Ripple is preparing to enter the stablecoin market, which is valued at $150 billion, with the launch of its own stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar. This move positions Ripple as a direct competitor to established players like Tether and Circle. Ripple, a prominent player in the cryptocurrency industry, is making this strategic shift due to challenges faced by its existing business model, which revolves around the XRP Ledger, On-Demand Liquidity, and RippleNet protocols for financial services. The price volatility of XRP has hindered its adoption in the enterprise sector. Ripple’s upcoming stablecoin aims to provide a stable and reliable option in the highly competitive stablecoin market dominated by Tether and Circle. Despite facing a potential $2 billion fine from the SEC, Ripple’s CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, remains optimistic about the company’s prospects in this sector. Ripple has a history of strong community support and noteworthy legal disputes, including its ongoing SEC lawsuit regarding the security status of XRP. While Ripple has formed partnerships with various companies, its financial services have not been widely adopted, and collaborations with key players like Santander and MoneyGram have not been fully realized. David Lighton, CEO of Diameter Pay, acknowledges Ripple’s technical strength but highlights a decline in marketing efforts. The launch of Ripple’s stablecoin aims to boost the usage of the XRP Ledger by drawing users to its ecosystem. Ripple President Monica Long emphasizes the XRP Ledger’s features, such as a decentralized exchange and automated market maker, which are designed to leverage XRP as a bridge currency. Introducing a credible stablecoin to the XRP Ledger is expected to promote increased adoption and development, thereby enhancing the overall ecosystem. Currently, Tether (USDT) leads the stablecoin market with a circulation of over $106 billion across various blockchains, followed by USD Coin (USDC) with a market cap of nearly $33 billion. David Lighton, CEO of Diameter Pay, who has previously collaborated with Ripple on an xRapid pilot (now known as Ripple ODL), points out that stablecoins hold great potential but face regulatory challenges. Ripple aims to dominate the $150 billion stablecoin market and strengthen XRP’s position by introducing its U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin. As of now, Tether USD is the dominant stablecoin with a market cap exceeding $100 billion. The current price of XRP is $0.5797, experiencing a 1.86% increase in the past day but a 6.61% decrease over the last week.
