Ripple Plans Major Shift to XRP Ledger for Payments and Lending

Ripple is exploring a major shift in its business model by moving its payments operations onto the XRP Ledger (XRPL). During the XRP Seoul 2026 event on 3rd October, Ripple President Monica Long revealed plans to expand a payment pilot program through the ledger’s decentralized exchange (DEX). The company also intends to link its payments business with lending infrastructure being developed on XRPL.

The lending aspect is particularly noteworthy. Ripple already has credit pilots underway, and the proposal involves using XRP in lending pools to fund payment customers. This would transform XRP from a mere transactional asset into a source of income for Ripple’s businesses.

Despite the ambitious plans, the market reaction has been subdued. At the time of writing, XRP was trading at $1.49, down 1.7% in 24 hours. The token has fluctuated between $1.47 and $1.55 over the past two weeks after peaking near $1.65 in late September. Technical indicators like the RSI and Chaikin Money Flow suggest a lack of strong buying or selling pressure. Derivatives data also showed open interest and funding rates remaining flat.

If Ripple successfully integrates XRP into its lending and payments ecosystem, it could significantly alter the token’s role and potentially its price. However, for now, traders appear unimpressed, as the mild market response indicates.