Ripple’s Swell 2026 conference in New York has become a focal point for XRP speculation after reports circulated that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would join the speaker lineup. The event runs October 27–29 at The Shed in Manhattan, with Ripple advertising more than 1,500 attendees, over 80 sessions, and more than 100 speakers across three stages. A social-media post reproduced by KuCoin indicated Bessent was added to the program, including a scheduled conversation with Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, though an official Treasury announcement or verified transcript had not yet confirmed the appearance.
Crypto analyst Stern Drew linked Bessent’s reported participation to broader U.S. financial restructuring ambitions, recalling that Bessent had previously described a possible global economic overhaul comparable to the Bretton Woods Agreement. Drew argued that Washington’s approach to stablecoins, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technology suggests traditional financial infrastructure may undergo a comprehensive transformation.
On October 26, Ripple announced final approval from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to establish Ripple National Trust Bank, following conditional approval in December 2025. The bank will manage segregated RLUSD reserves, act as a collateral trustee, and offer fiduciary digital asset custody to institutional clients, though it cannot collect deposits or grant loans like a traditional commercial bank. Ripple said RLUSD issuance remains with Standard Custody & Trust Company, while BNY serves as the stablecoin’s primary reserve custodian. The company also publishes monthly independent attestations covering reserves and circulating supply.
On October 27, Ripple and Robinhood announced a partnership spanning customer-facing services and internal financial operations. RLUSD is already available on Robinhood Chain and Bitstamp by Robinhood, with an in-app launch expected before year-end. Institutional settlement will use RLUSD on the XRP Ledger. Robinhood plans to integrate Ripple Treasury for cash and liquidity management, forecasting, payments, risk management, and intercompany netting. The financing relationship covers lending and margin financing across roughly 20 digital assets through Ripple Prime. Robinhood executive Johann Kerbrat said, “Utility is what moves stablecoins forward,” while Ripple President Monica Long described the agreement as spanning “customer-facing offerings and core financial operations.” Robinhood reported 28.6 million funded customers globally, though the companies did not disclose contract value or revenue targets.
Ripple says it holds more than 75 regulatory licenses globally. The company’s expansion arrives as the U.S. implements the GENIUS Act framework, which requires payment stablecoin issuers to back circulating assets with eligible cash, U.S. Treasury bonds, and other permitted liquid reserves. Drew argued this could tie dollar-backed stablecoin growth more closely to the U.S. Treasury market and increase the importance of firms like Ripple in the new financial infrastructure.
Drew also highlighted privacy and digital identity work on the XRP Ledger, including experimental DNA Protocol concepts using zero-knowledge proofs and verifiable credentials. He pointed to JPMorgan, BlackRock, and the Bank for International Settlements as institutions working on digital identity, tokenization, and blockchain-based financial infrastructure, though no confirmed direct collaboration with DNA Protocol or Ripple exists. Separately, Aviva Investors launched a tokenized share class of its Sterling Liquidity Fund on the XRP Ledger with a £50 million commitment.
Other Swell speakers include Water.org co-founders Matt Damon and Gary White, former Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan, Bullish CEO Tom Farley, BNY’s Laide Majiyagbe, and Tradeweb’s Billy Hult. The conference combines Swell, the developer-focused Apex gathering, and UBRI Connect.
