Enterprise crypto and fintech firm Ripple has raised a US$500 million strategic investment from TradFi Giants cementing its valuation north of $40 billion.
The round was notably led by affiliates of heavyweight traditional finance (TradFi) institutions, including Fortress Investment Group and Citadel Securities, alongside major crypto-native funds like Pantera Capital, Galaxy Digital, and Brevan Howard.
The investment, which follows a recent $1 billion tender offer at the same valuation, caps what Ripple describes as its "strongest year to date".
The infusion of capital from such prominent Wall Street players is being widely interpreted as a significant validation of the company's long-term strategy and the growing institutional acceptance of blockchain infrastructure.
"This investment reflects both Ripple's incredible momentum, and further validation of the market opportunity we're aggressively pursuing by some of the most trusted financial institutions in the world,” Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said.
Sceptic to investor
The participation of Citadel Securities is particularly significant. Its founder, Ken Griffin, has historically been one of the crypto industry's most prominent sceptics.
However, in a shifting macroeconomic landscape - with Griffin himself recently warning of a "debasement trade" as investors flee the dollar for assets like gold and Bitcoin - the investment signals a major strategic pivot.
It suggests that major TradFi players now view regulated, enterprise-grade blockchain infrastructure as a critical component of the future financial system.
The new capital is not just for show; it's intended to "deepen relationships with financial partners" and fuel an aggressive expansion strategy that has seen Ripple evolve far beyond its original payments-focused model.
Full-stack platform
In the last two years, Ripple has executed six acquisitions, including two valued at over $1 billion each, to build a comprehensive, end-to-end platform for institutional finance.
This strategy is anchored by its recent $1 billion acquisition of GTreasury, a global leader in corporate treasury management systems, and the $1.25 billion purchase of prime brokerage Hidden Road, which has since been rebranded as Ripple Prime.
These moves position Ripple to service the entire lifecycle of institutional capital.
The company’s own stablecoin, Ripple USD (RLUSD), which recently surpassed a $1 billion market cap, acts as the connective tissue.
According to the company, RLUSD is already being used as collateral within Ripple Prime and is being integrated into GTreasury's platform to help its Fortune 500 clients use stablecoins for treasury payments and to manage liquidity 24/7.
This integrated ecosystem - combining payments, prime brokerage, custody, and corporate treasury solutions - is what has attracted its new high-profile investors, solidifying Ripple's role as a definitive bridge between traditional finance and the digital asset economy.
