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The XRP Ledger has set a new transaction record after processing 4,416 transactions in a single ledger close on October 10, marking the highest number ever seen for one closure since the network’s launch.

Trust Set transactions drive the milestoneValidator Vet, known as @Vet_X0 in the XRP community, disclosed that ledger #107,569,561 achieved this record. The majority of transactions in this ledger consisted of Trust Set operations, a mechanism that allows accounts to hold and transfer assets beyond native XRP.

Of the 4,416 transactions closed, 4,305 were categorized as Trust Set, accounting for approximately 97.5% of the total. Payments comprised 1.6%, with other types—Offer Creates, Offer Cancels, NFToken Create Offers, and miscellaneous categories—making up the remaining 0.9%.

The ledger closure involved just 75 unique active accounts, during which a total of 3,530.81 XRP was moved. The process resulted in a burned fee of 0.113775 XRP across all transactions.

With a 99% transaction success rate, the ledger recorded 4,374 successful efforts and only 42 failures. The high volume, dominated by trustline creation activity, suggests a significant wave of onboarding and interaction within the ledger’s tokenization system.

Of the 4,416 total transactions in ledger #107,569,561, Trust Set operations reached 4,305, making up 97.5% of the activity in this record-setting block.

Mini dictionary: Trustlines are connections within the XRP Ledger that enable accounts to hold and transact in assets other than XRP, serving as a core element for tokenization and decentralized exchanges on the network.

Network performance and capacityThis record demonstrates the scalability and efficiency of the XRP Ledger, known for its swift settlement and low fees. The network finalized 4,416 transactions in a closure window that typically lasts between three and five seconds, highlighting its ability to handle high transaction throughput without strain.

Despite the surge in activity, the minimal fees burned and the 99% success rate confirm that the ledger maintained stability and efficiency throughout the event. Fee escalation—a system embedded in the ledger to raise transaction costs during periods of heavy demand—did not lead to significant cost increases during this window, keeping user costs low.

MetricLedger #107,569,561Total transactions4,416Trust Set transactions4,305Unique active accounts75Total XRP volume moved3,530.81 XRPFees burned0.113775 XRPSuccess rate99%Community discussion and analysisThe milestone prompted considerable discussion within the XRP community. Several participants highlighted that over 4,300 new trustlines set in a single ledger marked substantial ecosystem engagement and onboarding. Some observers raised questions about the mechanics of fee escalation during periods of heightened activity, speculating that many transactions originated from a limited pool of wallets possibly operated by automated bots sending small-value amounts.

Community members described the event as impressive, noting that the network’s capacity for growth remains robust following this achievement. The efficient handling of this transaction volume with minimal disruption reinforced confidence in the XRP Ledger’s future scalability.

Processing 4,416 transactions in just one ledger close, nearly all trustline creations, illustrates the XRP Ledger’s ongoing ability to accommodate major activity surges with minimal cost and rapid settlement.

Shayne Coplan Renews Speculation About Polymarket Token

Stellar Lumens (XLM) and Ripple’s XRP, both established digital assets launched by former Ripple co-founder Jed McCaleb, have become increasingly prominent in providing distributed ledger technology (DLT) solutions for cross-border payments and the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs). Since regulatory frameworks have evolved, institutional interest has grown, leading to major advances for both networks.

RWA expansion and ecosystem comparisonCurrently, Stellar has demonstrated remarkable growth in tokenized real-world assets. Official figures indicate that assets on its network have climbed to $3.5 billion in 2026, reflecting a 350% increase since early 2025. This progress has given Stellar a significant position in the rapidly expanding RWA sector.

In comparison, the tokenized asset volume on the XRP Ledger stands at approximately $2.5 billion. However, XRP has achieved exceptional growth in tokenized US Treasuries, with the value of these instruments rising from around $50 million to $418.5 million, marking an increase close to 800% within a single year.

MetricStellar (XLM)XRP LedgerTotal RWA tokenized assets (2026)$3.5 billion$2.5 billionGrowth in US Treasuries (yearly)N/A+800%Largest single productBENJI Fund ($605 million)NASDAQ-listed XRP treasury fund ($500 million)Stellar’s network is utilized by multiple institutional players launching large-scale products. One of the most notable contributors is Franklin Templeton’s BENJI fund, which held about $605 million on Stellar by October 2026. Additionally, Spiko has added roughly $1.7 billion to Stellar’s tokenized money-market assets, further driving network utility.

Stellar’s technical framework is designed for versatility, allowing for swift settlement times of five to seven seconds and features such as atomic multi-currency routing, protocol-native clawback, freeze, and authorization. These features cater to the operational needs of financial institutions, making Stellar a flexible platform for a variety of use cases.

When institutions purchase tokenized treasury funds through Stellar, investments generally go into the underlying securities, with minimal direct impact on the XLM token price due to low transaction fees. The network collects these fees in XLM, but the low cost results in only modest effect on the asset’s demand.

In contrast, Ripple, the US fintech company behind XRP, has gained more traction in the traditional finance sector, specifically through nine exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that together account for $1.56 billion in net assets. This exposure is believed to be attracting new investor segments to digital assets.

Mini dictionary: Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) — A regulated investment fund traded on stock exchanges, designed to track the price of underlying assets such as cryptocurrencies, stocks, or bonds. In the crypto space, ETFs provide institutional and retail investors direct exposure to digital assets without requiring them to hold the tokens directly.

Institutional impact and RWA outlookThe total ETF-driven assets investing in or through XRP are now roughly equal to Stellar’s RWA product base. This week, Evernorth’s introduction of the first XRP-only treasury fund on NASDAQ contributed close to $500 million in value—an amount roughly equivalent to three days of XLM spot trading volume.

Unlike many RWA-focused funds, these investment vehicles provide direct exposure to XRP tokens rather than just the tokenized version of conventional securities. The flows into these ETFs have a more immediate relationship with XRP price fluctuations.

Stellar’s transaction fees are described as modest compared to traditional networks, allowing corporate users to process cross-border payments and tokenize assets efficiently while incurring minimal cost fluctuations for its XLM coin.

Meanwhile, XLM’s model collects fees from stablecoin-centered tokenized funds and from supporting an expanding ecosystem of digital assets. The rapid acceleration of RWA volume on Stellar has been mostly driven by major institutional partnerships and a few leading tokenization projects.

In the cross-border payments field, XRP retains a larger share of the market, but if Stellar aims to overtake it by market capitalization, the network would need to add $80 billion to move beyond its current $6 to $7 billion range. Analysts view this as a substantial but not impossible leap, considering stellar’s current growth trajectory.

Is XRP Losing Korea? Insights from Chainalysis and Upbit Data

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XRP traded at $1.37, almost flat, with little to no movement as its price prediction and sentiment started to recover. Ripple’s new Privy integration lowers the work required to build XRPL payment apps, but adoption will determine whether it changes the token’s price path. The technical setup remains fragile, with XRP below two key moving averages.

Announced late last night, the partnership gives developers tools to create and manage XRPL wallets, sign transactions, and support payments in XRP, RLUSD, and other XRPL assets. Privy says the integration is designed to simplify wallet creation and payment workflows.

1/ We're partnering with @Ripple to bring Privy wallets to the XRP Ledger (XRPL).

This makes it easier for developers to build stablecoin payments, fintech applications, and agentic commerce on XRPL. pic.twitter.com/vUhKJdfxBT

— Privy (@privy_io) October 13, 2026
The companies also point to agentic commerce, where software agents can hold funds and pay for online services. Ripple says AI-agent payments have reached approximately 13 million, or about 25% of XRPL activity, according to Privy’s announcement.

For now, the price has not confirmed a reversal. Broader market stress remains relevant: more than $800 million in leveraged positions were liquidated across exchanges in 24 hours, with longs accounting for 86% of the total. That backdrop puts the focus on support, resistance, and whether XRPL usage translates into persistent buying.

XRP Price Prediction: Can XRP Reclaim $1.40 This Week?XRP is hovering near the $1.37–$1.38 support zone, with $1.385 as nearby resistance. A daily close above that level would improve the short-term setup; a move through $1.40–$1.45 would offer stronger evidence that buyers are reclaiming control.

Momentum is soft, not washed out. XRP is below its 50-day EMA at $1.395 and 200-day EMA at $1.40, while RSI sits at 37.87—bearish territory, but not an oversold signal. Spot-volume figures are consistent across the week.

Bull case: support holds, and a daily close above $1.38 opens a test of $1.40–$1.45, with $1.60 a higher resistance marker.
Base case: XRP consolidates around $1.37–$1.40 as traders await evidence of follow-through from the Privy integration.
Bear case: a break below $1.337 weakens the structure and puts the $1.32–$1.25 demand zone in view.
A lower close would invalidate the near-term recovery thesis. The next macro catalyst is U.S. CPI: a hotter reading could pressure risk assets by lifting rate expectations, while a softer print may support a relief bid. The network’s wider development also matters; XRPL ecosystem activity provides context beyond this single integration.

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Maxi Doge Targets Early Mover Upside as XRP Tests SupportXRP’s weekly decline and position below its moving averages leave little room for complacency. The Privy deal improves the path for developers, but integrations do not guarantee transaction growth or token demand.

If support gives way, traders may look beyond established assets for higher-risk opportunities. It’s a familiar rotation, though not a dependable hedge.

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Analysis

The first major L1 to embed programmable wallets for AI agents bypasses the merchant-of-record debate by building underneath it. The accountability gap, however, remains wide open.

