Ripple, ABA, and XRP: Strengthening Payments Through Banking Partnerships

• In a recent X post, Max Avery discussed Ripple’s ABA platinum membership, highlighting how it provides access to over 4,000 banks, paving the way for widespread adoption of XRP across the U.S. banking system.
• Ripple’s marketing highlights sustainability, efficiency, and scalability; these are core priorities for banks navigating the digital transformation era.

Ripple, a San Francisco-based technology company, continues to make strides in revolutionizing the financial landscape through its Ripple payment protocol and exchange network. Partnering with major financial institutions such as Santander, J.P. Morgan Chase, and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Ripple has expanded its influence globally. 

Max, a crypto analyst, highlighted in an X thread that Ripple’s membership in the American Bankers Association (ABA) serves as a clear testament to its deepening integration with traditional finance.

What Ripple’s ABA Membership Means

The American Bankers Association (ABA) represents a significant portion of the U.S. banking industry, comprising over 4,000 banks of varying sizes, from community banks to large financial institutions. As per the post, these banks employ over 2 million people, safeguard $18 trillion in deposits, and extend nearly $11 trillion in loans. By becoming a platinum member in 2024, Ripple gains direct access to this vast network, positioning itself at the heart of U.S. banking infrastructure. 

This development paves the way for Ripple’s technology, including its On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) product, the XRP Ledger, and its native token XRP, to become cornerstones of U.S. financial systems. Max further states that Ripple’s tagline, “a green digital asset for a world without economic borders,” aligns with banks’ need for efficient, sustainable cross-border payment solutions.

Ripple’s impact is not limited to the United States. In 2025, an impressive 80% of Japanese banks have already integrated Ripple’s ODL product into their financial systems. By leveraging XRP for instant and cost-effective international payments, these banks have demonstrated the utility of Ripple’s solutions in real-world scenarios. 

Ripple’s progress has not been without challenges. The ongoing legal battle with the SEC has been a major hurdle. However, with the potential resolution of the lawsuit and the pro-crypto administration under Donald Trump, the outlook for Ripple is increasingly optimistic. A settlement could lead to the approval of XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs), further legitimizing Ripple’s role in the financial ecosystem.

As we reported, in November 2024, Ripple introduced a suite of updates to its custody services, enhancing its appeal to banks and fintech firms. These updates include transaction screening, new hardware security module (HSM) options, integration with the XRP Ledger for tokenizing real-world assets (RWA), and improved usability. Marketed as a “bank-grade custody solution,” this initiative aligns with Ripple’s broader strategy to diversify beyond its core payment settlement business.

Ripple’s launch of the RLUSD stablecoin in December highlights the company’s dedication to sustaining its dominance in global payments. With a market capitalization of $53 million, RLUSD operates seamlessly on both Ethereum and the XRP Ledger. Its integration with Chainlink’s services further boosts its functionality within decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols.

Ripple’s partnership with Bank of America, which has integrated XRP into its daily operations and filed 83 patents for Ripple’s blockchain technology, further highlights Ripple’s influence in the U.S. banking system. XRP is currently priced at $2.34, down 31.72% from that peak of 3.40.