XRP Price Climbs 7% Amid Ripple's Strategic 2026 Vision
The price of XRP surged over 7% at the conclusion of Ripple's 2025 Swell event. CEO Brad Garlinghouse described it as "finishing strong" following a $500 million fundraising round at a $40 billion valuation, alongside partnerships with Mastercard and Gemini, and new offerings like prime brokerage.
Significant Announcements by Ripple CEO
In his final keynote at Swell, Garlinghouse discussed Ripple's future, highlighting 2026 trends and a focus on expanding crypto infrastructure for financial services. He emphasized the importance of crypto industry growth and regulation, including the Crypto Market Structure Bill, to boost institutional interest. The Clarity Act is anticipated to overhaul digital asset oversight.
Ripple plans to maintain its leadership in blockchain infrastructure, slowing its acquisition pace in 2026 after acquiring firms like Palisade this year. Notably, the company has no plans to launch a crypto exchange.
Ripple's IPO Strategy
Garlinghouse stated that despite a robust balance sheet, an IPO is not a current priority. While other crypto companies go public under the pro-crypto Trump administration, Ripple is focusing on diversifying into areas like crypto asset custody and corporate treasury management.
Ripple's recent $500 million funding round, which elevated its valuation to $40 billion, was backed by Fortress Investment, Citadel Securities, and others.
XRP Ecosystem and Market Trends
Garlinghouse highlighted the importance of trust, utility, and liquidity for XRP. Institutional interest is expected to rise following the Crypto Market Structure Bill and potential spot XRP ETFs. He predicted a price rally similar to Ethereum's post-ETF approval. Additionally, Ripple has applied for a national bank charter and a Federal Reserve Master Account through Standard Custody.
XRP's price jumped 7% in the last 24 hours, now trading at $2.35, with a trading range between $2.21 and $2.40. Despite a 44% drop in trading volume, CoinGlass data reveals increased activity in the derivatives market, with total XRP futures open interest rising 2% to $3.51 billion, reflecting bullish sentiment among traders.