Ripple Chooses Custody, Payments, and RLUSD Over Market Hype in 2026 Blueprint ⋆ ZyCrypto

Ripple President Monica Long has outlined a clear, deliberate growth roadmap for 2026, centered on deepening infrastructure, accelerating enterprise adoption, and tighter integration across the digital asset stack.

Speaking on Ripple’s acquisition strategy, Long emphasized that recent and future deals are designed to accelerate the company’s core technology rather than chase market visibility.

Ripple is building what Long described as a full-stack crypto infrastructure that combines blockchain rails, stablecoins, and custody services.

Key acquisitions such as Palisade have strengthened Ripple’s multi-party computation custody capabilities. Moreover, the company aims to enhance institutional-grade payment and settlement tools by continuing to invest in its RLUSD stablecoin.

Beyond technology, Ripple is also acquiring businesses that use this infrastructure, such as GTreasury.

GTreasury serves more than 1,000 corporate clients that are exploring stablecoins as a faster, more efficient cross-border payment method. The company expects to drive real-world usage by integrating these corporates directly into Ripple’s ecosystem.

A similar strategy applies to Ripple Prime, which serves hundreds of hedge funds and focuses on improving collateral mobility through blockchain-based solutions.

Despite speculation, Long was clear that acquiring a centralized exchange is not part of Ripple’s plan. Exchanges are critical liquidity providers, but Ripple prefers to work alongside them rather than compete with them. The Ripple President noted growing momentum in decentralized exchanges, which aligns closely with the XRP Ledger’s technical strengths.

More broadly, Long highlighted an industry-wide transition toward full-stack virtualization, where major players integrate blockchain networks, stablecoins, custody, and on- and off-ramps under one roof.

These strategic priorities follow RLUSD’s continued expansion. The stablecoin recently surpassed a $1.33 billion market capitalization, supported by a $500 million funding round to scale its infrastructure and drive institutional adoption.

While competition is emerging in regions such as the Middle East, RLUSD’s regulatory positioning, reserve structure, and integrations with institutional products make it a pillar of Ripple’s vision for the year ahead.