Ripple CTO David Schwartz Reveals Ambitious Plans for XRP, Will Continue it’s Acquisitions

Ripple CTO David Schwartz has revealed an ambitious plan for XRP and Ripple, amid the wave of the company’s recent acquisitions and technology investments. Schwartz stated that the company will continue to make strategic acquisitions, with the aim of bridging the gap between traditional and decentralized finance.

Coming fresh off its recent acquisition of prime broker Hidden Road for $1.25 billion, Ripple CTO said it doesn’t plan to stop there. He said the team plans a strategic shopping spree, with more targets in sight, spanning financial infrastructure firms and brokerage, and custody infrastructure. For Ripple, this is just business – it’s a vision that positions Ripple as a frontier in integrating TradFi and Web3. 

Schwartz Confirms Acquisitions Are Ongoing

The Ripple CTO said the company is evaluating multiple purchases currently. He admits that the company and the merger team are working hard to process different acquisitions. He claims this activity is due to Wall Street not realizing the full potential of these opportunities. Schwartz said traditional financial giants are slow in making strategic acquisitions, and that presents an opportunity for crypto companies like Ripple. 

Apart from Hidden Road acquisition, the crypto company also purchased crypto custody firms Metaco and Standard Custody. Ripple also plans to use its newly launched stablecoin RLUSD, as a Blockchain collateral for Hidden Road’s brokerage services. RLUSD won’t just be like a regular dollar-pegged stablecoin, but a core infrastructure that will power lending and tokenized finance.

Ripple to Develop XRP Infrastructure and Lending Protocol

Besides acquisitions, Ripple is planning to develop XRP’s infrastructure, by including more programmability and lending protocols, similar to Ethereum. The infrastructure will be equipped with payment management systems that work like smart contracts.  Although Schwartz said full programmability won’t be possible, the goal is to ensure security and flexibility in payment. 

Ripple’s lending Protocol on the XRP ledger will also come to life. According to Schwartz, this infrastructure will bridge traditional finance and decentralized finance. This hybrid model will allow legal transactions and borrower vetting to be carried out off-chain, while tokenization and redistribution of payments rights will be done on-chain. This positions XRP as a secure and capable protocol balancing security and innovation. 

How Ripple’s XRPL Plan Will Impact XRP and the Crypto Market

Developing the XRP Ledger will positively impact the XRP crypto and the broader digital asset market. First, it will open up new network utilities and demand. Payments, collateral, and Lending will lead to increased transactional volume, potentially giving stronger support to the XRP asset. 

By absorbing Hidden Road, Ripple can finally turn XRPL into a marketplace for Real-World Assets. Here, tokenized assets will be easily traded, with RLUSD as base collateral. This will boost liquidity and also democratize participation. 

Furthermore, the ecosystem will grow potentially, attracting partners, institutional investors, and even traditional institutions. In June, Ripple made the headlines by announcing the launch of tokened Treasury bonds, a decentralized exchange for institutional investors, and a partnership with Wormhole to enable cross-chain transfer of assets. 

What’s Next for XRP and Ripple?

Ripple will launch the lending protocol as soon as it’s approved in Q3, 2025. In addition, programmability release, the use of RLUSD as collateral, and the proposed XRP ETF launch are underway. These technological upgrades are key milestones that will pilot the affairs of the Blockchain company for subsequent years. 

The company’s aggressive acquisitions and technological upgrades marks a significant shift in how XRP will be perceived in years to come. XRP will no longer be an asset of trade, but a utility engine bringing TradFi and DeFi. This expansion plan is a statement that Ripple and XRP are here to play the long game.