Ripple is accelerating its growth and expansion in the crypto space after successfully navigating its long-standing legal battle with the SEC. In the first four months of 2025, crypto-related acquisitions and public listings in the U.S. have surged to $8.2 billion across 88 deals, a remarkable threefold increase from the total in 2024. This shift marks the start of a new phase in the integration between traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi), with Ripple at the forefront.

Ripple’s strategic moves are shaping the future of finance, and its $1.25 billion acquisition of prime brokerage firm Hidden Road has garnered particular attention. Hidden Road processes an impressive $3 trillion annually for over 300 institutional clients. By integrating with Ripple’s XRP Ledger (XRPL), the company has drastically reduced settlement times from 24 hours to just 3–5 seconds, further enhancing the speed and efficiency of DeFi solutions for traditional financial institutions.

John Deaton, a well-known lawyer and XRP advocate, has called this acquisition “possibly the best example” of the convergence between TradFi and DeFi. Ripple’s integration of Hidden Road’s services with XRP Ledger now allows Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin to serve as collateral for institutional trades. This move creates a seamless bridge between the blockchain and traditional trading systems, making it easier for institutions to tap into the advantages of DeFi without sacrificing the security and reliability they expect from traditional financial services.

Ripple’s recent acquisition strategy doesn’t end with Hidden Road. The company also expanded its custody offerings with the acquisitions of Metaco and Standard Custody, introducing “Ripple Custody” to provide institutions with a full suite of services. These offerings range from payments and stablecoins to secure asset storage, which is increasingly becoming a necessity in today’s digital economy.

The push into custody is crucial for Ripple’s long-term strategy, as it positions the company to capitalize on the growing trend of tokenization. As traditional assets such as stocks, bonds, and real estate begin to be tokenized on blockchain networks, Ripple is preparing the infrastructure that financial institutions will need to manage and store these new digital assets. Deaton suggests that Ripple is positioning itself for the upcoming tokenization boom, with the global custody market projected to exceed $16 trillion by 2030.

Ripple’s rapid expansion into this space signals that the company is gearing up to offer the financial tools required to support this new phase of financial innovation. As the company moves forward, Ripple’s ability to combine the speed and efficiency of DeFi with the reach and infrastructure of TradFi could position it as a leader in the emerging tokenized economy.

Deaton also acknowledged Ripple’s CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, for the company’s accelerated progress following the resolution of its SEC lawsuit. Ripple, once bogged down by legal challenges, is now focused on execution, making strategic investments and partnerships that enhance its role in the crypto and traditional financial landscapes.

Ripple’s recent activities illustrate its intent to shape the future of finance and its potential to dominate both the DeFi and TradFi sectors. Through acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and its push into custody and tokenization, Ripple is actively positioning itself for the next phase of the digital economy. If these trends continue, Ripple could solidify its place as one of the most influential players in the evolving financial ecosystem.