On February 11, 2026, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse announced that 2026 would emphasize integration of 2025 acquisitions rather than new large-scale M&A, though he left the door open for deals in the second half of the year, per The Block. Speaking at an online XRP Community Day event, Garlinghouse stated, “It’s definitely gonna be a year of more integration. I don’t think you should expect any other big acquisitions,” but added, “You never know, the second half of the year we’ll start maybe looking to be more acquisitive again.” This measured approach follows Ripple’s aggressive $4 billion investment in the crypto ecosystem last year, including the $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road (rebranded Ripple Prime) and $1 billion for GTreasury (rebranded Ripple Treasury).
Ripple’s 2025 spending spree transformed acquired platforms to serve the XRP Ledger, with Ripple Prime focusing on institutional brokerage and Ripple Treasury on treasury management, per. Garlinghouse emphasized, “XRP is the North Star for Ripple,” underscoring that initiatives in payments, custody, and RLUSD stablecoin are designed to drive utility, trust, and liquidity for XRP, per. At $1.37 with an $83 billion market cap, XRP ranks third among cryptocurrencies, reflecting strong community and institutional interest, per The Block’s price data. X posts from @XRP_Productions celebrate XRP’s central role, with Ripple’s strategy enhancing cross-border payments efficiency.
The pivot to integration reflects Ripple’s maturation post-SEC victory, allowing focus on operational synergies rather than expansion. Hidden Road cleared $3 trillion annually pre-acquisition, serving 300+ institutional clients, while GTreasury provided risk management and FX tools, now aligned with XRP Ledger, per. This contrasts with Tether’s dominance in stablecoins, but positions Ripple as a leader in enterprise blockchain, per. Regulatory clarity from the GENIUS Act andthe SEC’s non-security rulings supports XRP growth, though global compliance remains key, per Coinlaw.io.
Looking ahead, Garlinghouse’s openness to late-2026 deals could target DeFi or RWA synergies, potentially pushing XRP toward $2–$3 if adoption accelerates, per Techopedia. Investors should monitor Ripple’s integration milestones and XRP Ledger volume via XRPL.org. Dollar-cost averaging into XRP with stop-losses below $1.20, or diversifying into USDC or ETH, hedges volatility, per TradingView. Follow @TheBlock__ on X for updates. Ripple’s XRP-centric strategy positions it for sustained growth in 2026, balancing caution with opportunity.
