Ripple has partnered with Cross River Bank to integrate its RLUSD stablecoin into the bank’s core banking system, allowing businesses to make dollar transfers, cross-border payments and round-the-clock settlements through a single connection.
The agreement will connect RLUSD, which runs on the XRP Ledger, with Cross River’s existing payment services. Fintech companies will be able to access stablecoin transfers alongside traditional options such as ACH, wire transfers and real-time payments through one application programming interface (API).
Cross River announced the partnership on October 15, saying the integration would let businesses use blockchain-based payments without building their own blockchain infrastructure.
Cross River connects RLUSD with existing payment services
Cross River will add RLUSD to its proprietary Core Operating System, allowing fintech customers to move between U.S. dollars and the stablecoin through the bank’s existing infrastructure.
The integration is designed to give businesses more flexibility when sending payments, settling transactions and managing funds across different time zones. Unlike traditional banking services that may operate within standard business hours, XRP Ledger transactions can take place around the clock.
Cross River expects the new service to help reduce settlement delays, particularly for international transfers and treasury operations.
Adam Goller, the bank’s head of fintech banking, said businesses should not have to rely on several providers to move money internationally. He explained that the agreement builds on the bank’s existing stablecoin capabilities and brings digital dollar transfers together with conventional payment services.
According to the announcement, XRP Ledger transactions generally settle within three to five seconds and cost fractions of a cent. The ledger has processed more than $1.3 trillion in cumulative settlement value, according to the companies.
However, Cross River noted that its services are currently available only in a limited number of U.S. states.
RippleX senior vice president Markus Infanger said the partnership would help bring stablecoins into the banking infrastructure businesses already use. The goal is to make international transfers and payments outside standard banking hours easier for fintech companies.
RLUSD market capitalization passes $2.5 billion
The partnership comes as Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin continues to expand. The companies reported that its market capitalization had exceeded $2.5 billion, with more than $1 billion issued on the XRP Ledger.
RLUSD is designed to maintain a value of one U.S. dollar. Ripple uses Standard Custody & Trust Company, its subsidiary operating under a limited-purpose trust charter supervised by the New York State Department of Financial Services, as the stablecoin’s issuer.
Ripple publishes transparency reports and says RLUSD’s reserves undergo monthly independent attestations. Its September 24 disclosure listed approximately $2.409 billion in circulating tokens against $2.5315 billion in reserve funds.
The stablecoin is available across multiple blockchain networks, but its growing presence on XRP Ledger makes it an important part of Ripple’s efforts to expand payment and settlement activity on the network.
Stablecoins can help businesses move dollar-denominated value between platforms without relying entirely on traditional bank transfers. However, their use still depends on the services available in each market and the regulatory requirements that apply to participating institutions.
DriveWealth plans to use RLUSD for brokerage settlement
Cross River is not the only company working with Ripple to expand RLUSD’s use in financial services.
On October 14, Ripple announced a partnership with DriveWealth to introduce stablecoin settlement and payment services across a brokerage infrastructure network serving more than 100 partners globally.
The companies plan to begin the integration in Europe before extending it to the United States. The arrangement includes support for RLUSD on XRP Ledger and tools for issuing and redeeming the stablecoin.
The companies also described a system in which stablecoin deposits could be converted into cash in near real time for collateral accounts. Through Ripple Payments, DriveWealth plans to receive cross-border funds from international partners using its investment infrastructure.
The agreement aims to address delays in funding brokerage accounts. U.S. stock trades generally settle one business day after execution, while international dollar transfers can take longer.
DriveWealth CEO Naureen Hassan said the company wants to make account funding more convenient for customers using its 24-hour, five-day trading service.
The partnership also covers digital asset custody in Europe, with additional markets planned for the future. The companies are separately exploring equity financing through Ripple Prime’s Delta One business.
Standard Chartered adds RLUSD custody for institutions
Standard Chartered has also expanded its support for RLUSD. On October 12, the bank launched institutional custody for the stablecoin through its Dubai International Financial Centre branch.
Eligible institutional clients can hold RLUSD through the bank’s operation, which is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority.
Standard Chartered is also working with Ripple and LMAX Group on a separate collateral arrangement. The proposed service would allow clients to use eligible RLUSD holdings to support trading positions while keeping the underlying tokens in custody.
The arrangement is still subject to testing, final legal documentation, internal approvals and applicable regulatory requirements.
Institutional custody is important because financial firms often need regulated services to store digital assets and manage the risks associated with holding them. Adding RLUSD to these services could make it easier for eligible institutions to use the stablecoin in their operations.
Privy adds XRP Ledger wallet tools for developers
Ripple is also expanding its work with application developers.
On October 13, Privy, a wallet infrastructure provider owned by Stripe, announced a partnership to introduce XRP Ledger wallet tools. Developers will be able to create wallets, manage them through software and sign transactions involving XRP, RLUSD and other assets issued on the network.
Privy said its embedded wallets could allow people to make stablecoin payments directly within applications without having to manage their own private keys.
The tools also include server-side wallets for businesses building AI agents that can make payments through systems such as x402.
This could help developers integrate digital asset payments into financial applications, online services and automated software without requiring every user to handle blockchain operations directly.
Ripple expands RLUSD across the financial system
The Cross River agreement is part of a broader push to make RLUSD available through established financial infrastructure rather than relying only on crypto exchanges and blockchain-native services.
DriveWealth is exploring stablecoin settlement for brokerage accounts, Standard Chartered has introduced institutional custody, and Privy is providing wallet tools for developers.
Each partnership addresses a different part of the payment process, from holding digital assets to moving funds and integrating transactions into applications.
Cross River’s role is to connect RLUSD with banking and payment services that fintech companies already use. If adoption grows, the integration could give businesses another way to transfer dollar-denominated funds across borders and outside conventional banking hours.
The announcement does not mean every Cross River customer will immediately have access to RLUSD. Availability remains subject to the bank’s service coverage and the requirements that apply to individual customers and transactions.
