Ripple CTO: XRP to Complement Bitcoin and Modernize Global Payments
On Nov. 21, 2025 Ripple’s CTO argued that XRP is being positioned as a neutral settlement asset for the global financial system, intended to complement Bitcoin’s role as a store of value rather than replace it. The CTO framed XRP as a tool to modernize cross-border rails by reducing settlement times, lowering liquidity requirements and enabling faster finality for institutions and payment providers.
The statement matters because it underscores Ripple’s push to win institutional trust and interoperability with existing systems: a neutral, low-friction settlement layer could ease reliance on nostro/vostro balances and lower costs for international transfers. Wider acceptance will hinge on regulatory clarity and integration with banks and central bank platforms, but Ripple’s message signals a clear strategy to carve a distinct role for XRP in the evolving payments stack.