Deutsche Bank has announced plans to integrate Ripple's technology to modernize its cross-border payment systems. The major European financial institution will leverage Ripple's infrastructure to settle transactions in seconds, a significant improvement over its current longer-duration system. The move is projected to cut transaction costs by up to 30% and represents a notable institutional win for Ripple Labs, potentially increasing exposure for its associated XRP token depending on the final implementation details.
Simultaneously, Bitcoin whales have accumulated over 30,000 BTC (worth approximately $2 billion) in the past week, signaling strong conviction among large holders despite ongoing market volatility and a price trading around $67,000. This accumulation comes as Bitcoin trades significantly below its all-time high, having declined more than 50% from its peak.
In other market developments, Shiba Inu (SHIB) has entered a pronounced low-volatility consolidation phase. Derivatives data shows a sharp 129% swing in futures flow to net outflows, indicating leveraged traders are actively reducing their exposure. This exit of speculative capital has dampened volatility and limited both downside liquidation risk and upside breakout potential, increasing the likelihood of sideways price action in the near term. SHIB's spot price remains below key moving averages, with brief recovery attempts lacking sustained momentum.
Separately, Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz criticized the structure of a $16.5 million Pokémon card sale by Logan Paul, arguing it unfairly concentrated upside for the sponsor while distributing downside risk to fractional investors. On-chain analyst Willy Woo also warned of a potential "Quantum Discount" for Bitcoin, citing a break in a 12-year valuation trend against gold and theorizing that quantum computing could one day unlock millions of "lost" Bitcoins, increasing circulating supply.
