Ripple has announced an expansion of its partnership with cross-border payments network Thunes, building on a collaboration that began in 2020. The expanded arrangement, announced on September 2, 2025, aims to improve the payout experience for Ripple Payments clients by leveraging Thunes' Direct Global Network. The deal is designed to streamline global money movement and extend coverage in corridors with growing demand for real-time settlement.
Ripple Payments now covers over 90 payout markets, representing more than 90% of daily foreign exchange markets, and has processed more than $70 billion in total volume. Thunes brings significant scale to the partnership, enabling real-time payments in over 130 countries, supporting more than 80 currencies, and connecting to over 7 billion wallets and bank accounts through 320+ payment methods.
Separately, SWIFT has announced plans to roll out a blockchain-based shared ledger supporting cross-border payments, tokenized deposits, and round-the-clock settlement. This development has sparked comparisons with Ripple's long-standing focus on the same sector. Analyst Nick from the "NCashOfficial" channel clarified that there is no confirmed evidence that SWIFT is using XRP, but noted that the new system's focus on interoperability and multiple settlement options creates natural parallels.
The discussion also involves the ISO 20022 global standard for financial messaging, which SWIFT continues to adopt. This standard enables institutions to modernize infrastructure and integrate new technologies, a space where Ripple's platform aligns. Notably, several banks involved in SWIFT's initiative—including Société Générale, DBS Bank, HSBC, and Standard Chartered—have existing links to Ripple through past partnerships or trials.
At the time of reporting, XRP traded at $1.34, up 1.54% over 24 hours, with a market cap of approximately $82.46 billion. This remains about 63% below its all-time high of $3.65 reached on July 18, 2025. The broader crypto market sentiment is deeply risk-off, with the Fear & Greed Index at 11 out of 100, indicating "Extreme Fear."
