Ripple has been quietly building an extensive financial infrastructure through a series of acquisitions, and some market experts say the blockchain company is now moving faster than traditional big banks.
Expert Alan Staple said in a recent discussion that Ripple’s acquisitions of companies such as Hidden Road (now rebranded as Ripple Prime) and a platform focused on finance and payments marked a turning point in the company’s positioning.
He specifically called the Hidden Road acquisition a “warning shot,” pointing to the company’s high annual trading volume and role in the institutional market.
From Cryptocurrency Company to Complete Financial Platform
Staple said Ripple no longer acts like a narrow cryptocurrency company. Rather, he described it as building the foundation for a full-fledged financial institution.
He said Ripple has already secured key parts of the financial system, including intermediation services, payments infrastructure, stablecoin rails, and initial positioning in exchange-traded fund (ETF) products.
He added that so far only a small number of digital assets have access to the ETF market, and they benefit from regulatory clarity and investor access.
Comparison with JP Morgan
Staples argued that this pace of execution has allowed Ripple to stay ahead of traditional financial institutions like JPMorgan Chase, especially in terms of technology and speed.
He said that while traditional banks face structural limitations that make it difficult to adapt quickly, Ripple has been able to build a modern system specifically designed for global, real-time money transfers.
“JPMorgan is currently behind them in that race,” Staples said, referring to the race to modernize financial infrastructure.
What IPO means
Staples also said that Ripple’s potential initial public offering could generate strong interest from investors if it materializes this year. He described Ripple as a company focused on the future of financial technology rather than short-term trends.
Although Ripple has not confirmed its IPO schedule, the discussions indicate increased market focus on how large crypto companies evolve into broader financial players.
Staple added that investors who claim to have deep knowledge of the crypto sector but ignore Ripple’s role may be missing an important part of where global finance is heading.
