Ripple's $1.25 Billion Acquisition of Hidden Road May Boost XRP Price by 150%

Ripple’s recent strategic acquisition of Hidden Road for $1.25 billion is poised to significantly impact the future of the XRP Ledger (XRPL) and the XRP token. This move is expected to redefine the landscape of crypto markets, particularly for investors closely monitoring Ripple price trends. The acquisition is seen as a pivotal moment that could bring about seismic changes in the crypto space.

Hidden Road, currently operating traditional settlement systems with a 24-hour delay, stands to benefit immensely from XRPL’s faster and decentralized processing capabilities. Ripple CTO David Schwartz highlighted the significance of this transition, noting that Hidden Road processes over 50 million transactions a day, with a daily volume of $10 billion. The shift to XRPL could dramatically reduce settlement times and enhance liquidity efficiency, making it a more attractive option for both institutional and retail participants.

Crypto analyst Zach Rector has outlined various scenarios for how this acquisition could influence the XRP price. If even a fraction of Hidden Road’s liquidity shifts onto XRPL, the impact could be substantial. For instance, if 10% of Hidden Road’s daily volume, roughly $1 billion, transitions to XRPL, it would amount to $300 billion annually. This increased transactional demand could significantly influence the Ripple price, driving up the value of XRP.

Rector’s analysis suggests that if $1 billion in daily volume starts flowing through XRPL and just 10% requires XRP liquidity, this would need around 50 million XRP daily at a token price of $2. Over time, increased usage for settlements could create growing pressure for institutions to hold reserves of the XRP token. This would tighten the supply in the open market, potentially driving upward price movements. Analysts suggest a move toward $3–$5 per token as a realistic short-term target, with greater possibilities emerging if daily settlement volumes continue to scale.

In a more bullish scenario, where daily liquidity demands $200 million worth of XRP and heavy reserve holdings persist, the price could trend between $5 and $10. If demand escalates to $500 million daily, the XRP price could reach above $10, with a suggestion of a positive outlook with the $20+ mark. This optimistic outlook is based on the potential for increased institutional adoption and the growing reliance on XRP for everyday financial settlements.

Ripple’s expansion strategy with Hidden Road showcases a broader vision to integrate blockchain settlements into traditional finance. By reducing settlement times and increasing liquidity efficiency, Ripple is establishing XRPL as a popular transaction solution. This shift could fundamentally alter the next wave of XRP price forecast models, transforming XRP from a speculative asset into a core operational tool for global finance. Such integration would further build Ripple’s standing in the digital asset ecosystem, pushing the XRP price prediction into a more stable and elevated trajectory.

The acquisition of Hidden Road is a milestone that could propel Ripple to new heights. As institutional adoption expands and liquidity demands soar, the foundations for a bullish XRP price forecast are firmly in place. With the XRP price growing increasingly, traders and investors are watching closely Ripple’s next moves. Ripple holders are setting the stage for a transformative year ahead in crypto finance.