Ripple CTO Drops Bombshell: XRPL Upgrades Set to Revolutionize Global Payments

Ripple's Chief Technology Officer just lit the fuse on what could be the payments industry's next seismic shift. The XRP Ledger—long the sleeping giant of blockchain infrastructure—is prepping upgrades that'll make SWIFT look like dial-up.

Game-Changer for Cross-Border Flows

Insiders whisper these enhancements will slash settlement times to sub-3 seconds while handling Visa-level throughput. No more '3-5 business days' hand-waving from legacy banks—just real-time value movement that actually justifies those transaction fees.

The Fine Print (Because There Always Is)

While the tech specs promise earth-shaking potential, adoption hurdles remain. Regulatory gray zones and institutional inertia could slow rollout—but when has that ever stopped crypto? As one hedge fund manager quipped: 'Finally, an upgrade that might make my altbag worth more than a Starbucks gift card.'

TLDR

• Ripple CTO David Schwartz said XRPL is ready to power the future of global financial infrastructure.
• He noted that more payments and stablecoin companies are launching their own blockchains.
• Schwartz explained that XRPL’s trust, liquidity, and developer base set it apart from newer chains.
• He stated that XRPL is public and permissionless, but also supports optional permissioned features for regulated use.
• Schwartz highlighted XRPL’s low and predictable fees and the use of XRP for payments and as a bridge asset.

Ripple CTO David Schwartz underscored the XRP Ledger’s readiness to serve as a backbone for global finance. He commented on the growing number of payments and stablecoin firms launching their own blockchains. He stressed that XRPL’s established trust, liquidity, and developer base position it strongly in the evolving market.

Ripple CTO Highlights Industry Shift

Ripple CTO noted that more companies now see blockchain as core to financial infrastructure. He said Ripple embraced this vision over 13 years ago and has been building toward it on XRPL. He emphasized that launching a blockchain is difficult, but creating an ecosystem is even more challenging.

We’ve been seeing more and more players in the payments and stablecoins space launch their own blockchains. To me, that’s a clear sign the market sees blockchain as Core financial infrastructure — something we’ve believed in and have been building toward on the XRP Ledger for…

— David 'JoelKatz' Schwartz (@JoelKatz) August 13, 2025

He explained that XRPL’s success comes from years of consistent updates and institutional adoption. According to him, this history fosters reliability and developer confidence. He remarked that few new chains can match XRPL’s maturity.

Schwartz observed that some blockchains use permissioned validators, concentrating control with a few entities. This structure aids compliance but limits global reach, he said. He contrasted this with XRPL’s public, permissionless design.

XRPL’s Structural Advantages

The Ripple CTO stressed that XRPL’s permissionless nature offers resilience and inclusivity. Yet, it also includes optional permissioned features for regulated environments. He noted that this flexibility supports a broad range of financial use cases.

He highlighted XRPL’s low, predictable fees as a competitive edge. Users pay in XRP, which also functions as a bridge asset for cross-border payments. Unlike many other blockchains, XRPL does not require a separate gas token.

Schwartz also pointed out that XRPL provides deterministic finality for transactions. He said its Proof-of-Authority consensus model ensures reliable settlement, which, he argued, aligns with the growing industry adoption of predictable settlement mechanisms.

Future Vision for XRP Ledger

The Ripple CTO expressed Optimism about XRPL’s next innovation phase. He expects upgrades to improve programmability and liquidity. Additionally, he foresees compliance-grade capabilities appealing to institutional participants.

He welcomed the arrival of new blockchain developers in the space.

“We’re happy to see more people at the party,” he said.

He believes the crypto industry’s expansion benefits the overall ecosystem.

Schwartz concluded that XRPL’s history, design, and adaptability make it fit for powering future global financial systems. He affirmed that Ripple will continue refining it for broader adoption. He stated that the network is well-positioned for the next wave of blockchain-driven finance.