XRP News Today: Ripple CTO Builds NYC Hub to Future-Proof XRP’s Enterprise Backbone

Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer, David Schwartz, has shared insights on the progress of a new infrastructure initiative for the XRP Ledger (XRPL), signaling that the project is nearing production readiness. In a recent social media post, Schwartz revealed that he has been testing a hub server designed to enhance the reliability of critical nodes on the XRP Ledger, ensuring smoother network performance and reducing the risk of disruptions. The hub server, deployed in a New York City data center, includes an AMD 9950X CPU, 256GB of RAM, and 2TB NVME SSDs for data storage, with a 10GB unmetered network link for high-speed connectivity. The project, which Schwartz described as a personal initiative outside of Ripple’s official development efforts, is aimed at strengthening the XRPL's backbone infrastructure, particularly for enterprise and payments use cases [1].

Schwartz highlighted that during a 24-hour monitoring period, the server demonstrated strong performance with only minor latency issues that affected a few weaker links. He attributed these anomalies to pre-existing network limitations and ruled out significant disruptions. The data also showed no major bandwidth drops, and any irregularities were dismissed as monitoring glitches. The CTO emphasized that the system’s performance to date suggests it is nearly ready for production deployment, although he did not specify an exact timeline for its official integration into the XRP Ledger’s infrastructure [2].

The hub server is intended to serve as a central node that helps maintain stable and secure connections between key XRP Ledger participants. According to Schwartz, the server is not meant to be a single point of failure, as it would only be one of many servers supporting the network. However, it is designed to provide reserved slots for Unl (Unique Node List) validators, other hub servers, and application-specific nodes. The remaining slots will be available to the public on a best-effort basis, ensuring broader participation and network decentralization. The project aligns with Ripple’s broader goals of improving the XRP Ledger’s scalability and reliability for institutional and enterprise users [3].

In parallel, the broader blockchain and digital asset industry is witnessing increased interest in custody solutions, particularly for stablecoins and tokenized assets. Major financial institutions, including BNY, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan, are developing custody frameworks to support the growing demand for secure digital asset storage and management. These efforts are part of a strategic shift toward institutional-grade infrastructure that supports compliance, operational resilience, and risk mitigation. The growing importance of custody services is underscored by recent developments such as Wyoming’s issuance of a blockchain-based stable token and the launch of Ripple USD (RLUSD), a stablecoin designed with bank-grade security and regulatory compliance [4].

The role of digital asset custody is becoming a foundational element of institutional adoption, especially in regions like Asia, where demand for tokenized real-world assets is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. A report by Ripple and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) projects that tokenized real-world assets could reach nearly $18.9 trillion by 2033, further emphasizing the need for robust custody solutions that meet evolving regulatory and operational standards. Financial institutions are increasingly adopting a “compliance-by-design” approach, integrating regulatory requirements into their custody infrastructure from the outset, rather than retrofitting them later [5].

As the XRP Ledger continues to evolve, and the broader digital asset ecosystem matures, the integration of advanced infrastructure and custody solutions will play a critical role in expanding blockchain adoption for enterprise applications. Ripple’s efforts, led by Schwartz’s technical contributions, underscore a broader industry trend toward improving network stability, security, and institutional readiness for digital finance [6].

Source: [1] Ripple CTO Unveils Behind-the-Scenes of New XRP Project (https://u.today/ripple-cto-unveils-behind-the-scenes-of-new-xrp-project) [2] Ripple CTO Says Next Project Is 'Production Ready', What ... (https://bitcoinist.com/ripple-cto-on-next-project/) [3] Ripple CTO on X (https://twitter.com/JoelKatz) [4] Big Banks Pile Into Stablecoin Infrastructure (https://www.pymnts.com/cryptocurrency/2025/big-banks-pile-into-stablecoin-infrastructure-wall-street-eyes-crypto-custody/) [5] Digital Asset Custody: Building Institutional Resilience (https://ripple.com/insights/digital-asset-custody-building-institutional-resilience-compliance-and-scale/) [6] Ripple's Global Co-Head of Policy on Four Best Practices for ... (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ripple-global-co-head-policy-174117260.html)