Starmer&#8217;s leadership faces uncertainty, with potential political shifts 
impacting UK governance and market confidence by 2026.
The post Keir Starmer under fire over Mandelson vetting, faces calls for 
resignation appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Keir Starmer under fire over Mandelson vetting, faces calls for resignation

Geopolitical tensions and rising oil prices heighten inflation concerns, 
reducing the likelihood of imminent Fed rate cuts.
The post US-Iran conflict, oil surge dampen Fed rate cut expectations appeared 
first on Crypto Briefing.

US-Iran conflict, oil surge dampen Fed rate cut expectations

As global payment systems face pressure to become faster, cheaper, and less 
dependent on legacy intermediaries, attention is returning to blockchain-based 
alternatives. While countries explore alternatives to traditional systems, 
digital assets are increasingly entering the conversation, and XRP is drawing 
attention. Recent reports around early testing in Russia have sparked fresh 
discussion about whether XRP could play a larger role in the future of 
international payments. Connections between Ripple&#8217;s technology and Russia 
have surfaced through a mix of central bank experimentation and academic 
research. SMQKE, a market commentator on X, has revealed that in 2018, the 
Bank of Russia conducted a test on the Ripple platform in its Novosibirsk 
innovation laboratory, evaluating its potential for cross-border settlements. 
This outcome suggests it could serve as the basis for such a system pending 
resolution of organizational, legal, and technical barriers. What Russia’s 
Early Tests Could Mean For XRP Adoption Beyond central bank trials, Ripple and 
XRP have also been highlighted in institutional circles. A report from 
JPMorgan Chase, reportedly shared exclusively with Mihail Turlakov at Sterbank 
of Russia, mentioned Ripple for its speed, low cost, and liquidity advantages. 
This positions it as a compelling digital asset for financial institutions at 
scale and a potential disruptor in global cross-border payments. Related 
Reading: How XRP Ledger Positions Itself At The Center Of Institutional 
Capital Flows Academic interest further reinforces this narrative. A 2020 
paper from Southern Federal University presented at the FETDE 2020 conference 
examined blockchain adoption in Russia, giving specific attention to XRP&#8217;s 
role as a bridge currency for payments. Meanwhile, the paper also referenced 
the spam protection tool on the Ripple network. Coverage from CoinDesk points 
to a deeper strategic shift at Ripple centered on vertical integration across 
the financial stack. BankXRP mentioned a series of 2025 acquisitions involving 
Hidden Road for prime brokerage with $3 trillion in annual clearing, GTreasury 
for treasury management with $13 trillion in payments volume, and Rail for 
stablecoin payments infrastructure. These moves create end-to-end control over 
custody, liquidity, and settlement. This enables Ripple to integrate its RLUSD 
stablecoin, which is designed to enable near-instant cross-border payments 
with fewer intermediaries than traditional correspondent banking systems. 
Furthermore, this approach positions Ripple as an institutional financial 
stack provider rather than just a payments or stablecoin company, as detailed 
in the CoinDesk Data report commissioned by Ripple. A New Institutional 
Execution Tool Arrives For XRP Coinbase is set to introduce a Trade at 
Settlement (TAS) feature for XRP futures on May 1, 2026, marking a major step 
forward for regulated institutional execution. Related Reading: A Collection 
Of Ripple Developments That Suggests XRP Is A Solid Buy BankXRP has also 
mentioned that this new TAS mechanism tool allows institutional participants 
to execute block trades at the official settlement price, rather than being 
exposed to unpredictable intraday volatility. Featured image from iStock, 
chart from Tradingview.com

Could Ripple XRP Power Cross-Border Payments? Russia’s Early Tests Suggest Potential

The avoidance of the Strait of Hormuz by shippers highlights escalating 
geopolitical tensions, impacting global trade routes and market stability.
The post Shippers avoid Strait of Hormuz after Iran seizes vessels appeared 
first on Crypto Briefing.

Shippers avoid Strait of Hormuz after Iran seizes vessels

The breach highlights ongoing geopolitical tensions, maintaining upward 
pressure on oil prices despite minor supply relief.
The post Iranian oil tankers breach US blockade, slight supply relief expected 
appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Cryptocurrency price in ILS