XRP: A Different Beast, Says Forbes

What to Know:

• Forbes has dramatically changed its view of Ripple and XRP, recognizing its shift from a struggling project to a major financial player.
• Ripple’s strategic acquisitions and regulatory clarity have fueled a significant increase in institutional interest and XRP’s market cap.
• The key challenge for Ripple is to ensure its expansion strengthens the XRP Ledger and creates a unified ecosystem.

Forbes has significantly revised its assessment of Ripple and XRP, acknowledging the company’s transformation into a major player in the crypto space. Once labeled a “zombie blockchain,” Ripple is now seen as a reinvented financial services conglomerate with a valuation of $180 billion. This shift is attributed to strategic acquisitions, regulatory clarity, and growing institutional interest in XRP.

The settlement with the SEC for $125 million removed a major hurdle, allowing Ripple to pursue acquisitions aggressively. Key acquisitions include GTreasury, Hidden Road (now Ripple Prime), Rail, Metaco, and Standard Custody, pushing Ripple into treasury, custody, and prime brokerage services. These moves position Ripple to compete with established firms like Coinbase and Circle.

Forbes highlights that XRP has surged 366% in the last year, with its market cap exceeding $150 billion, driven by genuine adoption rather than mere speculation. Firms like Evernorth are now integrating XRP into their treasury strategies, a move previously considered unlikely during Ripple’s regulatory challenges. Industry observers note improved capital discipline, leadership, and coordination within Ripple’s expanding portfolio.

Analysts now compare Ripple to large crypto financial institutions, suggesting its technology could form the backbone of a unified, institutional-grade ecosystem if its acquisitions are successfully integrated. The main challenge for Ripple is to ensure its expansion enhances the XRP Ledger, fostering synergy rather than isolated business units. While developer activity on the XRP Ledger still lags behind major networks, the focus is on proving that Ripple’s growth strengthens the overall ecosystem.

In conclusion, Ripple has evolved into a significantly larger and more ambitious entity, behaving like the multi-billion-dollar player it has long been valued as. This transformation reflects the potential for established crypto companies to adapt, innovate, and solidify their position within the evolving digital asset landscape, particularly as regulations become clearer and institutional adoption increases.

Related: XRP Price: $12M Max Pain for Bears

Source: Original article