Ripple and XRP: When Cryptocurrency Becomes the Backbone of International Payments

Ripple is no longer just a simple blockchain experiment; it is rapidly becoming the platform for modern banking infrastructure. Over 300 financial institutions are currently using RippleNet for cross-border payments, processing billions of transactions with remarkable efficiency. Reports confirm that in the second quarter of 2025, institutions purchased XRP worth over $7.1 billion, highlighting the increasing acceptance of this currency among banks and payment service providers. Why Are Banks Betting on Ripple Global organizations such as Santander, SBI Holdings, and PNC Bank have implemented the Ripple platform. Santander's "One Pay FX" application allows for near-instant global transfers, while SBI Remit leverages XRP's On-Demand Liquidity feature for money transfer transactions in Asia. These practical applications are no longer theoretical—they are direct, tightly regulated banking solutions used by millions of customers. This momentum is bolstered by regulatory clarity. The landmark agreement with the SEC has officially determined that XRP should not be classified as a security in the secondary market. This legal breakthrough has spurred the relisting of XRP on U.S. exchanges and ignited optimism about the prospects for XRP spot ETF funds. With legal barriers removed, banks and asset management companies now have a clear roadmap to integrate Ripple's solutions at scale. Ripple's expansion in the United States also carries similar significance. By applying for a banking license and access to the Federal Reserve's master account, Ripple is positioning itself not as an outsider fintech company, but as a regulated participant in the financial system. This ambition underscores why banks are increasingly collaborating with Ripple: they want cryptocurrency technology to scale within the framework of compliance. The banking adoption of XRP brings legitimacy to cryptocurrency, ensuring that regulatory frameworks accept digital assets rather than exclude them. This creates positive impacts: when institutions validate cryptocurrency, the demand from investors for smaller tokens often increases significantly.