Ripple to Integrate XRP Ledger for Payments and Lending

Ripple is considering a major shift in its business model by moving customer transaction volume directly onto the XRP Ledger (XRPL). During the XRP Seoul 2026 event on October 3rd, Ripple President Monica Long announced plans to expand a payment pilot program running through the ledger’s decentralized exchange (DEX). The company also aims to link its payments business with the lending infrastructure being built on XRPL.

The lending aspect is particularly significant. Ripple already has credit pilots in place, and the proposal involves using XRP in lending pools to fund payment customers. This would transform XRP from a mere transactional token into a revenue-generating asset for Ripple’s business.

Despite the potential implications, the market has shown little reaction. 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 reaching a high of $1.65 in late September. Technical indicators like the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and Chaikin Money Flow suggest a neutral stance, with neither strong buying nor selling pressure.

On the derivatives side, open interest remains flat at around $1.45 billion, and funding rates are back to a mild 0.0079%. If Ripple successfully integrates XRP as loan capital for payment businesses, it could significantly alter the token’s role and potentially its price.