Ripple Completes Hidden Road Acquisition, Launches Ripple Prime

Ripple has officially announced the completion of its acquisition of non-bank prime broker Hidden Road, now rebranded as Ripple Prime. This marks a pivotal moment for Ripple, representing one of its most significant deals to date and a substantial expansion of its operational footprint beyond the digital assets sector.

Expanding Financial Services

Ripple now stands as the first crypto company to own and operate a multi-asset prime broker. Ripple Prime offers a comprehensive suite of services, encompassing clearing, financing, and brokerage across digital assets, derivatives, swaps, foreign exchange, and fixed-income products tailored for institutional clients.

Ripple Prime's Rapid Growth

Since the initial announcement of the $1.25 billion acquisition in early April, Ripple Prime has experienced remarkable growth, with business activity tripling. The company anticipates further expansion fueled by both new and existing clientele.

Bridging TradFi and Digital Assets

Ripple is at the forefront of bridging the gap between traditional finance (TradFi) and the digital asset space. The company integrates blockchain technology and crypto products to empower banks in conducting cross-border transactions and other financial operations.

Blockchain Integration Plans

Ripple intends to integrate blockchain capabilities into Ripple Prime, aiming to streamline operations and optimize costs. The Ripple USD (RLUSD) stablecoin is expected to play a crucial role in this transition, with certain derivatives customers already opting to hold balances in RLUSD. The stablecoin also serves as collateral for various prime brokerage products.

Acquisition Spree

The acquisition of Hidden Road follows a series of strategic moves by Ripple. Recent acquisitions include treasury management system provider GTreasury and stablecoin-powered payment platform Rail. These deals build upon the acquisitions of Standard Custody in June 2024 and Metaco in June 2023, representing six strategic acquisitions in 28 months as part of Ripple’s broader strategy to offer blockchain and crypto solutions to institutions.