Ripple CTO: Bitcoin’s Ultimate Power Lies in Being a Global Settlement Network—Not Just Digital Cash

Forget peer-to-peer payments—Bitcoin's killer app might be hiding in plain sight. Ripple's chief technology officer drops a bombshell perspective that could reshape how institutions view the OG cryptocurrency.

The settlement layer thesis: Why Wall Street might finally care

When legacy finance wakes up to Bitcoin's potential for cross-border finality—without the 3-day ACH delays or correspondent banking spaghetti—those 'digital gold' maximalists might need to update their pitch decks. The real value isn't in buying coffee, but in moving billions at light speed.

Infrastructure play trumps currency narrative

While retail traders obsess over price swings, the smart money's eyeing Bitcoin's untouched potential as the TCP/IP of value transfer. No middlemen. No banker hours. Just cryptographic certainty that even the Fed can't front-run.

Of course, traditional finance will first dismiss it—then try to copy it with some permissioned blockchain knockoff that 'complies with regulations.' Some things never change.

Secure Settlement Backbone

Schwartz pointed out that proof‑of‑work mining makes the top crypto uniquely resistant to attacks. It’s simple in design but tough to break. Investors and institutions value that certainty.

Even with block times around 10 minutes and fees that can climb during busy periods, the network’s security remains unmatched. Bitcoin may not match more programmable chains, but it has never suffered a major protocol failure.

Layer‑Two Growth And Off‑Chain Use

Based on reports, most BTC transactions today don’t hit the main chain directly. The Lightning Network handles micro‑payments. Other protocols like RSK bring smart‑contract features while still anchoring to BTC’s security.

The set of actual real-world problems being solved by cryptocurrencies today is really small. But I think the hope for bitcoin is that its solid layer one and early start will secure it a position as a currency of choice in an evolving digital asset ecosystem even if the vast…

— David ‘JoelKatz’ Schwartz (@JoelKatz) July 14, 2025

That kind of trend shows that Bitcoin’s Core role can thrive even if most activity moves off‑chain. Bridges and sidechains have tapped into its value without clogging the base layer.

Schwartz likened Bitcoin’s broader reach to XRP being used on an EVM‑compatible sidechain. It doesn’t take place on the original ledger. Yet it still taps into the same currency utility.

He suggested BTC will remain a “currency of choice” in a growing digital asset system. That status holds even if competing networks offer flashier functions. Users will always have the option to fall back on the crypto asset’s proven rails.

The CTO noted that real‑world problems solved by crypto remain limited in scope. Many new blockchains boast lower fees or faster speeds. Still, none match Bitcoin’s history of continuous operation.

Companies and developers often choose to lock value in BTC before moving it elsewhere. That gives them peace of mind when scaling other services. It’s a practical trade‑off between pure security and extra features.

Bitcoin surged past $123,000 on Monday, pushing its market cap to about $2.4 trillion. That puts it ahead of Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and NVIDIA. Only gold ranks higher among all assets.

Some analysts see that milestone as proof that BTC’s rock‑solid base remains in demand. Others warn that price swings could still test investor nerves. But Bitcoin’s top‑six ranking by market cap speaks for itself.

Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView