XRP News Today: Researcher disputes XRP's lack of adoption citing Amex Bank of America Santander use

Crypto researcher SMQKE has refuted claims by investor Fred Krueger that "not one actual human being is using XRP," asserting that the token is actively utilized by major financial institutions including American Express, Bank of America, and Santander. Krueger’s assertion, made in a brief social media post, was countered with evidence of institutional adoption highlighted in a publicly shared cryptocurrency adoption chart. SMQKE emphasized that XRP serves as a bridge currency within Ripple’s infrastructure for cross-border payments, leveraging its role in real-time gross settlement and remittance flows [1].

The response included documentation showing partnerships between Ripple and hundreds of financial institutions, underscoring XRP’s integration into enterprise-level systems rather than direct consumer use. The data highlights the token’s utility in facilitating low-cost, scalable international transactions, a critical function for banks and payment providers [1]. This distinction positions XRP as infrastructure rather than a retail-focused asset, aligning with its design to support backend financial operations.

SMQKE’s rebuttal underscores a broader debate in the crypto sector about the visibility of utility-driven tokens. While XRP’s adoption may lack the consumer-facing appeal of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum, its institutional use cases demonstrate tangible applications in global financial networks. The researcher pointed to Ripple’s collaborations with entities such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and its commitment to carbon neutrality by 2030 as additional indicators of XRP’s enterprise credibility [1].

The exchange reflects a recurring tension between narrative-driven critiques and empirical evidence of adoption. Krueger’s broad dismissal of XRP’s usage overlooks the structural role the token plays in cross-border liquidity, a niche where traditional fiat systems face scalability challenges. SMQKE’s focus on institutional frameworks highlights that XRP’s value proposition is tied to backend efficiency rather than retail adoption, a distinction critical to understanding its market relevance.

The debate also raises questions about how utility tokens are evaluated. Unlike speculative assets, XRP’s success hinges on its integration into operational workflows, a metric less visible to casual observers but vital to enterprise stakeholders. This dynamic suggests that narratives emphasizing consumer adoption may not fully capture the token’s functional impact on financial infrastructure.

Source: [1] ["Researcher Proves American Express, Bank of America, and Santander Use XRP"](https://timestabloid.com/researcher-proves-american-express-bank-of-america-and-santander-use-xrp/)