- Ripple could capture up to 14% of SWIFT’s global payment volume within five years, according to Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse.
- XRP’s real-world utility as a bridge currency positions it to revolutionize cross-border transactions by offering faster, cheaper, and more efficient settlement.
Ripple CEO Makes Bold Prediction at XRP APEX 2025
At the XRP APEX 2025 event in Singapore, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse delivered a powerful message: XRP could capture up to 14% of SWIFT’s global cross-border payment volume within five years. His forecast signals a future where XRP evolves from a speculative token into a core building block of global financial infrastructure.
Garlinghouse told attendees, “Liquidity is owned by the banks. I think less about the messaging and more about liquidity. If you’re driving all the liquidity, it is good for XRP … so I’ll say five years, 14%.”
XRP Secret Weapon: Instant Liquidity, Not Just Messaging
While SWIFT has dominated cross-border payments through a network of over 11,000 institutions, it primarily handles messaging—not the actual movement of money. Ripple’s value proposition flips that model by combining both instructions and liquidity using XRP as a bridge currency.
By removing intermediaries, XRP enables faster, cheaper, and more efficient cross-border settlements. No need to park money in foreign accounts or rely on correspondent banking networks. Ripple’s model could drastically reduce friction and settlement time.
A Future Fueled by Institutional Adoption
Ripple’s ambitions align with the growing appetite among institutions for tokenized assets and blockchain-powered finance. The company is developing U.S. Treasury-backed financial products and exploring regulated stablecoin integrations—moves that could attract significant capital flows.
If Ripple can achieve the projected 14% market share, it would translate into hundreds of billions of dollars transacting through Ripple annually—driving utility, on-chain activity, and potentially stabilizing price growth.
Execution Is Key—Vision Alone Won’t Cut It
Despite the optimism, Garlinghouse emphasized that success requires more than just a bold vision. Banking partnerships, regulatory clarity, and large-scale adoption are critical. But his message was clear: XRP’s real-world use case is gaining traction, and the time to watch is now.
In Garlinghouse’s words, “Utility eats hype.” If Ripple delivers, SWIFT might soon have serious competition—and XRP could become a global financial mainstay.