On October 13, 2026, Ripple and Privy, a Stripe company, shifted the focus of agentic commerce downward. By embedding programmable wallet infrastructure directly into the XRP Ledger (XRPL), they have created the first major Layer 1 move to provide AI agents with native, autonomous financial capabilities.

Mechanics of L1 Integration The integration allows developers to programmatically create and manage XRPL accounts, enabling AI agents to hold and transact funds using XRP, RLUSD, and other native assets. Each new account requires a 1 XRP minimum reserve for activation. While the current implementation focuses on core transaction signing, future capabilities such as policy controls for spend limits and gas sponsorship are in development but are not yet generally available.

The utility of this infrastructure relies on the x402 protocol, which facilitates machine-to-machine payments. According to vendor-sourced figures from the XRPL AI Hub and t54, the ledger has processed roughly 13–14 million AI agent payments, accounting for approximately 25% of network activity. Separately, x402 has seen 191.75 million cumulative transactions across 12 chains, though BigGo Finance estimates that 25–30% of this volume is likely test or leaderboard noise.

“Stablecoins are changing how money moves, and XRPL has been building for payments from the start,” said Henri Stern, CEO of Privy. “We’re excited to make Privy wallets available to developers building on XRPL, from global payments to agentic commerce, and whatever comes next.”

Positioning in the Checkout Wars This infrastructure sits apart from the existing “agentic checkout” models identified in previous analysis, which include Shopify’s gate, Constructor’s in-agent checkout, and Salesforce’s authorization-as-checkout. Those models place the merchant of record at the center of the transaction. By moving the wallet to the L1 layer, Ripple and Privy enable agents to act as their own financial entities.

“A well-designed agent can monitor conditions, trigger a payment, handle asset conversion natively, confirm settlement, and move to the next step without requiring manual intervention at every stage,” said Ayo Akinyele, senior director of engineering at RippleX. Markus Infanger, SVP of RippleX at Ripple, added: “Privy brings proven wallet infrastructure that makes it easier for fintechs and developers to bring XRPL into real products, from payments and stablecoin experiences to emerging forms of agentic commerce. Paired with XRPL’s fast settlement, low transaction costs and native support for moving and exchanging digital assets, developers have a strong foundation to build financial products that can scale.”

The Accountability Gap While the technical ability for an agent to hold and spend its own funds is now established, the legal and operational framework remains unsettled. The current merchant-of-record debate assumes a human-centric liability model. However, 93% of merchants believe that AI or agent providers should bear the financial loss when an agent makes an incorrect purchase, according to PYMNTS Intelligence data from September.

Aaron McPherson, principal at AFM Consulting, remains skeptical of the current trajectory. “There are many unanswered questions in Ripple’s tool kit regarding accountability for errors that the card networks are better positioned to answer, being in the business of administering governance frameworks,” McPherson noted. He suggests that the industry may ultimately favor a “stablecoin sandwich” model, where stablecoins serve as a settlement mechanism behind traditional card networks rather than replacing them entirely.

The Amex Intent Intelligence Framework represents another approach, focusing on the issuer side to provide evidence for dispute adjudication. By building underneath the merchant-of-record debate, Ripple and Privy have changed the shape of the checkout question, but they have not yet resolved the underlying liability gap.

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Crypto market analyst Egrag Crypto has outlined an ambitious outlook for XRP, sharing long-term price projections that place the token as high as $27 by 2027. His analysis is driven by an assessment of historical chart formations, the prospect of an accumulating market phase, and the potential for an extended market cycle.

XRP price forecast centers on chart patterns and accumulationEgrag Crypto, known for his technical analysis in the cryptocurrency community, has emphasized similarities between XRP’s trading structure in previous cycles and current market behavior. He draws particular comparison to XRP’s 2015–2017 accumulation phase, suggesting that a similar set-up could emerge between 2026 and 2027. According to his assessment, past patterns do not repeat identically, but comparable structures may offer useful clues for future price action.

He noted that XRP could be forming a major accumulation base, possibly following a double or triple bottom structure, before the next bullish expansion. Egrag marked the possible range lows between $1.08 and $1.10, with the upper boundary stretching toward $1.80 to $1.90. He expects the token to experience several price swings, including liquidity sweeps both upward and downward, before any sustained upward movement occurs.

Crypto commentator Moon Lambo discussed these projections in a recent video, supporting the view that any future rally is likely to be preceded by substantial volatility. He counseled that short-term drops would not necessarily disrupt the underlying macro-accumulation pattern.

$6.40 and $10.38 identified as initial major breakout targetsAmong Egrag Crypto’s specific targets, $6.40 stands out as the first significant expansion level, which he identifies as a technical milestone once XRP exits its current range. Achieving this would take XRP beyond its previous all-time high of around $3.65, pushing it into a new price-discovery zone.

A subsequent target of $10.38 is labeled as a 500% fractal projection. Both targets are dependent on market structure confirming an extended bullish cycle, and neither figure is guaranteed. Moon Lambo added that some analysts expect this expansion phase to occur later than the 2025 peak that many investors had anticipated, indicating that a lengthier market cycle may be in play.

Price TargetDescription$6.40First major expansion level, above previous all-time high$10.38500% fractal projection$20–$27Potential macro cycle topXRP’s potential path to $27 by 2027 remains uncertainEgrag Crypto’s most bullish outlook places XRP’s macro cycle top at a range between $20 and $27, which he connected to the numerals of the year 2027 for emphasis. This scenario assumes that the broader market experiences another significant altcoin rally, and that XRP benefits alongside other major digital assets.

Moon Lambo deemed this pathway plausible if market conditions align, but did not state that XRP is certain to reach that level. Egrag’s projected timeline features an initial move toward $6 or beyond in December 2027, followed by a more pronounced acceleration to the $20 range potentially in early 2028.

The analyst cautioned that these forecasts remain theoretical. The realization of such price levels will depend on whether the forecasted chart structures manifest and if market conditions prove favorable.

Mini dictionary: Fractal projection, an analysis technique that uses recurring chart patterns from previous market cycles to forecast potential future price movements in financial assets.

Egrag Crypto outlines a scenario where XRP’s accumulation phase may pave the way for an explosive rally, with targets first at $6.40, followed by $10.38, before aiming for a macro cycle top between $20 and $27.

Both Egrag Crypto and Moon Lambo advise caution, noting that significant volatility and a lack of certainty regarding both timing and eventual price level are likely to characterize XRP’s performance in the coming years. While optimism for a substantial rally persists among some analysts, market participants are encouraged to consider the speculative nature of these targets before making investment decisions.

Ripple added Meritz Securities to its South Korean institutional partnerships on October 14, extending a set of deals across banking, insurance and capital markets. The announcement concerns exploration of custody and tokenization services. It does not say that Meritz has launched a product, issued a security on the XRP Ledger or committed to use XRP. Separating those steps is essential to understanding what the partnership adds.

Summary

Ripple announced its fourth Korean institutional partnership of 2026 and its first with a securities firm.
Meritz will explore custody and tokenization within its existing securities business and current regulation.
Kyobo Life, Kbank and Jeonbuk Bank are the other three Korean partners named by Ripple.
Ripple’s Meritz announcement does not identify a live token, XRP transaction or launch date.
An XRP Ledger account generally requires a 1 XRP base reserve, but the announced custody arrangement need not use XRPL.

The company announcement names Ripple Custody and tokenization infrastructure as the technologies to explore. Meritz says it is assessing spot exchange traded funds, fractional investments, security tokens, trading platforms and won denominated stablecoins as Korean rules evolve. That list describes the firm’s broader interests. It is not a declaration that each product will be built with Ripple, approved by regulators or released to clients.

JUST IN: Standard Chartered launches institutional custody for Ripple’s RLUSD on the XRP Ledger

The service is available through its DIFC branch, while the bank, Ripple and LMAX Group are working to make $RLUSD eligible collateral under a collateral mirroring model. pic.twitter.com/E5dm9nmEr8

— crypto.news (@cryptodotnews) October 12, 2026

A same day crypto.news report covered the agreement. The feature question is what chain and asset, if any, would be required by a future Meritz service. Ripple sells several distinct products, and a custody contract can be important to its business without making the native XRP token central to the transaction.

The agreement starts with exploration
Meritz and Ripple say their cooperation will begin within the securities firm’s current business and existing regulatory perimeter. They plan to expand in stages as Korea’s digital asset framework develops. No volume target, custody asset list, issuer mandate, production date or client enrollment number appears in the release. Those omissions matter when assessing a partnership’s proximity to revenue or onchain activity.

Institutional custody involves creating and controlling keys, authorizing transfers, maintaining records and recovering operations after failures. A broker or securities firm can need such infrastructure before it has launched a tokenized instrument. Ripple Custody is a product offered to regulated institutions; its deployment does not automatically create a public XRP Ledger account for every client.

Tokenization has additional steps. The issuer must define the legal claim represented by the token. A custodian must hold either underlying securities or the keys that control the new asset, depending on the structure. A trading or settlement venue needs permissions and counterparties. A regulator may need to approve or accommodate the product. An announcement that a technology supplier and securities firm will explore these steps confirms a relationship, not completion of the steps.

Ripple calls Meritz its first Korean securities firm partner and fourth Korean institutional partner this year. The classification is company supplied, but the earlier announcements give it substance: an insurer looking at government bonds, a bank deploying wallet infrastructure and a regional lender using payment services. Those are not four identical XRP adoption deals.

Four partners, four different products
Kyobo Life’s April partnership concerns testing the settlement of tokenized Korean government bonds with Ripple Custody. Its product question is whether the asset and cash legs can move safely and with recognized legal effect. Coverage of the bond pilot discussed near real time settlement as a goal. A goal is not a published record of a live market handling all government bonds.

