Ripple continues to broaden its horizons in decentralized finance (DeFi), taking steps to integrate traditional financial institutions with crypto infrastructure.
Hidden Road's Role in Finance
Ripple's CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, recently described prime brokers like Hidden Road as critical gateways for institutional clients—from hedge funds to trading desks—to engage with everything from derivatives to digital assets in an episode of the Crypto In One Minute series. He noted that this role was previously dominated by legacy financial giants like Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan.
Ripple's Strategy in DeFi
According to Garlinghouse, Hidden Road is managing massive trading volumes and bridging the gap between old finance and new tech. The firm is reportedly helping traditional financial institutions integrate with DeFi platforms and crypto infrastructure, aligning with Ripple's broader strategy to expand beyond cross-border payments and deepen access to crypto assets for institutional clients.
Future of Institutional Participation in DeFi
Garlinghouse hinted that more prime brokers are likely to follow suit as the demand for secure and compliant DeFi access ramps up. Meanwhile, blockchain trackers reported another significant transaction of XRP on-chain, signaling continued movement among large holders as Ripple’s ecosystem keeps expanding.
The integration of Hidden Road into Ripple's structure emphasizes the growing interest of institutional investors in DeFi and digital assets. This move could open new horizons for the traditional financial sector and innovative technology.
