat payments space.

The growing popularity of Remittix has also drawn attention away from XRP. Coinbase, one of the largest U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchanges, has reduced its XRP holdings by approximately 83%, from roughly 970 million XRP across 60 cold wallets in June 2025 to just 165 million in 10 wallets by September 2025. Each remaining wallet holds approximately 16.5 million XRP tokens [2]. This reduction has been attributed to a decline in XRP demand on perpetual markets, particularly after the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) introduced XRP futures in traditional leveraged markets. Meanwhile, other exchanges such as Bitget, Binance, and Bybit have maintained high trading volumes for XRP, with daily trades exceeding $1 billion [2].

The competitive landscape has intensified with the introduction of Google Cloud Universal Ledger (GCUL), a Layer-1 blockchain developed by Alphabet. GCUL is optimized for cross-border payments and may offer an edge over the XRP Ledger in certain areas. Unlike the XRP Ledger, which is public and permissionless, GCUL is a private, permissioned blockchain. This distinction may appeal to financial institutions seeking lower liability and perceived risk in blockchain-based transactions. Additionally, GCUL does not rely on a native token, instead potentially using stablecoins for value transfers, reducing exposure to price volatility [1]. While GCUL is still in beta testing and not expected to go live until 2026, its development signals a growing interest in blockchain-based payment solutions from major technology firms.

Investor sentiment toward XRP remains mixed, with some analysts predicting a potential price surge in the coming months. A key catalyst is the anticipated approval of new spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for XRP, expected to be decided by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) starting on Oct. 18. If approved, these ETFs could bring billions of dollars in inflows from both retail and institutional investors, potentially pushing XRP’s price toward $5. This scenario mirrors the success of spot Bitcoin ETFs, which contributed to a 160% price increase in Bitcoin following their launch in January 2025 [5]. However, some experts caution that XRP’s price may already reflect the likelihood of ETF approval, which could limit the magnitude of any upward movement.

Despite the challenges, XRP remains a significant player in the crypto space. Its role in cross-border payments and liquidity solutions is well-established, and the XRP Ledger has been battle-tested for over a decade. The introduction of projects like Remittix and GCUL highlights the evolving nature of the market, where utility and real-world adoption are becoming increasingly important factors in determining a token’s value. As the crypto ecosystem continues to mature, projects with strong use cases and clear value propositions are likely to see the most growth and investor interest.

Source:

[1] Is Google Developing an XRP Killer? (https://www.fool.com/investing/2025/09/05/is-google-developing-an-xrp-killer/)

[2] Coinbase Dumps 83% XRP; Reserves Down From 60 To ... (https://dailycoin.com/coinbase-dumps-80-xrp-reserves-down-from-60-to-10-wallets/)

[3] How Remittix Is Turning Presale Buzz Into Growth (https://coinpedia.org/press-release/how-remittix-is-turning-presale-buzz-into-growth/)

[4] The Best Crypto Presale To Buy Now Is Remittix Over ... (https://www.livebitcoinnews.com/the-best-crypto-presale-to-buy-now-is-remittix-over-established-assets-like-xrp-and-ethereum/)

[5] Prediction: XRP Could See Its Price Rising Again by Oct. 18 (https://www.fool.com/investing/2025/09/05/prediction-xrp-could-see-its-price-rising-again-by/)