Kbank’s previously reported arrangement centers on digital asset wallet infrastructure using Ripple Custody. A wallet service can manage assets across more than one chain depending on configuration. A deployment claim should be verified through supported assets, actual users and production transactions, none of which follows from a partner count by itself.

Jeonbuk Bank’s August payment agreement focuses on cross border remittances. A bank seeking faster payments has different reasons to buy software from those of an insurer holding bonds. The route might involve regulated institutions, local currencies or stablecoins; its XRP requirement cannot be inferred from the Ripple brand without disclosed routing and settlement records. Related coverage of the Korean expansion places the agreements side by side but does not transform them into one shared ledger product.

Meritz adds securities distribution and custody to this collection of use cases. Its possible products include exchange traded funds, fractional investments and won stablecoins, but each would have its own issuer, license and legal treatment. Describing all four partnerships as a single network effect is a hypothesis. Evidence would be, for example, a Meritz asset held in a Kbank wallet and settled through a named Ripple rail under published terms. No such interconnected transaction is identified in the October 14 release.

JUST IN: Ripple partners with Stripe-owned Privy to bring embedded wallets to the XRP Ledger

The partnership aims to make it easier for developers to integrate crypto wallets directly into apps, helping users access XRPL-based services without managing a separate wallet setup. pic.twitter.com/fEAEWSyesd

— crypto.news (@cryptodotnews) October 13, 2026

Where could XRP enter a securities workflow?
If a future tokenized security were issued on the public XRP Ledger, a funded account normally needs the network’s base reserve and transactions consume small amounts of XRP as fees. The base reserve was 1 XRP in the referenced network documentation. More ledger objects can require additional reserves. These technical requirements matter for the accounts operating on that public network, not for every user of a bank’s internal custody service.

A firm can also choose a different chain, a private ledger or an offchain record system while using a custody vendor. Ripple’s product name does not specify the ledger of record. Even if the XRP Ledger is used, an institutional sponsor or platform could operate a small number of accounts on behalf of many customers. Multiply one account’s reserve by a press release’s claimed customer base and the result would be a fictitious XRP demand estimate.

If Meritz issued a won token on XRPL, the currency promise would be a claim on the issuer under its terms, while XRP would pay ledger fees and satisfy account or object reserves. The XRPL token documentation makes clear that an issued asset derives its value from the redemption promise. Buying an issued won token would not be the same as buying XRP. A stablecoin could also be implemented on another network; Meritz has not selected a production design in the release.

Settlement of tokenized securities could conceivably involve XRP as a bridge asset. The October statement does not propose a bridge route, quote transaction cost savings in XRP, or name a conversion counterparty. Calling the possibility likely would be speculation. A reporter would need transaction architecture, counterparties and treasury treatment before claiming demand for the token.

A custody supplier is not the issuer of the security
A holder of a conventional security has rights defined by the issuer, intermediary and applicable law. Representing that security as a token can improve record movement without changing the underlying legal claim. Ripple Custody can help an institution protect keys and authorize transfers; it does not by itself guarantee that a token is a valid share or bond in Korean law.

Fractional investment introduces another layer. A customer might own a fraction of a security, a beneficial interest held through an intermediary or a claim against a platform that owns the security. The legal structure determines corporate actions, redemptions and the outcome of an intermediary failure. An XRPL transaction record alone cannot answer who owes the customer money. Any Meritz rollout would need a product document and terms specifying custody and ownership.

A won stablecoin would raise reserve, redemption and issuer licensing questions separate from custody of investment securities. Meritz says it is exploring the category, not issuing a won token today. The distinction is especially important because a firm can explore several product lines while committing to none. A feature should test each announced possibility against an identifiable launch document, rather than merge them into a promised ecosystem.

There is a strong commercial case for an institution seeking one provider across custody, transfers and tokenization. Integration can reduce the number of systems a firm must build, and regulated clients may prefer controls familiar to their compliance teams. Ripple points to more than 85 licenses and presence in more than 60 markets in its release. Those company figures describe the supplier’s footprint; they do not establish that the Meritz product has permission to operate in any particular way in Korea.

Korea’s regulatory sequence can determine the pace
The companies explicitly say they will start within Meritz’s existing securities business and expand as the framework evolves. That phrase should not be treated as a generic caveat. A tokenized bond, a spot crypto ETF, an exchange for security tokens and a won stablecoin are different regulated activities. Approval of one does not approve the others. Product sequencing may be driven by what the firm is already licensed to do, not by which blockchain feature can be coded fastest.

A pilot can test custody and settlement among known institutions without offering the asset to retail customers. Wider distribution adds suitability, disclosures, trading venue rules, asset servicing and tax treatment. Regulators may permit experiments while retaining limits on open transfers. A public chain can carry a token whose legal use is restricted, but technical transferability should not be confused with unrestricted ownership rights.

The XRPL rules for authorized trust lines show one way an issuer can restrict who receives a token on that ledger. Such a tool could help a regulated issuer, but Meritz has not announced it will use those settings. The point is to distinguish a technical capability from a selected Korean product design.

The Jeonbuk deal shows the payment line has a separate customer and purpose. The four agreements can therefore develop on different clocks. Payment infrastructure may have a commercial timetable independent of securities law. Custody services may be usable before a tokenized security is offered. Meritz’s broader menu contains ambitions for products subject to future regulation. Counting announcements as live, correlated XRP transactions would flatten those differences.

JUST IN: South Korea’s Meritz Securities partners with Ripple on institutional custody and tokenization

The deal makes Meritz Ripple’s first securities partner in Korea and its fourth Korean institutional partner this year, following Kyobo Life Insurance, Kbank and Jeonbuk Bank. pic.twitter.com/oCg2DXkdYB

— crypto.news (@cryptodotnews) October 14, 2026

One provider can serve several ledgers
A custody platform can apply approval workflows, key storage and audit logs to assets on multiple networks. Ripple advertises its wallet infrastructure for more than the XRP Ledger. The identity of the vendor is therefore a poor proxy for the chain used by an institution. A reporter needs to ask for the system of record in each Korean project: where issuance occurs, where transfers settle, and where the legally controlling ownership register is kept.

That distinction is particularly sharp for securities. A token could be a representation of an entry in a conventional central securities depositary, with the depositary record retaining legal priority. Or the legally recognized register could itself be built around a blockchain under an approved framework. Those structures have different implications for settlement finality, asset servicing and recoverability after a platform outage. Nothing in the Meritz release states which model it intends to adopt.

A bank wallet used for corporate remittances might never encounter Meritz’s proposed securities token. The common supplier can still benefit from selling to both institutions. The existence of four customers does not establish interoperability among their products. Evidence of a connected market would require an actual instrument moving among identified institutions with a documented cash leg and legal basis.

For XRP holders, that difference is not academic. A software sale can produce enterprise revenue at Ripple without consuming a meaningful quantity of XRP. A transaction on XRPL can require XRP for fees and account reserves without generating large, persistent token demand. A bridge settlement involving XRP would be a different economic route again. Only the production architecture and measured transactions can distinguish these possibilities.

The evidence that would change the XRP conclusion
A future Meritz release could name XRP Ledger as the settlement network and publish issuer addresses or an identifiable pilot contract. It could state whether clients or only institutional intermediaries hold onchain accounts. It could give a measured number of securities issued, transfers settled or XRP spent in network fees. Those are all more informative than an aggregate list of partnerships.

Alternatively, Meritz could launch custody on multiple networks while keeping its securities registry offchain. That outcome would be valuable for Ripple’s enterprise business but would give no clear basis for a large XRP demand claim. An honest feature has to allow both possibilities. The vendor’s business and the token’s economics overlap only where a real implementation connects them.

The October 14 announcement is a new institutional relationship. Its precise scope is exploration of Ripple Custody and tokenization infrastructure under existing rules. What XRP contributes remains an answer for a future product specification, not a fact established by a partnership release.

The first live disclosure could settle several questions at once
An actual Meritz product announcement should make clear whether the security token is an investment instrument, a settlement record or a claim on an intermediary. The details would include the issuer, eligible holders, underlying asset, corporate action handling and which record controls if systems disagree. A chain name without those details would not establish the investor’s rights.

If custody goes live before tokenization, the useful measures will be assets under custody, types of institutions served, supported chains and whether the balances belong to Meritz or its clients. The company may withhold addresses for security reasons; it can still describe the custody model and specify whether any assets are on XRPL. No public wallet count should be inferred from an enterprise customer count.

Korean bond settlement offers another concrete benchmark. A pilot between two known participants can test technical finality, but live market use would require repeated trades, reconciliation with the official securities register and the settlement of the cash leg. If the cash side still moves through a conventional bank at different hours, token transfer speed may not equal completed securities settlement speed.

A future disclosure that identifies XRP used in bridge liquidity would materially change the token argument. It should report routed value and frequency, not merely a nominal fee paid to write transactions. Until then, Ripple’s enterprise sales and XRP’s market demand remain related possibilities rather than interchangeable facts.

The product path from announcement to a trade
Meritz’s proposed work starts with an institutional need: holding an asset securely, defining who may instruct a transfer and recording what the holder owns. Ripple Custody can be a supplier in that chain without determining the legal nature of the asset. A token representing a security would also need an issuer, contractual rights, ownership records, transfer restrictions and a recognized process for correcting an error. Those decisions belong to the product sponsor and its regulators, not to an XRP price chart.

