Ripple Prime launches perpetual swaps covering more than 100 traditional financial markets, including equities, ETFs, commodities, and foreign exchange.
Institutional clients can use RLUSD as collateral, while Virtu is among the first firms trading the products.
XRP trades near $1.34, with analysts watching $1.32 support and a potential recovery toward $1.80.
Ripple is expanding its institutional trading operations beyond cryptocurrency, allowing professional investors to access more than 100 traditional financial markets using its RLUSD stablecoin as collateral.
Announced on Oct. 15, the new Ripple Prime offering introduces real-world asset (RWA) perpetual swaps covering equities, stock indexes, exchange-traded funds, metals, energy and foreign exchange.
2026 is the year of RWA perps, and today, @Ripple Prime is enabling institutional clients to trade and settle RWA swaps against over 100 reference markets, cross-margined against other asset classes 24/7.
Single counterparty relationship, centralized risk management and…
The contracts trade and settle around the clock, including weekends, potentially allowing institutions to adjust their market exposure when conventional exchanges are closed.
The development also represents a broader shift in Ripple’s business strategy, as the company expands beyond XRP-focused services into prime brokerage, stablecoin collateral and derivatives infrastructure.
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Ripple Prime Brings 100+ Traditional Markets to Hyperliquid Infrastructure
The new products reference perpetual futures listed on Hyperliquid, a decentralized derivatives platform, by Trade. xyz.
However, institutional customers do not trade directly with Hyperliquid through this arrangement.
Instead, Ripple Prime acts as the principal counterparty, offering swaps linked to the prices of those underlying perpetual futures.
This matters because the products do not represent ownership of stocks, commodities or other traditional assets. Investors receive exposure to derivatives rather than to the underlying securities.
US market maker Virtu is among the institutions already using the service.
Scotte Moegling, Virtu’s head of business development for digital assets, said the arrangement would help the firm expand across emerging liquidity pools as markets move toward continuous trading.
Ripple Prime also offers cross-margining, allowing institutions to manage collateral requirements across different asset classes within one brokerage relationship.
The service currently operates through Ripple Prime’s CIV BVI license, with Ripple planning additional regional expansion. The CIV BVI license refers to Ripple Prime’s regulatory authorization in the British Virgin Islands, under which it offers institutional derivatives services.
This means the new RWA perpetual swaps are not automatically available to US investors; access is subject to applicable jurisdictional restrictions and regulatory requirements.
Why Ripple Is Putting RLUSD at the Center of Institutional Trading
The launch builds on Ripple’s $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road, which established the foundation for Ripple Prime.
While XRP remains associated with Ripple’s blockchain ecosystem, the new products demonstrate how RLUSD could serve a different financial purpose.
Institutional traders can post the dollar-pegged stablecoin as collateral for derivatives positions, potentially reducing the need to move conventional currencies between trading venues.
Ripple Prime already supports several asset classes, including digital assets, foreign exchange, fixed income, and derivatives.
Combining these services with RLUSD gives Ripple an opportunity to integrate its stablecoin into institutional trading workflows.
However, greater RLUSD adoption does not necessarily create direct demand for XRP.
The announcement does not indicate that clients must purchase XRP to trade the new swaps, nor does it establish that their transactions will settle on the XRP Ledger.
There are also risks. Perpetual swaps can involve leverage, funding costs, and liquidation exposure, while around-the-clock trading may introduce price differences when traditional reference markets are closed.
XRP Price Prediction: Can Ripple’s Expansion Push XRP Toward $1.80?
Despite Ripple’s institutional expansion, XRP continues to face resistance amid broader cryptocurrency market uncertainty.
XRP was trading near $1.34 on Oct. 15, with technical analysts identifying $1.32 as an important support level.
Reportedly, XRP recovered from a nearly 6% decline as buyers defended the $1.32 support level.
XRP price chart as of Oct. 16 | Source: CoinMarketCap
Crypto analyst Levi, known as Crypto Crusaders on X, suggested that XRP could be positioning for a strong recovery as buyers defend the $1.33 support zone.
According to the analyst, a sustained move above the $1.40 to $1.4334 resistance range could strengthen bullish momentum and open the door to $1.50.
However, the outlook remains conditional on XRP maintaining its current support and overcoming nearby selling pressure.
ripple:native IS READY FOR A POWERFUL COMEBACK!
XRP is holding the $1.33 support zone, where buyers could spark a strong recovery. Reclaiming $1.40–$1.4334 could open the door to $1.50!
The bearish scenario is equally important. Losing $1.32 could expose XRP to further weakness toward $1.28, particularly if selling pressure persists across the cryptocurrency market.
Ripple Prime’s expansion may improve perceptions of Ripple’s institutional business, but XRP’s price performance will still depend heavily on market liquidity, investor demand and broader risk sentiment.
For now, the launch provides evidence of Ripple’s growing role in traditional financial markets, rather than a direct guarantee of higher XRP prices.
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as, financial advice. We do not make any warranties regarding the completeness, reliability, or accuracy of this information. All investments involve risk, and past performance does not guarantee future results. We recommend consulting a financial advisor before making any investment decisions.
Dr. Guneet Kaur is a senior editor at CCN.com and a Science Fellow at Exponential Science. She is a fintech and blockchain expert with extensive experience in digital finance education, blockchain ecosystems, and cryptocurrency markets. She has worked with global media such as Cointelegraph, as well as education and blockchain platforms, to design and lead strategic content and learning initiatives. As an educator and assessor for top-tier executive programs, she bridges real-world fintech trends with academic insight.
Dr. Kaur is also a published researcher and peer reviewer across fintech and data science journals, including Financial Innovation Journal and International Journal of Big Data Intelligence and Applications. Her work spans data-driven analysis, Web3 innovation, and technical content development. With a strong foundation in both industry and academia, she translates complex financial technologies into practical applications, empowering learners, professionals, and institutions across the rapidly evolving digital finance landscape.
