Visa, Mastercard, tech firms and banking institutions are all exploring ways of using blockchain technology for payments and settlement.

Visa expands stablecoin offerings amid rising competition from institutions

Subzero Labs is betting that its newly-funded network Rialo, with its native 
event triggers and Web2-like reactivity, can reverse developer exodus from 
crypto. If it works, the Pantera-backed network could rewrite the rules of 
blockchain usability. According to a press…

Subzero Labs’ Rialo rethinks app development with a Web2 approach to Web3

Amazon and Apple beat earnings expectations, but their shares fell on weak 
jobs data.

Dow Jones down 600 points as rate cuts odds surge on hiring slump

Ripple Labs Chief Technology Officer, David Schwartz, has offered rare and 
pointed clarity on what drives the XRP price value in the long term, despite 
the company’s recent spotlight on its new stablecoin, RLUSD. In a recent 
exchange with an XRP supporter on social media, Schwartz emphasized that the 
crypto continues to sit at the core of Ripple’s payment infrastructure, 
especially as the main bridge asset in cross-border transfers. XRP’s Role As A 
Bridge Asset Is Still Central While RLUSD plays a specific role, Schwartz 
reveals XRP’s utility in real financial use cases will ultimately boost its 
value. His comments reaffirm Ripple’s longstanding plan for the digital asset, 
relying on XRP for its proven liquidity and built-in role on the ledger as it 
explores other digital options. Related Reading: XRP Set To Explode? Analyst 
Sees $5 Surge Any Moment – Details In his response, Schwartz directly 
addressed growing speculation that the company may be shifting its attention 
away from XRP in favor of its new stablecoin, assuring that the digital asset 
remains Ripple’s cross-currency asset that allows for fast, low-cost currency 
exchanges. While Schwartz didn’t share exact data, he said he was confident 
that the token’s usage “dwarfs every other asset” in Ripple’s system. XRP 
links to how the XRP Ledger functions, so an increase in ledger activity is 
almost guaranteed to drive more demand for the crypto token, naturally lifting 
its price value as it becomes more essential in global financial workflows. 
Schwartz argued that as real-world adoption of the Ripple blockchain networks 
grows, so will demand for XRP. The embedded demand, as more businesses and 
developers build on XRPL, is what could be the core driver of XRP’s future 
price value. Ripple CTO: Stablecoins Support, XRP Sustains Some community 
members worried that Ripple’s new stablecoin RLUSD, launched in December 2024, 
could replace the crypto token, but Schwartz clarifies that the stablecoin and 
XRP serve different purposes. He said stablecoins like RLUSD are better suited 
for use cases that require a fixed value, such as when companies post 
collateral or need to enter and exit markets without dealing with large price 
swings. Related Reading: XRP Blows Cold: Price Crash To $2.15 Still Possible 
If Buyers Falter Volatility in crypto markets can be disruptive in these 
scenarios, and stablecoins avoid that issue by holding a steady price. 
However, Schwartz believes that for most other applications, especially those 
related to real finance and long-term holdings, digital assets like XRP are 
still the better choice. He noted that, unless highly risk-averse, most long- 
term users would likely prefer holding the top digital asset over cash because 
of their potential for upside and active role in blockchain ecosystems. The 
Ripple exec added that as more institutions turn to XRPL for financial use 
cases, XRP’s role in facilitating quick currency movement becomes more vital, 
particularly in volatile markets where stablecoins may not be ideal. Schwartz 
made a subtle but important distinction, saying XRP’s place on XRPL is 
privileged. With this, the crypto token is less likely to be replaced or 
worked around, providing a long-term advantage that many other tokens may not 
have. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView.com

Ripple Exec Reveals What Will Drive The XRP Price Value

Ethereum’s 10th anniversary celebration was marked by an uptick in 
institutional demand for Ether as an alternative treasury reserve asset, 
prompting Wall Street to look past Bitcoin.

Crypto treasuries top $100B for Ethereum’s 10th anniversary: Finance Redefined

Investors were left jaded as new U.S. employment data came in weaker than 
anticipated, with significant downward revisions to boot. Lackluster Jobs Data 
Sends Bitcoin and Wall Street into Red Territory A disappointing July jobs 
report with lower-than-expected employment numbers and drastic revisions of 
data from previous months plunged stock and crypto markets into a […]