Ripple’s current strikes are drawing new consideration after Western Union picked Solana for a USDPT rollout in 2026. In keeping with supporters of XRP, that headline misses a much bigger image: Ripple has been shopping for companies that contact a lot bigger swimming pools of cash.
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Western Union’s deal might steer over $100 billion in annual cross-border stream to Solana. However some say that sum is small in contrast with the pipelines Ripple is tying into.
Trillions Not Billions
Primarily based on studies, Ripple has added firms that already sit inside large fee and liquidity techniques. Hidden Street, a world prime brokerage, clears about $3 trillion a yr.
GTreasury offers treasury instruments that transfer trillions in funds throughout 160+ international locations. Rail handles roughly 10% of all stablecoin-based fee quantity worldwide.
These figures matter as a result of possession offers a special form of entry than a short-term partnership does.
a lot of you’ve requested for my ideas on the western union x solana announcement, so right here they’re.
TLDR: billions are cool, however trillions are cooler.
whereas western union handles billions of {dollars} annually, ripple is on its option to dealing with trillions of {dollars} annually.…
— Dom | EasyA (@dom_kwok) October 29, 2025
Market Remark And Skepticism
Market voices pushed again. Scott Melker questioned XRP’s present function after Western Union selected Solana, noting Western Union had examined the XRP Ledger for years.
That selection has prompted debate about whether or not XRP nonetheless issues for large world funds proper now. On the similar time, Ripple’s backers argue a deeper story exists past which chain a single firm picks for its stablecoin.
XRP As The Settlement Layer
In keeping with Dom Kwok, co-founder of EasyA, the correct lens is scale. He says the dialog mustn’t middle on offers price billions however on the trillions Ripple now touches by means of acquisitions.
Kwok and others recommend these firms may very well be steered to make use of the XRP Ledger for settlement over time. Ripple’s personal expertise and enterprise strikes are being framed because the plumbing that might let XRP settle giant, institutional flows.
Supporters Communicate Up
Flare CEO Hugo Philion has additionally downplayed the Western Union information, saying it doesn’t undercut Ripple’s technique. Primarily based on studies from neighborhood figures, some engineers and analysts now say XRP might shift from a bridge token to a spot individuals maintain worth.
There’ll come a time the place XRP and XRPL is simply the place you retain most of your wealth. That is named Treasury.
Trace trace.
— Vincent Van Code (@vincent_vancode) October 17, 2025
Vincent Van Code advised followers that “a time will come when XRP and the XRP Ledger are simply the place you retain most of your wealth,” a view which mirrors feedback by Ripple’s CTO David Schwartz about customers performing as their very own banks.
Possession Vs. Partnerships
When an organization owns a platform, it might probably select how that software grows. Experiences present acquisitions give Ripple a steadier function in funds and buying and selling companies than a single contract would. But possession doesn’t assure on the spot change. Transferring institutional flows onto a particular ledger is complicated and may take time.
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What This Means Going Ahead
For now, the controversy will observe two threads. One asks whether or not wins like Western Union’s Solana deal sign broader market choice. The opposite watches whether or not Ripple’s purchases translate into precise settlement quantity for XRP.
Numbers resembling $3 trillion, trillions throughout 160+ international locations, and 10% of stablecoin funds give weight to the second view. However adoption at scale isn’t automated, and observers can be in search of clear indicators that these trillions are actually shifting towards the XRP Ledger.
Featured picture from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView
