Global payments are on the brink of a major shake-up as Ripple announces its $200 million acquisition of Rail, a stablecoin-powered payments platform. Revealed today in San Francisco and Toronto, this high-stakes deal signals Ripple’s push to dominate the stablecoin transaction.
According to the announcement, Ripple is acquiring Rail to deliver the market’s most comprehensive stablecoin payments solution. This move comes as demand for stablecoin-based flows grows across global corridors.
With the acquisition, Ripple’s existing infrastructure will add Rail’s virtual accounts and automated back-office systems to its payment network.
A Strategic Push into Stablecoin Payments
With over 60 licenses across the globe, Ripple Payments is one of the most vast digital asset networks. It further smoothens global payout and instant liquidity.
Now that Rail has entered the scene, Ripple has options that can bring more efficiency to its payment operations, including virtual accounts, APIs that never go down, and treasury flow support.
The integrated platform allows businesses to process payments using RLUSD, XRP, and various other digital currencies. This means customers can easily send or receive USD-backed stablecoins without needing to keep crypto on their balance sheets.
Additionally, businesses avoid the trouble of opening crypto-specific bank accounts or wallets, which helps reduce operational risks and makes it easier to get started.
Regulatory Tailwinds and Market Opportunity
The announcement is just a few weeks after U.S. President Trump signed a new law. The law sets up a regulatory framework for stablecoins. As a result, stablecoins may be a more common way to make payments.
Besides this Rail acquisition, Ripple also struck a $1.25 billion deal in April to acquire prime broker Hidden Road. These moves support Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, which has reached a $611 million market cap, according to CoinGecko. In comparison, Tether dominates the space with over $164 billion.
