"Ripple on a path to global power – What the potential acquisitions of Hidden Road and Circle mean.
Ripple on a path to global power – What the potential acquisitions of Hidden Road and Circle really mean
In the crypto world, there are many headlines. But if Ripple, the issuer of XRP, suddenly considers acquiring companies like Hidden Road and Circle (USDC) – then more is happening here than just expansion.
This is about control. About strategy. About a new global financial order.
In an interview with CNBC on December 9, 2024, in Abu Dhabi, Eric Trump, son of US President Donald Trump, criticized the traditional banking system. He called it 'outdated,' 'slow,' and 'inefficient' and emphasized that blockchain technology could perform all the functions of modern banks better, faster, and more cost-effectively. As an example, he mentioned the lengthy mortgage process in the US, which can take up to 90 days, while blockchain solutions could significantly speed up such processes. Trump stressed that 'there is nothing in blockchain that could not be done better, faster, significantly cheaper, and without paperwork.'
Moreover, he warned that the US risks falling behind in global competition if it does not proactively invest in regulating and promoting cryptocurrencies. He expressed hope that the United States could take a leading role in the crypto industry and serve as a model for other nations. His statements underscore the growing importance of blockchain technologies and cryptocurrencies in the global financial landscape and the need to modernize existing systems.
But back to Ripple. What do these steps really mean? Let's dive deep.
1. Ripple + Hidden Road – the secret infrastructure takeover
What is Hidden Road?
Hidden Road is not a name that the average trader knows – and that makes it so powerful.
This is a so-called prime brokerage platform. It allows institutions, such as hedge funds, banks, and large investors, to trade directly with billions of dollars in the markets.
What Ripple would gain from this:
Direct access to huge trading volumes
Own clearing platform, independent of centralized exchanges
Control over liquidity, loans, margin trading – everything professionals need
If Ripple buys Hidden Road, it can become the exclusive access point for institutional investors in the crypto market. Just as Goldman Sachs is for Wall Street – Ripple will be that for crypto.
2. Ripple + Circle (USDC) – An attack on the US dollar itself?
What is Circle?
Circle is the company behind the stablecoin USDC. This coin is directly pegged to the US dollar and fully regulated – also recognized by US authorities.
With a market volume of about 28 billion USD, USDC is one of the most important digital currencies in the world.
What Ripple would gain from this:#
Control over the second-largest digital USD
Influence on stablecoin regulation in the USA
Integration of USDC into RippleNet and On-Demand Liquidity (ODL)
3. The big picture – Ripple is building a new financial system
Imagine Ripple owns the dollar in digital form. This means Ripple is not only a bridge between currencies but also the issuer of the dominant world currency in the blockchain.
If Ripple acquires both Hidden Road and Circle (USDC), it creates a picture that goes far beyond the role of a crypto company. Ripple would no longer just act as the issuer of XRP but become a complete global financial player – comparable to a mix of SWIFT, Goldman Sachs, and Visa, only on a blockchain basis.
Ripple would then have full control over the payment rails, as it replaces the classic SWIFT system for cross-border transactions with RippleNet. Through the private XRP ledger, it can even host CBDCs (central bank digital currencies) – many countries are already testing this. Additionally, XRP itself serves as a bridge currency, allowing payments to be settled quickly and without costly intermediaries.
By acquiring Hidden Road, Ripple would gain direct access to institutional liquidity, margin trading, and prime brokerage – this is the elite infrastructure of the capital market. And if Circle comes on board, Ripple controls USDC, one of the most important digital dollars worldwide, which is already being used intensively in the global economy.
In total, Ripple is building a complete financial system:
Transactions run over RippleNet
Liquidity flows through Hidden Road and XRP
Stablecoin transactions via USDC (Circle)
Future-proof currency models through the private ledger
Ripple thus becomes a central clearing house of the global financial world – but on a new, digital level. That is what makes this development so significant.
4. Why this would be the game changer
With this setup, Ripple controls:
The payment rails (network)
The currency (USDC + XRP)
The liquidity (Hidden Road + XRP)
The regulation (through compliance structures)
If banks, states, and institutions join this system, then there will be no need for SWIFT, no Visa, no interbank systems – everything will run over Ripple's infrastructure.
5. What does this mean for XRP investors?
If Ripple controls all parts, XRP will become the central bridge currency. This means:
Sustained demand from banks and payment providers
Scarcity, because XRP has a limited supply (100 billion, of which ~50% is in circulation)
Value increase, because XRP is needed to enable transactions worldwide
This leads me to price targets of: (no financial advice)
10–50 USD in the short term if ODL & RippleNet are globally adopted
100–500 USD in the medium term, with institutional dominance
4- to 5-digit prices in the long term if XRP becomes the price anchor for global liquidity
Conclusion: Ripple does not think in coins – they think in infrastructure.
These potential acquisitions show: Ripple is not building a crypto project. They are building a new financial system – from the ground up. And you recognize it now before it becomes mainstream.
What do you think about this shopping spree by Ripple?
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