Nations Will Have No Choice But to Adopt XRP, Former Ripple CTO Declares

The old guard of international finance is about to get a blockchain-shaped wake-up call.

Former Ripple CTO David Schwartz has thrown down the gauntlet, arguing that sovereign adoption of the XRP Ledger isn't a matter of 'if' but 'when.' The technology's ability to settle cross-border payments in seconds—not days—and at a fraction of traditional cost creates an economic imperative too strong for forward-thinking nations to ignore.

Why Governments Are Backed Into a Corner

It's about competitive pressure. When one country slashes the time and cost of its import/export settlements by leveraging XRP, its neighbors face a stark choice: modernize or get left behind. The ledger isn't asking for permission; it's demonstrating a superior utility that makes legacy systems look like bureaucratic relics. This isn't speculation—it's basic game theory applied to national balance sheets.

The Inevitability Factor

Schwartz's argument cuts through the usual crypto hype. He points to the existing, live use cases by financial institutions as the proving ground. This isn't vaporware. The infrastructure is battle-tested, scalable, and already bypassing the correspondent banking network that adds layers of friction and fees. For treasury departments watching remittance corridors, the math becomes undeniable.

A quiet revolution is brewing in the back offices of central banks—one that might finally do what decades of G20 meetings couldn't: force real efficiency into a system still partly running on fax-era logic and, let's be honest, the sheer inertia of collecting those sweet, sweet transaction fees.

Why XRP Adoption by Banks and Nations Will Succeed Globally

Geopolitical Necessity Drives the Push for Adoption

The question of who is adopting XRP centers around nations that are, at the time of writing, increasingly reluctant to settle trade in currencies controlled by their competitors. Schwartz spearheaded various major discussions explaining this dynamic clearly during an industry conversation, and he addressed the fundamental reasons why XRP adoption will succeed where other solutions have failed.

David Schwartz stated:

“Nobody but the EU wants the EU to replace the dollar. Nobody but Russia wants the ruble to replace the dollar; nobody but China wants the yuan to replace the dollar. So maybe they WOULD rather have a currency that nobody can control than a currency that is controlled by their most powerful political rival.”

Why would nations adopt $XRP as a reserve asset?

Because nobody wants to settle in their rival's currency.$XRP is neutral ground. Borderless. Politically untouchable.

Schwartz saw it. The world is catching up.

The thesis is playing out.pic.twitter.com/GsAcAiy1g2 https://t.co/0ppEsopTgR

This statement forms the foundation for understanding XRP adoption patterns right now, and also at the time of writing. Countries understand they will likely never issue the world’s reserve currency themselves, which has accelerated numerous significant strategic shifts making an uncontrolled digital asset strategically appealing. The neutrality factor cannot be overstated here, and it’s what separates XRP from national currencies that carry geopolitical baggage, such as political sanctions and trade pressures. Schwartz’s XRP vision has engineered several key principles centered on this exact idea—creating settlement infrastructure that serves everyone without favoring anyone.

Settlement Infrastructure Over Consumer Currency

XRP adoption by banks does not require the asset to become a dominant consumer currency right now, which is an important distinction. Its role has transformed multiple essential settlement processes between institutions, particularly in areas where dollar-based structures have traditionally governed transactions. The XRP framework coming from Schwartz emphasizes that private holders benefiting from neutral settlement infrastructure does not concern governments who are, at the time of writing, focused on strategic outcomes and also risk reduction.

Governments are actively discussing XRP adoption by nations right now as they seek assets that reduce their geopolitical exposure, and this has Leveraged certain critical developments. The distinction between replacing the dollar outright and challenging the systems built around it matters significantly here, and also XRP fits the latter category by operating independently of state control. This is also why XRP adoption will succeed through practical necessity rather than just market speculation or hype cycles.

At the time of writing, questions about who is adopting XRP have expanded across numerous significant areas, extending beyond individual institutions to entire sovereign nations that are reassessing their settlement frameworks. The asset cannot be weaponized through sanctions or political pressure, and this characteristic has catalyzed various major strategic advantages carrying real value in international finance right now.