An investor could encounter several separate systems in one eventual product. A bank or broker might verify identity and eligibility, a custodian might control keys, a registry might maintain legal ownership, and a ledger might record transfers. The names of those systems matter because a transaction on one of them does not prove settlement on the public XRPL. Ripple’s software relationships are relevant to distribution and implementation, but the October 14 announcement does not identify a live Meritz security or publish its transaction path.

A public token might be issued on the XRP Ledger, a private environment might use related software, or the custodian might connect to several networks. These possibilities carry different implications for native XRP usage. On the public ledger, an account normally needs an XRP reserve and transactions require small XRP fees under the XRPL account reserve rules. The existence of a reserve requirement says little about the scale of demand unless the number of accounts, funding flows and fee volume are known. Private infrastructure cannot be assumed to consume the public token in the same way.

Even a public XRPL deployment would not necessarily make XRP the asset bought by every end investor. A customer could purchase a tokenized bond with cash or a stablecoin through an intermediary, while the intermediary handles reserve and fee balances in the background. The economic meaning of XRP’s participation would depend on volumes and on which party acquires and holds it. A market claim about XRP benefiting from the partnership needs this missing bridge.

Why four partnerships cannot be added as four launches
Each Korean counterparty has its own business model and regulatory obligations. A securities firm exploring tokenization does not have the same product as a bank testing remittances or custody. Adding the announcements together gives the count of relationships, not a count of live tokenized securities or XRP payment corridors. A single provider can win several mandates before any customer transaction takes place; conversely, one deployment can grow significantly without another press release.

The comparison should therefore use milestones: signed exploratory agreement, selected product and network, regulatory permission, customer pilot, production launch and disclosed recurring volume. Meritz is at an announced partnership stage in the public material. No date for an investable security, asset issuance amount, eligible customer list or live XRP settlement was disclosed. The absence of those details is not proof the project will fail. It simply limits what the announcement establishes today.

A domestic securities instrument must also resolve what happens outside normal market hours, how corporate actions reach holders, and whether an onchain transfer legally changes ownership. Tokenization can shorten a technical transfer while leaving cash settlement, beneficial ownership or investor protections on conventional rails. The exact legal design will shape whether faster ledger movement translates into a faster completed trade. It is premature to price that efficiency into an unidentified Meritz product.

Custody brings further operational choices. Institutions usually separate authorization, key management, reconciliation and recovery. If a key is lost or a transfer is disputed, the provider needs a documented process; if the product has investor restrictions, the system must prevent or remediate an ineligible transfer. These controls can make a custody contract valuable while having no necessary connection to large XRP turnover. Ripple’s business revenue and the token’s market demand should be assessed separately.

A disclosure that would clarify XRP’s exposure
The most informative future announcement would name a product, its issuing entity, the ledger used for issuance and settlement, the role of XRP in fees or liquidity, and the date eligible investors can transact. A transaction identifier or independently visible address could then confirm public network use. If the product runs within a permissioned environment, its operator could disclose throughput and settlement metrics instead. Each approach permits verification on its own terms.

Volume should be separated from the face value of tokenized assets. A large bond issuance may sit idle for months; a smaller instrument may change hands often. XRP demand from transaction fees, reserve funding or bridging would follow actual implementation and behavior, not simply the face amount announced. Disclosure of active accounts, settled transfers and asset redemptions would help distinguish a real market from a static token issuance.

XRP’s market price can also move for reasons unrelated to Korea, including broader crypto conditions. Attributing a move to this partnership requires timing and evidence stronger than a headline appearing on the same day. The reader can recognize the institutional reach of Ripple’s latest agreement while leaving the token’s economic payoff unresolved. Subsequent product documents, rather than an inferred link between brands, can settle it.

Custody revenue and token demand are separate measures
Ripple can benefit commercially from providing custody technology even if none of the Meritz customers buys XRP. Software fees, integration work and institutional relationships are business outcomes; reserve balances, transaction fees and bridge liquidity are possible public token outcomes. The announcement does not disclose contract revenue either, so neither stream should be quantified without a later filing or product report. Investors often collapse the two because the company and token share a brand history, but the mechanisms are different.

A tokenized security could also gain value from faster recordkeeping without creating much secondary trading. Issuance, redemption, coupon processing and transfers among approved investors may all be useful even if the instrument rarely moves. If the ledger chosen is public XRPL, transaction fees on infrequent operations are likely to be small relative to the value of the security; the reserve and liquidity arrangement would have to be identified before drawing a demand conclusion. If the network is private, public XRP exposure requires an additional disclosed mechanism.

Korean market rules affect who can hold the instrument and which intermediaries can serve it. A global technology supplier cannot replace domestic approvals through a partnership announcement. Meritz would need to describe the legal rights of token holders, arrangements for cash settlement and any restriction on transfer to unverified wallets. Those documents would also show whether the proposed custody arrangement is essential to the product or one replaceable technology component.

The most useful comparison with the previous three relationships will arrive when each has a product or a disclosed cancellation. Counting logos now can signal sales reach, but it cannot rank use. The next report should ask for the date of first customer transaction, the amount actually issued or transferred, the operator of the ledger and the party bearing custody risk. Those details can make a modest pilot more informative than another large exploratory announcement.

What to watch

Meritz product notice: Check for a named asset, legal issuer, production date and permitted customer group.
Settlement network: Look for explicit disclosure of whether XRPL, a private ledger or another chain records the asset.
XRP use: Separate actual fee and reserve spending from a claim that XRP serves as a bridge or investment asset.
Custody rights: Read who controls keys, who owns underlying securities and how clients recover assets if a provider fails.
Korean approvals: Track which proposed products enter a regulated pilot and which are authorized for live distribution.

FAQ

What did Ripple and Meritz announce?
They announced a partnership to explore Ripple Custody and tokenization infrastructure for Korea’s capital markets. No Meritz product launch date was given.

Is Meritz Ripple’s first Korean partner?
No. Ripple names Kyobo Life, Kbank and Jeonbuk Bank as three earlier Korean institutional partners in 2026. Meritz is its first securities firm partner there.

Does the Meritz agreement require XRP?
The announcement does not specify an XRP requirement. The answer depends on a future product’s actual network, account design and settlement route.

Has Meritz issued a tokenized security on XRPL?
No such issuance is identified in the October 14 release. The companies describe exploration within Meritz’s current business and regulatory scope.

What does Ripple Custody do?
It provides institutional infrastructure for storage, transfer and settlement of digital assets. Using a custody product does not automatically mean the assets use XRP Ledger.

Would a won stablecoin be XRP?
No. A won denominated token would be a separate issued asset with its own issuer and redemption terms. Meritz described won stablecoins as an area under exploration.

How much XRP must an XRPL account hold?
The referenced XRPL documentation lists a 1 XRP base account reserve, with additional reserves possible for ledger objects. A custodial product may serve many clients through shared institutional accounts.

When could the partnership expand?
Ripple and Meritz say it will proceed in stages as Korean rules develop. They did not commit to a date or publish a list of approved live services. This is educational analysis, not investment advice.

Disclaimer: This article is for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Figures reflect regulatory filings and reporting available at the time of writing and change with each disclosure. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security or asset. Always do your own research. Information is accurate as of October 14, 2026.

XRP has fallen 6.91% over the past seven days to $1.36, leaving the cryptocurrency below the $1.40 resistance level as technical indicators show continued selling pressure despite rising whale-related exchange withdrawals.

Summary

XRP traded near $1.36 after losing 6.91% over seven days, according to CoinGecko market data. CryptoQuant recorded a 10.5 percentage point increase in Binance’s XRP whale outflow spread over six days. Santiment reported 0.92 bullish XRP comments per bearish comment, indicating more negative social media discussion. Technical indicators showed selling pressure near $1.40, with the Awesome Oscillator remaining below zero territory. Analyst EGRAG identified $1.13 and $1.00 as possible downside levels if XRP loses current support. According to CoinGecko, XRP recorded a modest 0.13% decline over 24 hours, with daily trading volume reaching approximately $1.72 billion. The cryptocurrency held a market capitalization of around $86.06 billion, ranking fifth among digital assets. Trading activity declined nearly 19.70% from the previous day, while analysts identified $1.35 as immediate support.

XRP price struggles to recover above $1.40 XRP has remained under pressure after failing to sustain its September rally toward $1.60. The cryptocurrency previously recovered from August lows near $1.00, but its recent trading pattern has produced lower highs, indicating that buyers have struggled to maintain upward momentum.

During the latest daily session, XRP traded around $1.36313 after opening at $1.36480. The token briefly reached $1.38518 before retreating, keeping the 1.38–1.40 region in focus as immediate resistance.

Chart analysis shows $1.35 as the nearest support level, followed by a stronger buying area between $1.30 and $1.32. A sustained decline below $1.30 could expose 1.20–1.25, where previous trading activity suggests buyers may attempt another recovery.

On the upside, reclaiming $1.40 would provide an early indication of improving market conditions. XRP would then face resistance near $1.45, followed by the 1.50–1.60 region that limited its earlier rally.

Recent XRP price analysis around the $1.40 support level identified a similar struggle in early October. At the time, XRP traded closer to $1.45, while traders monitored whether the cryptocurrency could maintain its recovery.

The latest decline has pushed XRP below that earlier support region, leaving buyers facing another test before the market can establish a stronger short-term recovery.

Technical indicators show sellers remain in control The daily chart’s Balance of Power indicator stood at -0.07, suggesting that selling activity slightly exceeded buying pressure during the measured period.

Although the reading remained close to neutral, its negative position coincided with XRP’s inability to recover above $1.40. A move into positive territory could indicate improving demand, particularly if the cryptocurrency begins closing above nearby resistance.

The Awesome Oscillator presented a similar picture. The indicator stood at -0.06068, with red histogram bars below the zero line, showing weaker short-term momentum compared with the longer-term price trend.

XRP price chart, source: TradingView During September’s recovery toward $1.60, the indicator had moved into positive territory as buying momentum strengthened. The subsequent decline pushed it back below zero, suggesting that the earlier recovery had lost strength.

Further negative readings could increase the likelihood of XRP testing $1.30. Conversely, an improvement toward zero, followed by positive histogram bars, would provide an early technical indication that selling pressure was easing.

The current chart structure therefore places $1.35 and $1.40 at the center of the short-term outlook. Losing the lower level could extend the correction, while reclaiming the upper level would give buyers an opportunity to challenge $1.45.

XRP whale withdrawals rise sharply on Binance Despite the weak price structure, exchange data has shown an increase in the relative dominance of large XRP withdrawals on Binance.

CryptoQuant analyst Amr Taha reported that Binance’s seven-day average whale-to-retail outflow spread increased from 53% on October 7 to 63.5% on October 13.

The 10.5-percentage-point increase was considerably larger than the change across all centralized exchanges. The combined market reading rose from 46% to 47.7%, representing an increase of just 1.7 percentage points.

Binance’s spread therefore increased approximately 6.2 times faster in percentage-point terms during the six-day period.

Source: CryptoQuant The metric compares large and small exchange withdrawals over a seven-day average. A higher reading indicates that large transfers are becoming more dominant relative to smaller withdrawals.

However, Taha cautioned that the indicator does not establish whether the absolute number of whale withdrawals has increased. It cannot independently confirm accumulation, as transfers between exchanges, custody services and private wallets may produce similar readings.

The gap between Binance and the combined exchange market reached 15.8 percentage points, approaching the approximately 18-point difference recorded on August 3.

During that earlier period, Binance’s spread stood near 62%, compared with 44% across all exchanges. XRP subsequently climbed from approximately $1.07 to $1.56, representing a gain of roughly 46%.

The analyst identified the historical comparison but did not establish that the latest increase would produce another price rally.

Separately, Crypto commentator CW described XRP’s technical structure as showing an accumulation signal, citing its moving average and MACD trends. The assessment suggested improving buying activity despite sideways trading, although the supplied daily indicators continued to show weaker short-term momentum.

XRP faces bearish sentiment as analysts watch $1 Public sentiment has remained cautious despite the increase in whale-related exchange withdrawals.

Blockchain analytics firm Santiment reported that XRP recorded 0.92 bullish comments for every bearish comment across X, Reddit and Telegram.

The reading placed XRP in negative sentiment territory, with bearish discussion exceeding positive commentary. Bitcoin recorded a lower ratio of 0.82, while Ethereum attracted 2.05 bullish comments for every bearish one.

🚨 Ethereum FOMO Surges While Bitcoin And XRP Turn Fearful

🔥 Ethereum is suddenly the crowd favorite. Across X, Reddit, and Telegram, $ETH has 2.05 bullish comments for every bearish one, putting sentiment firmly into FOMO territory as traders focus on its rebound above key… pic.twitter.com/p1rj8AETvD

— Santiment Intelligence (@SantimentData) October 13, 2026 Santiment linked XRP’s negative sentiment to its recent price decline, leveraged position liquidations and repeated difficulty recovering above $1.40.

The firm suggested that bearish sentiment could support a contrarian recovery if market conditions improve. However, social commentary alone does not confirm whether investors are buying XRP or whether a price rebound is approaching.

Crypto analyst EGRAG Crypto outlined two possible scenarios based on XRP’s three-day chart.

His bearish scenario identified $1.13 as a potential downside level if the current consolidation fails, followed by a possible decline toward $1.00.

For a recovery, the analyst identified $2.10 as an initial target following an upward breakout. His longer-term projection considered $17.60 possible only after XRP confirms a breakout above $3.68.

In a separate analysis, EGRAG identified a multi-year symmetrical triangle with potential upside levels between $4.30 and $10.23. His extended projections included $15.93, $33 and $60, all conditional on a confirmed breakout from the larger chart formation.

#XRP – THE HIDDEN VEHICLE OF THE DIGITAL FINANCIAL HIGHWAY! 🚋

working for 23 YEARS in investment world, real estate, stocks, corporate sales & crypto taught me ONE THING:
MEN LIE. WOMEN LIE. CHARTS & NUMBERS DON'T LIE!

LOOK AT THIS MACRO SYMMETRICAL TRIANGLE!
🎯 Confluence:… pic.twitter.com/SZzEet7NyD

— EGRAG CRYPTO (@egragcrypto) October 14, 2026 He emphasized that his long-term targets were scenarios, not guaranteed prices, while acknowledging that XRP could revisit $1.00 before establishing a stronger upward trend.

The cryptocurrency’s previous all-time high stood at $3.65, leaving its latest price approximately 62.55% below that record.

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

A partnership with Ripple aims to put XRPL wallets inside fintech apps and give AI agents a way to spend, while transaction rules and fee coverage remain on Privy's roadmap.

Privy brings its wallets to the XRP Ledger through a Ripple partnership

Posted October 14, 2026 at 6:32 am ET.

Privy, the crypto wallet provider Stripe agreed to acquire last year, is extending its wallet tools to the XRP Ledger (XRPL) through a partnership with Ripple, aiming the integration at fintechs offering stablecoin payments and at AI agents that need to move money on their own.

Privy announced the partnership in a blog post on Oct. 13. According to the post, developers using Privy will be able to generate and manage XRPL wallets programmatically, sign transactions on the ledger, and build with XRP, Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin and other tokens on the network. The post also promises an exit route, with key and seed phrase export for anyone who wants to leave Privy.

“Privy brings proven wallet infrastructure that makes it easier for fintechs and developers to bring XRPL into real products, from payments and stablecoin experiences to emerging forms of agentic commerce,” Markus Infanger, Ripple’s SVP for RippleX, said in the post.

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Payments and AI Agents
Privy pitched two main uses. For payments companies, embedded wallets let a business offer stablecoin transfers while its customers never handle keys. For automated software, server-side wallets can let an agent hold funds and pay for things, including via x402, an open payments standard in which a server answers a request with an HTTP 402 code and the client pays before trying again.

“Stablecoins are changing how money moves, and XRPL has been building for payments from the start,” said Henri Stern, Privy’s cofounder and CEO, in the announcement.

Privy credits the XRPL with $1 trillion in value moved and more than 8 million funded accounts after 14-plus years.

What Comes Next
Privy said it plans to keep building out the integration, naming policy controls and gas sponsorship as upcoming additions meant to give developers more say over how wallets transact without making things harder for end users.

Privy announced in June 2025 that Stripe was acquiring it, saying it would keep running as an independent product. Its wallets have since become one piece of Stripe’s stablecoin push: when the Open USD stablecoin went live last month, Stripe said developers could use it with Privy embedded wallets.

Ripple, for its part, has been working to get RLUSD into mainstream payment flows, including a settlement test with Mastercard and Gemini.

Related Listen: Who Wins the AI Payments War?

AI-assisted content: This article was produced with the assistance of AI tools and was reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by a member of the Unchained editorial team before publication.

Evernorth, an investment firm known for its focus on XRP treasury management, has named Hugo Jeandesboz as its new Chief Investment Officer. The appointment aims to bolster the company’s institutional expertise as it sharpens its strategy for holding and managing XRP assets.

Jeandesboz’s background in institutional marketsJeandesboz brings a comprehensive background in both traditional finance and digital assets. His career began at HSBC, where he served as an Interest Rate Derivatives Trader, specializing in USD swaps and G10 currency trading operations.

He later advanced to Société Générale, taking on responsibilities as a trading analyst and subsequently as a front-office quantitative strategist. There, he gained experience in fixed income instruments, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and systematic trading strategies for global markets.

Transitioning to the digital asset sector, Jeandesboz joined Coinbase, a major cryptocurrency exchange. He initially worked as Lead Derivatives Trader, followed by a leadership position in Coinbase’s Asset Management division as Portfolio Manager and Head of Solutions.

In this capacity, Jeandesboz managed investment products related to Bitcoin, stablecoins, and volatility-linked strategies, with a primary focus on serving institutional investors. He also served as Co-Chief Investment Officer and Head of Solutions, further deepening his experience in developing and overseeing digital asset portfolios.

Mini dictionary: Société Générale is a leading French multinational investment bank and financial services company, active in capital markets and global banking.

Industry reactions and expectationsThe news of Jeandesboz’s appointment was widely discussed in the cryptocurrency community. X Finance Bull, a well-known crypto commentator, highlighted both Jeandesboz’s financial background and his expertise relevant to Evernorth’s strategic objectives.

“Evernorth just hired a CIO for its $XRP treasury and look at his background,” observed X Finance Bull, drawing attention to Jeandesboz’s extensive experience in derivatives and institutional portfolio management.

Other community members echoed the significance of this move, pointing to the strength of Jeandesboz’s career across multiple asset classes. A user named Richard remarked that the hire was shaped by a “resume” far beyond the norm for the industry.

X Finance Bull further commented that Jeandesboz’s deep background in institutional trading and asset management will now serve Evernorth’s ongoing development of its XRP-focused treasury strategy.

Focus on XRP treasury managementJeandesboz’s arrival comes as Evernorth looks to sharpen its approach to managing its XRP holdings. The company has been looking to establish a more robust institutional framework for its digital asset treasury solutions, particularly those centered on XRP.

Evernorth operates under the XRPN brand, concentrating specifically on strategies to hold and deploy XRP as a treasury asset. XRP is a cryptocurrency used for fast, low-cost cross-border payments and is developed by Ripple Labs.

For observers, the key takeaway is Jeandesboz’s unique blend of experience in derivatives, portfolio design, and digital asset management. Evernorth is positioning this expertise at the center of its efforts to optimize and expand its institutional XRP treasury capabilities.

By recruiting a professional with a background in both traditional finance and digital asset management, Evernorth signals a commitment to sophisticated strategies for XRP treasury operations.

Evernorth is set to mark a major milestone in the public markets, with its leadership preparing to participate in the Nasdaq Closing Bell ceremony in New York. The event represents a new chapter for the company following its recent listing on the exchange under the ticker XRPN.

XRPN’s Nasdaq celebration draws attentionThe occasion has captured the interest of the broader XRP community, with crypto researcher BankXRP describing the event as significant for the XRP ecosystem. BankXRP highlighted the increasing presence of companies focused on XRP as they gain visibility within traditional financial markets.

The Nasdaq Closing Bell ceremony is scheduled for 4:00 PM ET on October 14 and will formally recognize Evernorth’s transition to public trading. The company recently completed its business combination with Armada Acquisition Corp. II, clearing the way for its listing earlier this week.

BankXRP underscored the event as a symbolic step for the XRP sector entering public markets, with the potential to increase recognition of XRP-centric business models among both retail and institutional investors.

Investor sentiment remains mixedCommunity reactions to Evernorth’s upcoming ceremony were varied. Yoda Jr remarked that having an XRP treasury company featured on a major exchange like Nasdaq showcases the progress digital asset firms have made, suggesting it offers a familiar onramp for traditional investors seeking exposure to the XRP sector.

By contrast, another commenter, Why You Mad, questioned the real impact of the bell-ringing event on the prices of XRPN or XRP, viewing the ceremony as largely symbolic rather than a direct catalyst for market movement.

Coin_Scoop encouraged investors to focus on Evernorth’s operational disclosures and financial reports, emphasizing that the long-term performance of the company will be reflected in its future updates rather than one-off celebrations.

Evernorth’s public debut with a major XRP treasuryEvernorth entered the public market holding approximately 473 million XRP and $300 million in gross cash proceeds. The company describes itself as the largest publicly traded pure-play XRP treasury. Unlike passive holding firms, Evernorth intends to actively manage its treasury, pursue opportunities involving decentralized finance, and leverage the XRP Ledger, with the aim of gradually increasing its XRP per share.

Evernorth also benefits from backing by established industry participants, including Ripple, SBI Group, Pantera Capital, Kraken, GSR, and Arrington Capital, strengthening its position in the digital asset space.

In a market where a single Fed decision or a sudden altcoin listing can change everything in seconds, the need for integrated portfolio management tools has grown. Smart traders are now utilizing privacy-first solutions like CryptoAppsy to bring together real-time charts, news, portfolio tracking, and macroeconomic data without the requirement of an account, allowing timely reactions to fast-moving developments.

Distinguishing XRPN from XRPWhile Evernorth’s stock listing has fueled discussion, it has also prompted clarification about the distinction between XRPN and XRP. XRPN represents equity in Evernorth, giving investors exposure to the company’s strategy, while XRP is the underlying digital asset managed by the company. The Closing Bell event is largely ceremonial and does not directly translate to increased demand for XRP in the market.

According to community analysts, the long-term outcome for both XRPN and XRP will depend on Evernorth’s treasury management, strategic execution, and public reporting as it navigates its new role as a public company.

Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.

Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.

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Ripple’s RLUSD mint activity is picking up pace, and the timing is no coincidence.

On-chain data from the Ripple Stablecoin Tracker shows that Ripple Treasury executed two back-to-back RLUSD mints on Ethereum totaling $38.6 million.

At the same time, three separate burns worth $50.6 million hit the XRP Ledger. The net result: a $12 million reduction in circulating RLUSD supply.

What the On-Chain Numbers Actually Tell Investors
The RLUSD mint split across two Ethereum transactions, one for 19.6 million tokens and another for 19 million.

Treasury mints like these typically follow real customer USD deposits. They are not a signal of free supply inflation. They represent freshly demanded liquidity.

This multi-chain treasury activity arrives just days after Standard Chartered launched institutional custody for RLUSD through its Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) branch.

A milestone that Standard Chartered Launches Custody for Ripple’s RLUSD Stablecoin marked as a watershed moment for enterprise adoption.

The Ethereum side gained $38.6 million in new RLUSD. The XRP Ledger lost $50.6 million across three burns of 13 million, 18 million, and 19.6 million.

Combined, that is a net $12 million drawn out of circulation. This points to active rebalancing, moving liquidity from XRPL to Ethereum, likely to meet DeFi demand or satisfy institutional counterparties who operate on Ethereum rails.

RLUSD holds a market capitalization near $2.42 billion as of this reporting. It has maintained its dollar peg throughout.

Earlier this year, RLUSD Hit a Fresh Market Cap ATH Near $2.5B While XRPL Stables Jumped 6%, underscoring how quickly the stablecoin has scaled since its 2024 launch under NYDFS regulation.

The cross-chain pattern is not new. Ripple Expanded RLUSD to Ethereum Layer-2 Networks and an XRPL Sidechain via Wormhole, giving it wider reach across DeFi ecosystems.

What changes now is that bank-grade custody is live, and that raises the strategic stakes of every treasury move.

💵💵💵💵💵💵💵 19,600,000 $RLUSD minted at RLUSD Treasury.https://t.co/GORFFengfn

— Ripple Stablecoin Tracker (@RL_Tracker) October 13, 2026

Standard Chartered Custody and the LMAX Collateral Play: Why It Changes the Game
Standard Chartered launched its RLUSD custody service on October 12, 2026. It operates through the bank’s DIFC branch in Dubai, regulated by the DFSA.

Jack McDonald, Ripple’s SVP of Stablecoins, put it plainly: “RLUSD was built for exactly this kind of institutional use case.”

What makes this more than a custody announcement is the planned LMAX collateral integration. Under the model, institutions keep their RLUSD with Standard Chartered.

The value is then mirrored to LMAX’s trading systems. Tokens never leave the custodian. That removes transfer-related counterparty risk, a real pain point for institutional desks trading digital assets at scale.

Luke Dorney, Head of Custody at LMAX Group, called RLUSD “an increasingly important component of institutional digital asset markets.”

The collateral integration is still pending final documentation, testing, and regulatory approval. But the direction is clear. Ripple has been building institutional rails aggressively.

Ripple Partnered With Privy to Expand XRPL Access for XRP and RLUSD Payments, opening RLUSD to agentic and AI-driven payment flows.

Separately, Ripple Rolled Out a New Mint Platform to Expand RLUSD Access for Institutions, giving qualified institutions a direct route to mint and redeem at scale.

Dubai is not an isolated bet either. Ripple Flagged Turkey as a Digital Assets Hub With Garanti BBVA Custody and RLUSD Rails, layering on further bank custody coverage across emerging markets.

Meanwhile, the XRP Ledger itself is growing as a settlement layer. X402 AI Payments on XRPL Topped 10 Million, a milestone that makes every unit of RLUSD liquidity on the ledger more strategically relevant.

On-chain yield demand is also rising. Doppler’s XRP Vault Hit $125M, putting yield-seeking capital firmly in the XRPL ecosystem.

And with BNY Mellon Eyeing 24/7 Tokenized U.S. Treasuries Settlement, RLUSD could soon serve as settlement infrastructure for tokenized traditional assets.

For investors, the read is straightforward. These are not pump signals. They are plumbing signals.

The mint-and-burn cycle is treasury management responding to real institutional demand. The custody launch is the infrastructure that makes that demand sustainable at scale.

Watch circulating supply trends, Standard Chartered and LMAX implementation updates, and further bank custody announcements for the next leg of this story.

US CPI Inflation LIVE Updates Today Oct. 14: Will Hot CPI Data Trigger Bitcoin, XRP, Crypto Selloff?

Ripple And XRP News Roundup: 5 Big Updates As XRP Recovers From $1.30

Stripe-owned Privy has partnered with Ripple to add XRP Ledger wallet support, covering XRP and RLUSD, with tools aimed at AI agent payments and developer controls.

Stripe-owned wallet infrastructure firm Privy is adding support for the XRP Ledger (XRPL), following a partnership with @Ripple. The integration lets app developers offer XRPL wallets that hold and send $XRP, $RLUSD and other assets on the network. Privy (@privy_io) announced the move on October 13.

Users are meant to keep control of their funds. That means a wallet created inside one app can be taken to others.

What developers get Privy said fintechs could also offer embedded wallets for stablecoin payments

Markus Infanger, senior vice president of RippleX, said , from payments and stablecoin services to agentic commerce.

AI agent payments and what comes nextPrivy is also targeting payments made by AI agents.

More features are planned. In practice, that would allow apps to set spending rules on wallets used by agents and pay fees on behalf of users.

The deal fits Stripe's wider push into crypto. and

For XRPL, the tie-up gives developers a ready-made wallet layer as the network courts stablecoin payments and automated, agent-driven commerce. Details on timing for policy controls and gas sponsorship have not been published.

Sources:

The Block: Ripple, Stripe-owned Privy partner to bring embedded wallets to XRP Ledger
Coingape: Ripple partners with Privy to expand XRPL access
Fintech Futures: Stripe continues crypto push with Privy acquisition

Altcoin News XRP

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Ahmed Barakat

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Ahmed Barakat

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Mar 2024

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Ahmed Barakat is a journalist and copywriter based in Georgia with a growing focus on blockchain technology, DeFi, AI, privacy, digital assets, and fintech innovation.

