Blockchain payments firm Ripple announced on Wednesday that it has completed a $500 million strategic funding round led by Fortress Investment Group and Citadel Securities, bringing the company’s valuation to $40 billion.
Swell 2025: We have closed a $500 million strategic investment at a $40 billion valuation, led by Fortress Investment Group and Citadel Securities: https://t.co/orsBjdkWbE
→ $95B+ in total Ripple Payments payment volume
→ $1B+ $RLUSD stablecoin market cap
→ 6 strategic…— Ripple (@Ripple) November 5, 2025
In a parallel development, Mastercard revealed that it is collaborating with Gemini and Ripple to pilot credit card settlements using Ripple’s USD stablecoin (RLUSD) on the XRP Ledger , a move that could become one of the first regulated on-chain settlement models involving licensed U.S. banks.
Top Institutional Investors Join Ripple’s Funding Round
The latest round saw participation from some of the world’s leading investment firms, including Pantera Capital, Galaxy Digital, Brevan Howard, and Marshall Wace.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse described the funding as a “crowning moment” following the company’s long legal battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which ended earlier this year.
“Ripple began in 2012 as a cross-border payments company,” Garlinghouse said. “Today, we’ve evolved into a full-scale financial technology provider spanning custody, stablecoins, prime brokerage, and corporate treasury solutions , unlocking the institutional potential of digital assets like XRP.”
Ripple’s Expansion Through Acquisitions and Buybacks
Over the past year, Ripple has invested more than $4 billion in strategic acquisitions, including Hidden Road, GTreasury, and Palisade. The company also repurchased over 25% of its circulating shares, offering early investors an exit and enhancing shareholder liquidity.
Ripple’s focus is increasingly shifting toward institutional financial services.
Its flagship platform, Ripple Payments, has processed over $95 billion in total volume, supporting both XRP and the Ripple USD (RLUSD) stablecoin.
Following the integration of Hidden Road, Ripple’s prime brokerage arm , Ripple Prime , has seen its average daily trading volume triple and client collateral balances double, according to company data.
RLUSD Stablecoin Gains Momentum as Institutional Asset
Ripple’s USD-pegged stablecoin, RLUSD, has surpassed a $1 billion market capitalization since launch. The token emphasizes regulatory compliance, transparency, and institutional-grade usability, serving as a tool for settlements, collateralization, and treasury management.
In what could mark a major milestone for blockchain adoption in traditional finance, Mastercard’s partnership with Ripple and Gemini aims to pilot fiat credit card settlements on the XRP Ledger using RLUSD. If approved by regulators, the initiative would represent one of the first cases of regulated on-chain settlement between licensed U.S. banks, setting a precedent for the financial industry’s integration with blockchain technology.
Industry Significance
Ripple’s dual momentum , a $500 million capital raise and a pioneering stablecoin pilot with Mastercard , underscores its strategic pivot from retail-oriented payments to institutional financial infrastructure.
As Ripple solidifies its position in custody, liquidity, and blockchain-based settlement, analysts expect it to emerge as a cornerstone player in digital finance, bridging the gap between traditional banking and decentralized technology. This could affect the XRP price in the coming months.
