There has been speculation that Ripple XRP could potentially drive the next bull run in the cryptocurrency market, due to its increasing adoption by financial institutions and its potential use cases in the financial industry.
Read on to find out what XRP is and what the future holds for it.
What is Ripple XRP?
Ripple XRP is a digital asset that is native to the Ripple payment protocol, which is a real-time gross settlement system, currency exchange, and remittance network. It is often used as a bridge currency in international transactions and has gained popularity among banks and financial institutions for its fast transaction times and low fees.
Ripple is providing global solutions in three key areas:
Cross-Border Payments
Sending and receiving money across borders has always been a headache, but not with Ripple. Ripple’s technology and global network allow organizations to make real-time global payments without the need to tie up capital in destination markets.
Its solutions enable companies to make remittances, small and medium-sized enterprise payments, disbursements, and treasury flows that are faster, more reliable, and more cost-effective for both the organization and its customers.
Crypto-Liquidity
As the adoption of cryptocurrency by businesses increases, it becomes important for these enterprises to be able to easily connect the traditional world of fiat currency with the new world of digital assets.
Ripple’s suite of products, including Liquidity Hub, offers businesses access to optimized cryptocurrency liquidity and a comprehensive network for making payouts in cryptocurrency. These tools can be used for a variety of purposes, such as powering cryptocurrency payments, managing cryptocurrency treasury operations, and more.
Central Bank Digital Currency
CBDCs have been a controversial topic right from the get-go. However, it is difficult to escape the debate of whether they are true cryptocurrencies or not. Besides that, it seems governments, and banks are warming up to them since they will still be in control – and Ripple is playing to their tune.
Ripple provides a comprehensive platform for creating, managing, and using central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). These solutions are built on a private ledger that is powered by the technology of the XRP Ledger, a blockchain system that has a track record of success, having processed over 70 million transactions in the past decade.
Ripple XRP Products
The Ripple payment protocol operates on a distributed network of servers, which work together to validate and record transactions on the Ripple ledger. When a user wants to send a payment, they specify the amount and the destination of the payment, and the servers on the network work to validate the transaction and record it on the ledger.
The following are products that Ripple uses to power the global solutions mentioned above:
xRapid
xRapid is a product of Ripple and provides a fast and low-cost method for financial institutions to transfer money internationally, using Ripple’s digital asset, XRP, as a bridge currency.
When a financial institution wants to transfer money internationally, it converts the money into XRP first. Then it transfers the XRP to the destination country, where it converts the digital asset back into the local currency.
Several financial institutions, including MercuryFX, Cuallix, and Catalyst Corporate Credit Union are using xRapif to facilitate international payments.
xCurrent
xCurrent is a financial settlement software belonging to Ripple and enables banks and financial institutions to process cross-border payments in real time. It also includes end-to-end tracking and confirmation of payments. It is built on the Interledger Protocol (ILP), an open protocol for facilitating payments across different ledgers and networks.
xCurrent includes a messaging platform that allows banks to exchange information about the payment, such as the transaction amount and currency, as well as any fees or exchange rates that may apply.
Several financial institutions around the world, including American Express, Santander, and Standard Chartered are already using xCurrent
xCurrent is a more efficient alternative to traditional methods of cross-border payment, such as wire transfers, which can be slower and more expensive.
xVia
xVia is a financial settlement tool that belongs to Ripple. It enables businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to send payments to other businesses or individuals using a standard interface.
It consists of a simple API that allows businesses to send payments to any country, using any form of currency, without the need to establish a direct connection with the recipient’s bank
Built on the Interledger Protocol (ILP), xVia allows businesses to send payments through a network of financial institutions and payment service providers. This uses the Ripple network to find the most efficient and cost-effective route for payment.
XRP Price Prediction
XRP has been in a downtrend since May 2021 when it peaked at around $1.96. This time also signalled the end of the bull market and the beginning of the bear winter. The extended bear market is scheduled to end sometime around mid-2024. However, signs of life will start appearing in the market towards the end of 2023 (possibly Q3).
XRP still has some downward movement to make. This is because BTC’s market dominance is high and will nosedive to $8,000 pulling the market with it. There is a strong support zone for $XRP at $0.10 and hence that would make a great entry point.
Conclusion
Ripple XRP is a huge company and difficult to exhaust it in a thousand words. It is important to note that the cryptocurrency market is highly volatile and predicting the performance of any specific asset is difficult. It is always important to do your own research and carefully consider the risks before making any investment decisions.
Vincent Munene is a freelance writer and a great blockchain enthusiast. Blockchain has changed his life in terms of financial freedom and in return, he likes to educate people and keep them up to date on everything blockchain. He is a Biochemist by profession and also loves to play the piano.
