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Ripple Labs Inc., a San Francisco-based company that was one of the first to use blockchain for payments and digital asset infrastructure, has raised an incredible $500 million in new funding. This brings its value to $40 billion, putting it on par with established Wall Street firms.
The Fortress Investment Group and Citadel Securities led this round, which also included big names like Pantera Capital, Galaxy Digital, Brevan Howard, and Marshall Wace. This is one of the biggest investments in the digital asset industry for 2025. CEO Brad Garlinghouse said that the influx of funding was a strong vote of confidence in Ripple’s mission.
He stressed that the company was shifting its focus from cross-border remittances to a full range of blockchain-based financial services. It shows that the crypto market is maturing and that traditional finance is putting more and more money on the line for blockchain’s promise to change the world.
Details about the Funding Round
Some of the most picky people in finance have given their stamp of approval to the investment, which was disclosed on October 23, 2025. Fortress and Citadel led the round, showing that Ripple is appealing to people who aren’t into crypto as well.
These companies are known for their thorough due diligence and concentration on high-growth ideas.
Pantera and Galaxy are experienced blockchain investors who also know a lot about digital assets. Brevan Howard and Marshall Wace are hedge funds who contribute advanced market knowledge.
Ripple has raised money before, including $200 million in 2019, but this is the biggest amount since the company had to fight the SEC in court for XRP’s security status. That fight ended in 2023 with a partial win.
The $40 billion price tag takes into account Ripple’s $15 billion in annual payment volumes through RippleNet, as well as its growing role in tokenization and custody, which makes it a bridge between TradFi and DeFi.
Garlinghouse pointed out how well the two companies fit together: “This investment shows how far Ripple has come and confirms the market opportunity we’re going after.”
The money comes at a very important moment because Ripple’s XRP ledger conducts over 5 billion transactions a year, making it easy for banks and businesses all across the world to settle quickly and cheaply.
Plans for growth
Ripple will use the new money to branch out outside its main remittance business and into high-growth areas of digital banking. Some of the most important things are:
Stablecoin Development: Improving Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, which came out in 2024, so that it can compete with USDT and USDC by being issued more quickly and being used in more places.
Digital Asset Custody: Working with institutions like HSBC to create safe, institutional-grade storage solutions that are consistent with the law.
Prime Brokerage Services: They offer hedge funds and institutions the chance to borrow, lend, and trade in the $50 billion crypto prime market.
Corporate Treasury Management: Companies can use XRP and stablecoins to manage their cash flow better and lower the hazards of currency exchange while doing business across borders.
This change turns Ripple from a payments company into a full-stack infrastructure provider, similar to Coinbase’s business arm but with a blockchain-native edge. Garlinghouse sees RippleNet as the “internet of value,” where tokenized assets move easily, decreasing settlement times from days to seconds and expenses by 90%. Ripple wants to grow its 1,200+ institutional clients, which include Santander and American Express, into a $100 billion ecosystem by 2027. They have $500 million to work with.
Trust in Investors
The fact that Fortress and Citadel, two of Wall Street’s biggest companies with $60 billion and $65 billion in assets, are involved gives Ripple’s approach more credibility than ever before. They used to be careful with crypto, but now they see it as more than just a bet; it’s the building blocks of the future. “Ripple’s tech solves real problems in global finance,” said a source close to Fortress, pointing out that it helps lower $200 billion in annual remittance fees.
Dan Morehead of Pantera, who has been an outspoken supporter of Ripple since 2013, called the round “proof of blockchain’s maturity.” Mike Novogratz from Galaxy said the same thing: “Ripple is bridging the gap between fiat and crypto at scale.” This institutional buy-in might open up trillions of dollars in tokenized assets. Ripple’s XRP ledger already processes $30 billion in yearly volume for cross-border transactions.
The timing of the deal works well with regulatory tailwinds: The U.S. GENIUS Act, which passed in July 2025, made stablecoin rules clearer. The EU’s MiCA, on the other hand, helps interoperability across the Atlantic. For Ripple, the SEC’s decision means they can grow without any problems.
Market Context
Ripple’s value has gone risen from $10 billion in 2019 to $40 billion now. This is because the industry is doing so well: In 2025, the global blockchain market will be worth $20 billion, while RWAs will be worth $32 billion. Circle ($35B USDC cap) and Tether ($172B) are the biggest players in the stablecoin market, but Ripple stands out since it focuses on businesses and processes $15B a year. XRP is now the fourth largest cryptocurrency in the world, with a market worth of $178 billion and a price of $2.98.
There are still problems: There is a lot of volatility (XRP fell 12% in October when tariffs fell) and competition from Solana’s fast L2s, but Ripple has 1,200 clients, which gives it a moat. Garlinghouse said, “We’re not just making tech; we’re changing finance.”
Conclusion
Ripple’s $500 million fundraising at a $40 billion value, led by Fortress and Citadel, puts it in the same league as Wall Street. This will help stablecoins, custody, and treasury services grow. This proves that blockchain can be used as an infrastructure, which might free up billions of dollars in tokenized flows. Ripple’s shift from payments to full-stack finance gives it an edge as more institutions join, but volatility and competitors are still a threat. For crypto, this is a big deal: TradFi’s support speeds up adoption, pointing to ecosystems worth $100 billion by 2027.