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Sep 2018

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XRP price climbed back above $1.35 while futures open interest fell sharply, a combination that could leave room for fresh leverage. The immediate test is whether price revisits $1.35 before attempting to clear resistance at $1.43-$1.46 and extend toward the $5s.

Our analyst flags $1.40 as the point of control for both the previous week and month, marking the price area with the most trading activity over those periods. The reclaim improves the short-term structure, but conditions are fragile. Falling XRP open interest can indicate that leverage has been cleared; it can also reflect traders closing positions, so it is not a standalone bullish signal.

The setup overlaps with a key support area identified in a separate XRP price prediction discussion, where traders are also watching the $1.38 region.

XRP Open Interest, CoinglassXRP’s move above $1.40 is primarily due to short sellers closing positions, rather than to a full short squeeze. It is a bullish structural development, but the short-term picture remains quite fragile. This gap matters: position closure can help lift price without showing that new spot demand has taken control.

Futures open interest fell while price held steady, potentially leaving room for new leveraged positions to enter. That is a possible source of fuel for a next move, not evidence that traders have already added risk in the direction of a breakout.

Funding rates are normal, with no sign of excessive bullish positioning. This reduces one obvious sign of crowded longs, but it does not rule out renewed selling or a further reduction in exposure. XRP price therefore turns less on the open-interest decline itself than on whether price can defend support and reclaim the resistance band.

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The $1.34-$1.46 Range Sets the Near-Term TestXRP rebounded strongly from $1.34 last week and, according to the analyst, has remained inside the same range for about a month and a half. Sunday’s rally also left potential price gaps near $1.39, $1.38 and $1.37. Our analyst expects those levels could be revisited before the token has a sustained chance to challenge the range’s upper end.

XRP USD, TradingViewA separate technical view provides additional context through $1.38 support and higher resistance zones. The separately verified level is $1.38 support. That broadens the context, but nearer decision points remain $1.36-$1.37 on the downside and $1.45 overhead.

The forecast is not for an immediate straight-line rally. Our analyst expects a relatively quiet week and is unsure that market conditions will support a fast move higher; a brief push up followed by a return to the gap area remains possible. The sequence matters: support first, resistance next, and only then a stronger case for higher prices.

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Is $5 XRP A Realistic Price Target?The XRP $5 target focuses on resistance through $1.46 and an upside area in the $1.50s after a possible dip and resistance reclaim.

For now, the technical setup is narrower: XRP recovered the $1.40 point of control, leverage has reportedly declined, and the analyst sees a possible retest before another attempt higher. The next useful confirmation is whether buyers defend $1.36-$1.37 and whether XRP can reclaim $1.45.

A move toward $5 remains conditional on a much larger advance beyond the immediate range.

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Ripple has partnered with Privy, a Stripe-owned wallet infrastructure provider, to bring embedded wallets to the XRP Ledger (XRPL). The integration will let developers add XRP, RLUSD, and other digital asset payments directly into their apps without requiring users to manage private keys themselves. 

The partnership also aims to support AI-powered payments and agentic commerce.

On October 13, Ripple confirmed the partnership on X, saying it will help developers add and manage XRPL wallets directly in their apps.

Privy’s tools will let developers create wallets, sign transactions, and support payments using XRP, Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, and other digital assets on the network. Users will also keep control of their wallets.

They can export their private keys and seed phrases if they want to move their funds to another wallet.

For fintech companies and payment providers, this could make it easier to add stablecoin payments and digital asset services to their applications. Developers will be able to build with XRP, Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, and other assets supported on XRPL.

Markus Infanger, SVP of RippleX at Ripple, said, 

“Privy brings proven wallet infrastructure that makes it easier for fintechs and developers to bring XRPL into real products, from payments and stablecoin experiences to emerging forms of agentic commerce.”

AI-Powered Payments Could Expand XRPL UseBeyond regular payments, the partnership will support agentic commerce, where AI agents can hold funds and make transactions through programmable wallets. The integration will also support x402 payments, a system used to enable payments between digital services.

This could allow developers to build applications where AI agents pay for services or complete transactions without requiring users to approve every step manually. 

The exact features available will depend on how developers implement the technology and the controls they put in place.

XRPL Reports 8 Million Funded AccountsThe partnership builds on XRPL’s existing payment activity. However, the network has more than 8 million funded accounts and has moved over $1 trillion in value.

The announcement also stated that XRPL has processed 13 million agent payments, which account for roughly 25% of network activity.

Privy co-founder and CEO Henri Stern said, “Stablecoins are changing how money moves, and XRPL has been building for payments from the start.”

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Ripple has just signed a major new partnership with Stripe-owned Privy. The goal is to integrate AI-driven payment and embedded wallet solutions into the XRP Ledger (XRPL).

Per Ripple's announcement, this integration lets developers build payment apps using XRP, Ripple USD (RLUSD), etc., without requiring users to manage private keys themselves.

It puts a big focus on the rising field of agentic commerce, so AI agents can autonomously own funds, transact, and pay for things.

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Using Privy's programmable wallet technology, app developers can easily build and manage wallets for XRPL, allow users to approve transactions, and even embed crypto payments into their apps. 

Big e-commerce playThis integration focuses a lot on the open payment protocol x402, which aims to simplify automated software-to-software transactions.

x402 allows AI agents to handle payments for digital goods like computational power, API access, AI model inference, etc., without requiring manual transaction approval.

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For instance, an AI agent could autonomously purchase a service (e.g., access to data), pay for it with XRP, RLUSD, etc., and then receive the data.

This could make XRP Ledger a key settlement network for machine-to-machine commerce.

13 million AI payments on XRP LedgerPer Ripple, XRPL has processed approximately 13 million payments from AI agents so far, which currently account for about 25% of XRPL activity.

RippleX engineering head J. Ayo Akinyele shared this update earlier in October. Automated transactions have been exploding: from approximately 1 million in July to approximately 13 million in October.

That said, it should be noted that these are not necessarily large payment amounts. Most machine-to-machine payments deal with relatively small amounts of crypto. 

This new partnership is part of Ripple's push to drive AI-powered commerce. They released an AI Starter Kit back in June, which allows developers to build autonomous payment apps using XRP, RLUSD, and the x402 protocol.

Privy will add more features (e.g., transaction policy controls and fee sponsorship) as this integration continues.

This partnership may make it easier for developers to add automated payments and could broaden the use cases of XRP Ledger well beyond crypto payments.

XRP’s share of the total cryptocurrency market fell from roughly 5% in July 2025 to about 3% by October 2026, as Ripple’s native token lost ground despite ongoing institutional developments.

XRP Valuation Suffers Steep DeclineXRP reached prices near $3.42 in July 2025, with around 59.2 billion tokens circulating at that time. By mid-October 2026, the price declined to $1.34 while the circulating supply expanded to 63.1 billion XRP.

The combined effect of lower prices and increased supply saw XRP’s market capitalization drop from approximately $202 billion to $85 billion. This change represents a $117 billion decrease, amounting to a reduction of around 58% in overall market value.

While market capitalization tracks the total valuation of a crypto asset, market dominance measures its share relative to the broader market. An asset can lose market share even if it gains value, particularly if other cryptocurrencies experience stronger growth in the same period.

Competition from assets such as BNB and major stablecoins continues to put pressure on XRP’s ranking, taking up more of the total digital asset market and contributing to the token’s declining market share.

XRP’s slide in market share demonstrates that sustaining both price and dominance can be challenging, especially as larger blockchain ecosystems and rival assets draw greater investor interest and liquidity.

Institutional Adoption Outpaces Native Token DemandRipple has advanced its institutional services, expanding in areas like cross-border payments and asset tokenization with several high-profile partnerships. In September, a major Brazilian infrastructure provider managing approximately $4 trillion in assets integrated the XRP Ledger to reflect investment fund ownership records.

The growing tokenization sector signals increased institutional interest in blockchain-based settlement and asset issuance, yet such developments have not fueled a comparable increase in demand for XRP itself.

XRPL documentation shows that standard transactions only require a minimum fee of 10 drops, or 0.00001 XRP. As a result, even major spikes in network activity can translate into minimal demand for the native token, explaining the disconnect between ecosystem progress and XRP price dynamics.

A further complication involves XRP’s circulating supply, which continues to climb as new tokens are released from escrow each month. However, these newly available tokens are not always immediately sold, as unused amounts may be relocked according to the network’s schedule.

Traders monitoring technical patterns and market behavior often look for indicators beyond simple price action to anticipate token trends. In the meme token sector, for instance, an internet trend can trigger considerable trading volumes in a matter of days. Data from Fomo App highlights a notable trade in which a $99 purchase of “Niu Lai” was transformed into roughly $370,000, underscoring the rapid shifts seen in this part of the market. To navigate this volatility, tracking both price levels and investor moves has become increasingly vital. Fomo App consolidates these features by combining token research, real-time trading, social feeds, and investor rankings on one platform, providing a single point of access for following meme token activity.

While Ripple’s institutional business continues to expand, actual transaction fees on the network remain low, meaning increased adoption does not always result in proportional XRP demand or price appreciation.

Crypto analyst Steph Is Crypto has called on XRP holders to closely inspect their hardware wallets after reports surfaced of a major theft involving Ledger devices. The advisory highlights a critical security issue: a hardware wallet should never arrive with a recovery phrase already written down or included in the packaging.

