XRP News Today: XRP Stakeholder's Ultimatum: Ripple's Strategic Shift or Mass Sell-Off?

A prominent XRP stakeholder has issued a veiled threat to liquidate his entire position in Ripple's token if the company fails to address concerns over its strategic direction, following Western Union's announcement to launch a Solana-based stablecoin. The warning, posted on social media by Crypto Bitlord—a well-known XRP advocate—highlighted frustration over what he described as a lost opportunity for Ripple to secure a major partnership with the 175-year-old remittance giant, according to a Yahoo Finance story https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ripple-grows-beyond-crypto-xrp-052442857.html.

Western Union, which had previously tested Ripple's xRapid solution for cross-border payments, announced in October 2025 a collaboration with Anchorage Digital to issue a U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin, USDPT, on the Solana network, as reported in a Coinpedia report https://coinpedia.org/news/sol-vs-xrp-western-union-opts-for-solana-over-xrpl-to-build-its-stablecoin/. The move has intensified scrutiny on Ripple's ability to retain institutional partnerships, particularly in a market where blockchain-based payment solutions are increasingly prioritized for speed and scalability, according to a Coindesk article https://www.coindesk.com/business/2025/10/28/western-union-to-launch-stablecoin-on-solana-with-anchorage-digital.

"Solana paid Western Union $50 million for a 6-month deal. After that, it's over," Crypto Bitlord argued, contrasting this with Ripple's recent acquisitions, including Hidden Road, GTreasury, and Rail, which he positioned as evidence of a long-term institutional strategy, as noted by Yahoo Finance. The post, directed at Ripple executives Brad Garlinghouse and Chris Larsen, demanded an explanation for the perceived misstep and warned of a potential mass sell-off of XRP holdings if no response was provided.

The XRP community's unease is rooted in Western Union's historical ties to Ripple. Between 2018 and 2022, the two companies piloted cross-border payment solutions using Ripple's On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) product, which leverages XRP for instant, low-cost settlements. However, the pilot was discontinued amid regulatory challenges, including Ripple's protracted legal battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a development covered earlier by Coinpedia. Western Union's pivot to Solana has raised questions about whether Ripple's early-mover advantage in remittances is eroding.

Solana's partnership with Western Union underscores the network's growing appeal to institutional players. The blockchain, known for its high throughput and low fees, has attracted firms like PayPal and Fiserv, while its compliance with the recently enacted GENIUS Act in the U.S. has further bolstered regulatory confidence. The USDPT stablecoin, expected to launch in early 2026, aims to leverage Solana's infrastructure to facilitate global payments, potentially rivaling Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin, which currently operates primarily on Ethereum, according to a Bitcoin.com post https://api.news.bitcoin.com/wp-json/bcn/v1/post?slug=ripple-backed-evernorths-1b-xrp-vault-signals-the-start-of-massive-institutional-era.

Ripple has countered by emphasizing its expanding footprint in traditional finance. In 2025, the company acquired three major firms—Hidden Road, GTreasury, and Rail—positioning itself as a bridge between legacy financial systems and blockchain technology. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse highlighted XRP's central role in these integrations, noting that the token is "at the center of everything Ripple does." The company also recently used XRP as payment in a $305 million equity deal, a move analysts say signals growing institutional acceptance of the token as a financial instrument.

Despite these efforts, XRP's utility remains a contentious topic. Analyst Scott Melker recently questioned the token's real-world relevance as competitors like Solana gain traction in payments innovation, according to a Coinotag report https://en.coinotag.com/ripple-acquisition-of-hidden-road-may-boost-xrp-momentum-and-rlusd-usage/. Ripple's Chief Technology Officer, David Schwartz, defended XRP's role as a "native bridge asset" on the XRP Ledger, emphasizing its lack of counterparty risk and its ability to facilitate decentralized transactions. However, critics note that RLUSD's adoption on Ethereum has limited XRP's utility in stablecoin-related activity, with 88% of RLUSD's supply currently operating off the XRP Ledger, as previously reported by Bitcoin.com.

The market's reaction has been mixed. While XRP saw a 4.2% price increase following Ripple's acquisitions, the token remains under pressure from Solana's recent ETF debut, which generated $56 million in trading volume on its first day, per a TradingView report https://www.tradingview.com/news/u_today:ada0c8d05094b:0-top-ripple-exec-shades-solana-etf-debut-as-market-awaits-xrp-s-launch/. Meanwhile, Evernorth Holdings—a Ripple-backed firm—has amassed nearly $1 billion in XRP, signaling institutional confidence in the token's long-term potential, according to a Bitcoinist article https://bitcoinist.com/ripple-top-5-acquisitions/.

As the debate unfolds, the XRP community remains divided. For now, the fate of Ripple's market position may hinge on its ability to translate its institutional acquisitions into tangible on-chain utility for XRP.