Ripple, a leading fintech firm recognized for its blockchain innovations, has broadened its footprint in the U.S. by introducing a Digital Asset Spot Prime Brokerage. This new service allows institutional clients in the U.S. to conduct over-the-counter (OTC) spot trades in major digital currencies, such as
XRP
and RLUSD, Ripple’s stablecoin, as reported by a
Morningstar report
. The offering is part of Ripple Prime—a newly branded unit following the acquisition of Hidden Road—that merges foreign exchange, derivatives, and digital asset services into a unified platform, according to a
ValueTheMarkets report
.
By incorporating XRP and RLUSD into its brokerage platform, Ripple aims to boost liquidity for digital asset trades and connect traditional finance with the crypto sector, as outlined in a
CryptoBriefing article
. Michael Higgins, International CEO of Ripple Prime, highlighted that this new product enhances their existing OTC and cleared derivatives offerings, giving institutional clients a robust toolkit for their trading needs. Clients are now able to cross-margin OTC spot trades with other digital asset positions, including swaps and CME futures, making portfolio management more efficient.
Ripple’s purchase of Hidden Road in October 2025 was a significant milestone in its transformation from a payments company to a comprehensive multi-asset financial infrastructure provider, as detailed in a
ZyCrypto analysis
. The revamped Ripple Prime now delivers clearing, financing, and trading across foreign exchange, derivatives, fixed income, and digital assets. This acquisition has also enabled RLUSD to be used as collateral for derivatives, reflecting increased institutional trust in the stablecoin.
This launch highlights Ripple’s ambition to lead in institutional digital asset services. Leveraging the XRP Ledger and RLUSD, Ripple is working to establish itself as a key player in global liquidity and settlement. A
WebProNews report
mentioned that RLUSD’s market capitalization has exceeded $898 million. The stablecoin’s dual-chain design improves interoperability, giving institutions access to instant cross-border payments and DeFi networks.
Industry experts observe that Ripple’s growth mirrors the wider trend of institutional crypto adoption. Despite this, Ripple faces competition from other stablecoins like
USDT
and
USDC
, but its strong compliance and integration with RippleNet provide advantages in the cross-border payments sector. At the same time, some investors are turning their attention from XRP to new altcoins such as
Bittensor
(TAO) and Remittix (RTX), signaling a broader interest in high-potential tokens with practical applications, as noted in a
LiveBitcoinNews piece
.
Ripple’s momentum in the fourth quarter includes plans to release 1 billion XRP from escrow on November 1, as part of its regular liquidity management. While experts predict little effect on price, this move underscores Ripple’s ongoing strategy to balance token supply with institutional demand.