Ripple Prime clients will have access to dozens of cryptocurrencies.
Customers can engage in OTC spot transactions, Ripple said.
Hidden Road was a multi-asset prime brokerage.
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-linked fintech Ripple began letting U.S. customers access spot trading for dozens of cryptocurrencies through its Ripple Prime service, the company
in a blog post on Monday.
The addition of digital asset spot prime brokerage capabilities follows Ripple’s acquisition of Hidden Road, a multi-asset prime brokerage earlier this year. Ripple
that it was purchasing the platform for $1.25 billion in April.
In Monday's announcement, Ripple said that Prime clients could access “dozens of the most prominent digital assets,” including XRP and Ripple’s RLUSD
in December. The assets had market caps of $142 billion and $1 billion, respectively, on Monday, according to crypto data provider
Although Ripple’s business has focused on XRP’s ecosystem for years, the move likely makes
accessible to the firm’s customers. In a statement, Ripple Prime International CEO Michael Higgins said the service dovetails with Prime’s other offerings.
“The launch of OTC spot execution capabilities complements our existing suite of OTC and cleared derivatives services in digital assets and positions us to provide U.S. institutions with a comprehensive offering to suit their trading strategies and needs,” he said.
has reached out to Ripple for clarification and comment.
Through Ripple’s prime brokerage, institutions can access foreign-exchange trading, as well as precious metals, in addition to synthetic assets and over-the-counter swaps. Ripple’s prime brokerage also allows customers to borrow money to trade derivatives and crypto on margin.
In April, Ripple CEO Brand Garlinghouse
on X that prime brokers like Hidden Road “have proven themselves a
trusted intermediary for the largest hedge funds, market makers, OTC desks, quant traders,” noting that Ripple had been a customer for years.
Garlinghouse said that Hidden Road, under its new owners, would use XRP Ledger for clearing a portion of trades. However, he highlighted Hidden Road’s ability to promote RLUSD’s adoption as a form of collateral across different types of markets and trading strategies.
As Ripple adapts to a more supportive regulatory environment, the company has gone on a spending spree. Last month, Garlinghouse
that Ripple has unveiled “5 major acquisitions" in around two years, covering areas like custody and
corporate treasury management
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