Ripple (XRP) News: Acquisition, ETF Application And On-chain Data Analysis

Introduction

In April, Ripple( XRP The acquisition of Hidden Road, the hot trend of XRP spot ETF applications, progress in settlement with the SEC, etc., together outline the future development blueprint of XRP. This article delves into recent developments in Ripple’s movements, providing investors with comprehensive insights.

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Market Shock: Ripple Acquires Hidden Road for $1.25 Billion

On April 8, 2025, Ripple announced the acquisition of the main brokerage platform Hidden Road for $1.25 billion, making it one of the largest transactions in the cryptocurrency industry to date. This acquisition makes Ripple the first cryptocurrency company to operate a multi-asset prime brokerage service, greatly expanding its institutional business scope. Hidden Road, as a main brokerage serving forex, digital assets, derivatives, and synthetic asset trading, has an annual settlement scale of $3 trillion, with clients including Coinbase, Talos, CME Group, and other well-known institutions.

On April 18, Hidden Road was granted a broker’s license by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in the United States, enabling it to provide full primary brokerage services to institutional clients, including compliant clearing, financing, and trade ution.

This strategic acquisition not only enhances Ripple’s competitiveness in the institutional market but also injects strong momentum into the future development of XRP. According to experts’ predictions, this acquisition may significantly increase the trading volume of XRP, paving the way for its application among institutional investors.

XRP spot ETF application frenzy: 9 companies vying for regulatory approval

In the application for the cryptocurrency ETF, XRP ranks first with about 10 active applications, far exceeding other cryptocurrencies. Currently, 9 companies including Grayscale, Bitwise, ProShares, and Franklin Templeton have submitted the S-1 form for XRP ETF, awaiting approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Market analysts believe that XRP is ahead of other assets in obtaining SEC approval for spot ETF, mainly due to the improved market dynamics and the recent launch of leveraged products. It is worth noting that May 22 is the deadline for the SEC to respond to Grayscale’s spot XRP ETF application.

The market generally sees a bright future for the XRP ETF. According to Polymarket data, 79% of users expect the XRP ETF to be approved by 2025.

Settlement reached with SEC: XRP welcomes regulatory clarity

On April 16th, the joint motion to defer appeal filed by the SEC and Ripple was approved, marking the end of the long-standing legal dispute between the two parties. According to the settlement agreement, the SEC agreed to unconditionally abandon the appeal, and Ripple also waived the cross-appeal. The SEC will retain $50 million from the $125 million fine, and the remaining amount will be returned to Ripple.

This result not only brought regulatory clarity to XRP, but also set an important legal precedent for the entire cryptocurrency industry. Market analysts generally believe that this settlement will significantly boost market confidence in XRP and clear obstacles for its further development in institutional investment.

XRP on-chain data analysis: The hidden concerns behind the decrease in the number of new addresses

Despite Ripple making significant breakthroughs in regulation and acquisitions, the on-chain data of XRP shows some gradual slowdown. In the past month, the number of new addresses on the XRP network plummeted from 5200 to 2900, a decrease of nearly 44%. This data reflects that the growth of the XRP eco may be slowing down.

However, some analysts believe that this decline may be due to the market maturing and increased participation of institutional investors, rather than a true decrease in network activity. Despite the slowing growth of new addresses, the overall activity and security of the XRP network continue to steadily improve.

Conclusion

The strategic acquisition of Ripple, the surge in XRP ETF applications, and the clarification of regulations have paved the way for XRP. Despite concerns about the decrease in the number of new addresses, the overall network activity and security continue to improve. XRP is ushering in a new era of institutional investment and market recognition, and its future development is worth looking forward to.

Risk Warning: Regulatory policy changes and intensified market competition may affect the development expectations of XRP, investors need to carefully assess the risks.