Major institutional investment in Ripple and a new academic analysis are reinforcing the view that XRP remains central to the company’s payments strategy. Reports indicate that Wall Street investors committed roughly $500 million to Ripple in 2025, while a paper published in the Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research series argues Ripple is structurally unlikely to abandon XRP.
Academic Study: Ripple’s Network Depends on XRP
The paper contends that Ripple Payments (formerly RippleNet) relies on XRP as a bridge asset to move value across borders with lower costs and faster settlement than legacy systems. According to the analysis, XRP’s role helps mitigate double-spend risk and streamlines processes that are typically delayed in traditional correspondent banking.
The study also notes that major financial institutions, including Bank of America and Santander, are among entities connected to or piloting Ripple’s network. That institutional footprint, it argues, would make any abrupt shift away from XRP operationally complex. The research gained wider attention after being highlighted by XRP community researcher SMQKE on March 13, 2026.
Risks and Competitive Pressures Remain
While emphasizing XRP’s embedded role, the paper does not present the asset as untouchable. It cites tightening regulation and rival payment technologies as meaningful risks that could influence how Ripple evolves. Even so, the study’s central conclusion is that XRP and Ripple are likely to remain closely linked for the foreseeable future given current network design and adoption.
Beyond Payments: CBDC Interoperability
Ripple has explored positioning XRP as a neutral intermediary for central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), aiming to connect disparate national digital currencies without relying on traditional financial intermediaries. Public statements from company leadership have consistently framed XRP as core to Ripple’s long-term vision, suggesting the asset is not a legacy product slated for retirement.
Stablecoin RLUSD Launches Alongside XRP
Ripple’s introduction of its RLUSD stablecoin has prompted speculation about XRP’s future role. Company executives maintain RLUSD is intended to complement, not replace, XRP within the ecosystem. The academic paper echoes that view, describing XRP as integral to network security and overall efficiency. Whether that balance shifts as stablecoins gain broader traction across payments remains an open question.