In Major Ripple News, the Company Has Acquired Hidden Road for $1.25 Billion

In major Ripple news, the company has acquired Hidden Road for $1.25 billion, impacting both crypto and traditional finance sectors.

Major news is hitting the crypto sector as Ripple has acquired Hidden Road for $1.25 billion. This deal, which is set to be completed by Q3 2025, will be paid for using a mix of cash, Ripple equity, and XRP tokens.

The use of a crypto-native token alongside conventional assets is a unique aspect of the merger, which pivots Ripple towards handling core liquidity functions within the institutional crypto space. Last year, Hidden Road processed $3 trillion in transfers, highlighting the vast scale of operations that Ripple will be integrating.

Coin Bureau CEO Nic Puckrin has reacted to the news, highlighting the shift from niche innovation to a serious institutional force in crypto. He points out that usually, crypto firms get acquired by traditional companies, but this time, the acquirer is a crypto company, showcasing a change in industry dynamics.

Puckrin adds that the U.S. regulatory climate has become more favorable for crypto, leading to a surge in institutional crypto adoption. In response, crypto-native companies like Ripple are pushing for IPOs and seeking deeper integration into the market.

This merger might seem to violate the decentralized nature of crypto, but Puckrin believes it's crucial for broader adoption. He anticipates two parallel paths: a decentralized retail-driven market focused on innovation and an institutional ecosystem concentrated on compliance and infrastructure.

Ripple's move clearly targets the latter path, using regulation as a bridge to achieve mainstream legitimacy.

The acquisition of Ripple marks a calculated move into the core operational structure of institutional finance. While traditionally handling cross-border payments, the company is now pivoting toward enabling financial operations like post-trade settlement.

Hidden Road's infrastructure gives Ripple quicker access to a space that has been largely dominated by large Wall Street firms. While some might think Ripple is aiming to rival these banks, Puckrin suggests more fundamental goals are likely, focused on institutional crypto integration.

Instead of aiming for displacement, Ripple may be seeking to build the essential infrastructure that giants like JPMorgan can utilize. This perspective shifts the narrative from competition to collaboration, a factor that could be crucial for the long-term success of the crypto industry in the institutional domain.

The deal's unique payment structure could also increase the Ripple price and signal long-term faith in the ecosystem. Using the token as part of the financing displays trust in XRP and showcases its practical utility as a financial instrument.

Puckrin highlights this move as a key example of a company using a "strategic treasury asset," which could influence future mergers if other projects become similarly trustworthy.

This approach could be especially interesting to follow, as it ties into the broader discussion of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and community-driven projects in the crypto space.

If a project's token is used as a form of payment or investment in a large-scale merger, it could signify a deep level of faith in that project's future and potential.

However, this scenario also raises questions about the consolidation of power in a few big companies and the possibility of reducing the competitive landscape within the crypto industry.

The use of XRP also ties into the broader narrative of the token's price and the overall legitimacy of the Ripple blockchain.

The inclusion of XRP in the financing agreement could be seen as an attempt to boost the token's price and increase its value over time.

This move could be especially relevant given recent reports of a lawsuit by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against Ripple, which focused on the sale of XRP.

The use of the token in a major merger like this could be a step towards increasing XRP's acceptance and integration within traditional financial institutions.

The crypto industry is buzzing about Ripple's massive $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road, the first time a crypto company is owning and operating a global, multi-asset prime broker.

This deal, set to close in Q3 2025, will be paid for using a mix of cash, Ripple equity, and XRP tokens, a unique combination of conventional and crypto-native assets.

The acquisition pivots Ripple towards handling core liquidity functions in the institutional crypto space. Last year, Hidden Road processed $3 trillion in transfers, highlighting the vast scale of operations that Ripple will be integrating.

Coin Bureau CEO Nic Puckrin has reacted to the news, highlighting the shift from niche innovation to a serious institutional force in crypto. Usually, crypto firms get acquired by traditional companies, but this time, the acquirer is a crypto company, which speaks volumes about the industry's evolution.

"This is a huge moment for crypto as we're seeing the industry's best-known projects get acquired by large traditional companies," Puckrin said.

"But this time, the acquirer is a crypto company. We're also seeing a new generation of U.S. institutional investors and hedge funds enter the space in response to a more favorable regulatory climate, leading to a surge