VivoPower and Lean Ventures Launch $300M Ripple Share Vehicle

• VivoPower and Lean Ventures plan a dedicated vehicle targeting up to $300M in Ripple Labs shares.
• Ripple has approved an initial share purchase, with more acquisitions currently under discussion.
• The structure lets VivoPower earn fees without using its own balance sheet capital.

A new joint venture involving VivoPower and South Korea–based asset manager Lean Ventures is drawing attention to how institutional investors are seeking indirect exposure to Ripple and its ecosystem.

Under the agreement, the two firms plan to establish a dedicated investment vehicle targeting up to $300 million worth of Ripple Labs shares. VivoPower confirmed it has already received approval from Ripple to acquire an initial tranche of shares, with further purchases under negotiation.

Lean Ventures, a licensed asset manager in South Korea that manages funds for government-linked entities and institutional clients, will lead capital formation for the vehicle. According to the companies, interest has already been gauged among qualified South Korean investors.

South Korea has long been one of the most active XRP markets globally, both in trading volume and token ownership. The new vehicle is designed to channel that demand into Ripple equity rather than public market tokens alone.

How the Partnership Is Structured

VivoPower’s digital asset arm, Vivo Federation, will source Ripple Labs shares for the investment vehicle. Instead of committing its own capital, VivoPower will earn management and performance-related fees tied to the assets under management.

The company estimates potential fee-based returns of up to $75 million over a three-year period if the fund reaches its $300 million target. This setup allows VivoPower to benefit from any increase in Ripple’s valuation without adding balance-sheet risk.

Why Ripple Equity Matters Now

Interest in Ripple Labs shares has increased following greater regulatory clarity around XRP in the US. While XRP trades publicly, Ripple itself remains a private company, making direct equity exposure difficult for many investors.

This development follows another regulatory milestone for Ripple. The company has received conditional approval from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to establish Ripple National Trust Bank. 

The proposed trust bank will oversee reserves linked to Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, setting a high compliance benchmark for stablecoin operations in the US. The trust banks will be limited to custody and fiduciary services rather than traditional lending, helping bridge crypto infrastructure with regulated finance. 

Related: Ripple Payments Secures First European Bank Integration as AMINA Bank Goes Live