Blockchain Infrastructure Firms: Strategic Investments for a 4 Billion User Future

As Raoul Pal’s 2030 forecast of 4 billion crypto users gains traction, the blockchain infrastructure sector is emerging as a critical battleground for scalability, institutional adoption, and regulatory alignment. Firms like Fireblocks, StarkWare, and Ripple are uniquely positioned to capitalize on this macroeconomic shift, leveraging Total Value Locked (TVL) growth, transaction volume surges, and strategic partnerships to outperform traditional crypto assets. This analysis explores how these infrastructure leaders are building the rails for the next phase of crypto adoption.

The Infrastructure Scaling Play: Fireblocks and Institutional DeFi

Fireblocks has solidified its role as a bridge between institutional capital and decentralized finance. By Q3 2025, Fireblocks’ TVL growth was driven by its integration of high-performance chains like Sui, which saw TVL exceed $1.7 billion, ranking it 9th globally [1]. The platform’s support for Aave V3 further amplified this trend, with TVL surpassing $40.3 billion by May 2025—90% of which stemmed from Ethereum-based activity [4]. Fireblocks’ focus on secure custody and cross-chain interoperability has made it a linchpin for institutions seeking to deploy capital in DeFi while maintaining compliance [5].

Stablecoins, which accounted for nearly half of Fireblocks’ transaction volume in 2024 [2], are another growth driver. Institutions are increasingly using stablecoins for cross-border payments and yield generation, a trend Fireblocks has capitalized on by enabling seamless access to protocols like Aave and Sui. This infrastructure-first approach positions Fireblocks to benefit from the compounding effects of institutional DeFi adoption.

StarkWare’s ZK-Rollup Revolution and DeFi Spring

StarkWare’s Starknet has demonstrated explosive growth in TVL, with STRK-denominated TVL surging over 100% quarter-over-quarter to $571 million in Q3 2024 [1]. The DeFi Spring program 2.0, which distributed STRK rewards to ecosystem participants, catalyzed this growth, while USD-denominated TVL in Starknet’s DeFi sector rose 550% year-to-date to $252 million [1].

The upcoming launch of STRK staking on Starknet’s mainnet in December 2024 is poised to further accelerate adoption. By incentivizing liquidity provision and governance participation, StarkWare is creating a flywheel effect that aligns validator interests with ecosystem growth. This model mirrors Ethereum’s transition to proof-of-stake, but with a focus on scalability via zero-knowledge rollups. As the demand for Layer 2 solutions intensifies with user growth, Starknet’s TVL trajectory suggests it could become a cornerstone of the next DeFi boom.

Ripple’s Cross-Border Dominance and Regulatory Clarity

Ripple’s XRP Ledger (XRPL) has emerged as a scalability leader, processing 1,500 transactions per second with 3–5 second finality—far outpacing Bitcoin and Ethereum [1]. The XRP Ledger’s $0.0004 per-transaction cost, combined with RippleNet’s On-Demand Liquidity (ODL), processed $1.3 trillion in cross-border transactions in Q2 2025 [1]. This efficiency has attracted institutional partnerships with J.P. Morgan, Santander, and PayPal, which integrated XRP into its “Pay with Crypto” service in July 2025 [1].

The August 2025 SEC settlement, which classified XRP as a commodity, has further unlocked institutional adoption. Ripple’s EVM sidechain, launched in June 2025, attracted 87 new entities to the XRPL testnet and boosted the market cap of its USD-backed stablecoin, RLUSD, by 49.4% to $65.9 million [1]. Meanwhile, the tokenization of XRP as FXRP on Flare’s mainnet—projected to inject $100 billion in liquidity—positions Ripple as a key player in the XRPFi ecosystem [6].

Macroeconomic Tailwinds and ETF Catalysts

The DeFi sector’s TVL hit a three-year high of $153 billion in Q3 2025, driven by ETH’s price rally and institutional interest [3]. Ripple’s pending XRP ETF filing and growing custody solutions have made it a strategic asset for diversified portfolios [3], while Fireblocks’ role in securing institutional DeFi exposure aligns with the Altcoin Season Index’s 68% reading in August 2025 [5].

Strategic Investment Thesis

Blockchain infrastructure firms are uniquely positioned to outperform as crypto approaches 4 billion users. Fireblocks’ institutional DeFi access, StarkWare’s ZK-Rollup scalability, and Ripple’s cross-border payment dominance create a diversified portfolio of growth drivers. With regulatory clarity, ETF inflows, and TVL growth accelerating, these firms are not just supporting crypto’s expansion—they are building the infrastructure to sustain it.

Source:
[1] Fireblocks adds Sui blockchain integration for secure ... [https://www.fireblocks.com/blog/fireblocks-adds-support-for-leading-layer-1-sui-expanding-institutional-access-to-high-performance-defi/]
[2] Global Insights: Stablecoin Payments & Infrastructure Trends [https://www.fireblocks.com/report/state-of-stablecoins/]
[3] DeFi Sector TVL Hits 3-Year High of $153B as Investors Rush to Farm Yields [https://www.coindesk.com/business/2025/07/28/defi-sector-hits-3-year-high-in-tvl-as-investors-rush-to-farm-yields]
[4] On-Chain Behavior of Major Crypto Whales as a Leading ... [https://www.ainvest.com/news/chain-behavior-major-crypto-whales-leading-indicator-defi-market-trends-2508/]
[5] Altcoins Statistics 2025: Uncover Profit & Trends [https://coinlaw.io/altcoins-statistics/]
[6] XRP News Today: SparkDEX Launches $SPRK Token on July 29, 2025 as Flare's TVL Surges 348% to $224M, Trading Volume Hits $3B [https://www.ainvest.com/news/xrp-news-today-sparkdex-launches-sprk-token-july-29-2025-flare-tvl-surges-348-224m-trading-volume-hits-3b-2507/]