Hardware wallet security under scrutinySteph Is Crypto drew attention to the risk by referencing a warning from a former Goldman Sachs analyst, who cautioned that any wallet arriving with a pre-filled recovery or seed phrase presents a serious security vulnerability. A legitimate hardware wallet should generate the recovery phrase during the device’s initial setup, ensuring that only the user knows these crucial words.

Users should never accept a hardware wallet where the recovery phrase is provided in advance, as this greatly increases the risk of theft.

The warnings follow reports of losses linked to recent Ledger-related incidents that are estimated to total between $86 million and $90 million. Initial claims suggested the figure surpassed $90 billion, but upon review, available evidence supports a loss in the $86 million to $90 million range.

Risks with pre-filled recovery phrasesA recovery phrase serves as the access key for users to control their crypto accounts and assets. Best practices recommend that the user themselves generate the phrase during device setup, write it down privately, and store it in a secure location. Neither the manufacturer nor any party should pre-populate or supply this phrase to the customer alongside the device.

Attackers can exploit the process by intentionally preparing wallets with a known phrase and distributing them to unsuspecting buyers. Once the device is used and funded, the attacker has the information needed to access and empty those accounts at any time.

Hardware wallets produced by reputable companies generate a unique recovery phrase on first use and never ship with a phrase already provided. Users encountering a wallet with a pre-filled phrase are advised to consider the device compromised and to avoid depositing funds.

Mini dictionary: Ledger, a leading manufacturer of hardware wallets used for securely storing cryptocurrencies, is widely recognized for its devices such as the Ledger Nano S and Ledger Nano X, which enable users to manage digital assets offline.

Supply chain concerns with Southeast Asian resellerThe recent losses have been linked to a suspected supply chain compromise involving Ledger devices distributed by CryptoBilis, a reseller based in Southeast Asia. Reports suggest losses have already surpassed $86 million, with later estimates approaching $90 million.

Reported lossesInitial claimMain distributor involved$86 million to $90 million$90 billionCryptoBilisAvailable data significantly contradicts claims of $90 billion in stolen funds. The incident appears to specifically affect devices supplied through the mentioned distribution channel, and not all Ledger products have been implicated. Authorities are continuing to investigate how compromised devices reached end-users.

Steph Is Crypto emphasized the importance of verifying that a hardware wallet generates a recovery phrase on setup, as receiving one with a pre-written phrase greatly increases the potential for security breaches.

The incident has prompted renewed calls for hardware wallet users to exercise vigilance when purchasing devices and to immediately reject any hardware wallet arriving with a pre-filled recovery phrase.

Ripple's first partnership with a Korean securities firm extends its institutional footprint across Korea's banking, insurance and capital markets

Seoul, October, 14, 2026 - Ripple, the leading provider of blockchain solutions across traditional and digital finance, today announced a strategic partnership with Meritz Securities, one of Korea's leading securities firms. Together, the two companies will explore how to bring Ripple Custody and Ripple's tokenisation infrastructure into Korea's capital markets. Ripple Custody is a bank-grade digital asset custody platform built for regulated financial institutions. It supports the secure storage, transfer and settlement of digital assets.

For any financial institution dealing with digital assets, institutional-grade custody is essential. Building it from scratch is costly, complex and slow. Ripple's infrastructure gives institutions a proven route to market instead, with the security and control that regulated firms need. The two companies will start within the scope of Meritz's existing securities business and current regulation. They will then widen their cooperation in stages as Korea's digital asset framework develops.

Meritz Securities is currently exploring a range of digital asset-related business opportunities in preparation for the integration of digital assets into the regulated financial system, including spot ETFs, fractional investment and security tokens, trading platforms, and KRW-denominated stablecoins. The partnership with Ripple was formed as part of these broader efforts.

“Korea is one of the most dynamic digital asset markets in the world and its institutions are preparing to move from exploration to real-world utility,” said Fiona Murray, Managing Director, Asia Pacific at Ripple. “Ripple brings the full infrastructure stack across payments, custody and tokenization, backed by more than 85 licenses and a network spanning more than 60 markets globally. We’re excited to work with Meritz Securities, and we look forward to supporting more Korean institutions as the market grows.”

Byungha Kang, Managing Director of the Strategic Planning Unit, Meritz Securities said, "This partnership lays the foundation for combining Ripple's global digital asset infrastructure with our capital markets capabilities. As Korea's regulatory framework evolves, we will prepare safe and trusted digital asset financial services in stages."

Meritz is Ripple's fourth institutional partnership in Korea this year and its first with a securities firm. Kyobo Life Insurance is using Ripple Custody to pioneer Korea's first tokenized government bond settlement on blockchain. Kbank, Korea's first internet-only bank, is deploying digital asset wallet infrastructure through Ripple Custody. Jeonbuk Bank became the first Korean regional bank to adopt Ripple Payments for cross-border remittance. With Meritz, Ripple now works with Korean institutions across banking, insurance and capital markets, which reflects its long-term commitment to the country's institutional digital asset market.

AI agents are becoming a major source of XRP Ledger (XRPL) activity, with daily settlements above 600,000 and Heurist Inference Router leading tracked apps, per t54.ai data.

AI agents are emerging as a major driver of transaction activity on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), according to data from t54.ai. The figures point to growing use of the network for automated, machine-to-machine payments tied to $XRP and Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin.

Daily settlements top 600,000XRP Ledger's ripple:native recorded more than 600,000 daily settlements around the turn of September and October, with , based on the t54.ai data.

The dashboard is run by t54 and reflects what it specifically tracks. The numbers therefore describe activity routed through registered payment facilitators rather than the full ledger.

Heurist Inference Router leads the tracked applications.

What is driving the activityMuch of the activity runs on x402, a payment standard built around the HTTP 402 Payment Required status code.

Payment sizes are small. Developers cite the suitability of the ledger for this pattern.

Transaction counts alone do not show demand for the token, however. In September, CryptoSlate noted that

Even so, the data suggests XRPL is gaining a role as settlement infrastructure for software that pays for computing, data and other services without manual approval for each transaction.

Sources:

U.Today: AI Agents Emerge as Dominant Activity Driver on XRP LedgerCryptoSlate: AI agents are executing millions of micro-payments on XRP LedgerBitcoinist: XRP Ledger Gets AI Agent Payments Through Virtuals And t54

A renewed wave of speculation has emerged around a possible $33 price level for XRP, with recent social media discussion linking the figure to BlackRock’s potential involvement with the cryptocurrency. The claim, however, remains unverified and is rooted in research that does not represent an official price target by BlackRock.

Speculation grows over $33 XRP sell wallCrypto commentator XRPMoonWalk recently suggested on X (formerly Twitter) that large XRP holders, sometimes called whales, may be aware of plans by BlackRock and have positioned a sell order at the $33 price region. XRPMoonWalk questioned whether anyone could verify the presence of this supposed sell wall on Coinbase and implied that such activity could indicate insider knowledge.

So it seems like the whales know BlackRock is coming and that’s why they have a $33 sell wall for ripple:native. There is curiosity about whether such a sell wall still exists on Coinbase.

The post attributed the $33 valuation to research shared by macro analyst Pumpius, citing an earlier study whose authors included Robert Mitchnick and Stanford economist Susan Athey. The commentary quickly spread within the XRP community, triggering discussion about possible high price levels coinciding with institutional interest.

However, no evidence has yet surfaced to confirm the presence of a $33 sell wall on Coinbase or any other exchange. Sell walls are formed when a cluster of sell orders appears at a specific price, but orders can be changed or canceled at any time, and their existence does not inherently suggest privileged information about BlackRock.

Mini dictionary: BlackRock, one of the world’s largest asset management companies, manages trillions of dollars in funds and is active in the digital asset ecosystem through investments and product development.

Origin of the $32.91 valuationThe figure at the center of the debate comes from a 2018 academic paper, “A Fundamental Valuation Framework for Cryptoassets,” co-authored by Robert Mitchnick and Susan Athey. Their research explored various scenarios and calculated that, in an optimistic “success” scenario for XRP, it could reach between $6.37 and $32.91 per token, with the probability for this case estimated at 25%.

ScenarioValuation Range (per XRP)ProbabilitySuccess Case$6.37 – $32.9125%Failure Case$0.0075%The paper did not set $32.91 as a guaranteed price, nor did it indicate that the figure represented an investment target for BlackRock. At the time, Susan Athey also disclosed that she was a board member at Ripple Labs and owned equity in the company.

No official BlackRock involvement in the claimRobert Mitchnick later joined BlackRock, where he now leads its digital asset strategy. However, his current role does not retroactively make his earlier research an official position of BlackRock, nor does it translate academic scenarios into investment forecasts.

Recent viral posts have sometimes ignored key context from the original paper, such as the range’s lower bound and the probability assigned to each outcome. The current discussion also fails to clarify that the research predates any formal association between Mitchnick and BlackRock.

Mini dictionary: Ripple Labs is a technology company specializing in digital payment protocols. XRP is its associated cryptocurrency, used to facilitate cross-border transactions.

Lack of evidence for whale and institutional connectionsTo date, there is no data linking large XRP holders’ activity with any nonpublic plans by BlackRock or with the academic research behind the $33 figure. The possibility that whales are acting on insider information is not supported by verifiable facts.

The presence of high sell orders at a specific price alone does not confirm collaboration or shared knowledge among whales or institutions regarding BlackRock’s strategies.

Ongoing discussion remains speculative unless new evidence arrives to clarify whether substantial sell walls are being used in response to anticipated institutional action around $XRP.