Ripple Drops $200M to Snatch Up Stablecoin Giant Rail, Here’s Why It Matters

Ripple is back in the news, this time with a $200 million move aimed at stepping deeper into the stablecoin payments game.

On Thursday, the company announced plans to acquire Rail, a Toronto-based platform known for handling a hefty chunk of global stablecoin transactions.

A strategic bet on stablecoins

The deal isn’t set in stone just yet as it still needs regulatory sign-off, however, Ripple says it expects to finalize everything by Q4 this year.

If all goes as planned, Rail will join Ripple’s growing roster of acquisitions, boosting its RLUSD stablecoin and positioning Ripple to take a bigger role in cross-border payments.

“This opportunity for stablecoin payments is really ripe,” said Ripple President Monica Long. “And the acquisition of Rail just really solidifies our market leadership in this area.”

Rail’s no small player either.

Backed by firms like Galaxy Ventures and Accomplice, it’s been using stablecoins to speed up global payments, promising faster settlement times and lower costs compared to traditional fiat rails. According to its website, Rail currently processes around 10% of all stablecoin-based payment volume worldwide.

A broader stablecoin play

The acquisition also comes on the heels of a major shift in U.S. crypto policy. In July, President Trump signed a bill creating a federal regulatory framework for stablecoins.

The move has been seen as a green light for digital assets to play a bigger role in mainstream finance, especially in areas like payments and remittances.

Ripple, which launched its dollar-pegged RLUSD stablecoin last year, has been steadily building toward this moment.

Back in April, it also announced a $1.25 billion deal to acquire Hidden Road, a multi-asset prime broker. That move, the company said, would further enhance RLUSD’s utility across different markets.

All told, Ripple’s latest acquisition signals a clear focus on stablecoins, payments, and basically everything in between.

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