BlackRock, Mastercard, and Franklin Templeton are actively exploring the XRP Ledger as infrastructure for payments, tokenization, and stablecoin settlement, a senior Ripple executive has confirmed.
Institutional Interest Grows
Ripple ecosystem leader Odelia Torteman said the three firms view the network as more than a venue for XRP (XRP) trading. She described it as a decentralized system where the token acts as a bridge asset across payments and multi-asset transfers.
The network features an automated market maker, a built-in decentralized exchange, and trust lines designed for know-your-customer compliance.
Last November, Mastercard joined Gemini and Ripple to pilot RLUSD stablecoin settlement for card payments on the ledger, in what the firms called a first for US-regulated banks using a public blockchain for card transactions.
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Tokenization Push Expands
Separately, Ripple worked with Securitize to let investors in BlackRock's BUIDL fund and VanEck's VBILL fund convert holdings into RLUSD, enabling round-the-clock liquidity through smart contracts.
A parallel deal with Franklin Templeton and DBS Bank last September paired tokenized money market funds with RLUSD for lending and trading.
XRP has gained nearly 10% over the past week, briefly breaking above $1.50 before settling near $1.42, its strongest run since September 2025. The rally follows $55 million in XRP ETF inflows and fresh utility deals with Rakuten and Kyobo Life.
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