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Standard Chartered launches RLUSD custody and joins planned collateral integration with Ripple and LMAX Group. Team Ripple Standard Chartered's custody support for Ripple USD (RLUSD) on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) is now live. The Bank is also working with Ripple and LMAX Group to enable RLUSD as eligible collateral and extend Standard Chartered's collateral mirroring model to LMAX Group. 12 October 2026, SINGAPORE - Standard Chartered today announced that it now supports institutional custody of Ripple USD (RLUSD) issued on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), giving eligible clients access to the Bank's digital asset custody infrastructure.The service is available through Standard Chartered Bank's DIFC Branch, which is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). This marks the next phase of their collaboration to support institutional adoption of RLUSD, combining LMAX Group's institutional-grade market infrastructure and Standard Chartered's digital asset custody capabilities within a coordinated operating framework. The parties intend to enable RLUSD as eligible collateral for agreed LMAX Group products and solutions across trading and collateral management. By mirroring the value of eligible collateral to LMAX Group without requiring the underlying RLUSD to be transferred directly to the trading venue, the arrangement is expected to give institutional clients greater flexibility in how they hold and deploy digital assets for trading, helping reduce transfer-related operational risk and optimise counterparty exposure while improving capital efficiency. Waqar Chaudry, Global Head of Digital Assets, Securities Services, Transaction Services, Standard Chartered said: "Institutional clients want to participate in digital asset markets without compromising on how their assets are safeguarded or how risk is managed. The ecosystem must therefore make it easier for clients to hold assets securely, access liquidity and deploy collateral efficiently within trusted frameworks. By integrating our capabilities with Ripple and LMAX, we can help clients incorporate digital assets more confidently into their broader financial activities." Luke Dorney, Head of Custody, Digital Assets, LMAX Group said: "RLUSD is an increasingly important component of institutional digital asset markets. By agreeing to adopt Standard Chartered's collateral mirroring model, we are providing clients with greater flexibility in how they hold and deploy RLUSD across our cross-asset marketplace, while supporting the custody and risk management standards institutions expect." Jack McDonald, SVP, Stablecoins, Ripple, said: "RLUSD was built for exactly this kind of institutional use case. Our customers want the efficiency of a regulated stablecoin without giving up the custody standards they already trust. Bringing together RLUSD on the XRP Ledger, Standard Chartered's custody capabilities and LMAX Group's institutional trading infrastructure creates a practical path for institutions to put stablecoins to work across global markets." The agreed future capabilities remain subject to final documentation, successful testing, applicable laws and regulations, internal approvals and jurisdictional readiness. Further details will be announced as implementation progresses.

XRP breaches safety net as Ripple deepens Wall Street footprint. Breaching its support on Friday, XRP's price fell below $1.40 following a flood of bearish trading activity in the cryptocurrency market amid Ripple's growing partnership deals. Stock market analysis The token price has slumped to $1.37 at the time of writing, driven by profit-taking amid a broader market downturn, which has clouded optimism about Ripple's deals. Ripple entered the leveraged ETF financing business through Ripple Prime, the prime brokerage it built from its $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road, providing swap-based funding to multiple ETF issuers and planning to expand to hedge funds. The unit has secured up to $475 million in credit facilities and corporate notes since May, with the notes rated BBB, and one disclosed arrangement charges a fund a financing rate of about 8% a year. The move puts the crypto firm in direct competition with Wall Street banks that have long dominated the financing behind leveraged ETFs, a US market exceeding $256 billion in assets. Stock market analysis Still, the top altcoin has remained highly volatile despite growing partner deals and a cross-border payment drive that Ripple has been pushing worldwide. Ripple has lately inked major deals, and market analysts said only one directly involves XRP, highlighting a persistent gap between corporate deals and token utility. In its latest additions, Ripple announced three institutional agreements on October 8, 2026, with South Korea's Meritz Securities, the Canton Network, and stablecoin issuer Paxos. The deals centre on custody and tokenisation services. Crucially, only Paxos's integration - adding XRP to its brokerage and custody offerings - directly involves the token. Crypto analysts said the others utilise Ripple's technology without a stated requirement to transact in XRP. This is neutral for XRP because it demonstrates continued enterprise demand for Ripple's infrastructure, which builds the ecosystem. However, it underscores that business growth does not automatically translate to buy-side pressure on the token, as most partners are not obligated to purchase or use XRP. Observable demand hinges on whether Paxos reports significant trading volume or other partners name XRP as a settlement asset. Ripple secured a multi-year partnership with the University of Florida's athletic program, the Florida Gators, announced on September 4, 2026. The deal places the XRP logo on the football field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and across digital assets for the 2026 season. It also includes financial technology education for student-athletes, following a similar earlier deal with Kansas Athletics. This is bullish for XRP's long-term brand recognition, as it introduces the cryptocurrency to millions of sports fans and a young, tech-savvy demographic. The focus on education could foster broader understanding and acceptance of digital assets. However, such marketing partnerships have historically had little immediate impact on XRP's price, as seen after the Kansas announcement, reminding investors that brand exposure and token utility are different drivers. XRP's trajectory is being shaped by expanding institutional reach and mainstream branding, yet the core challenge remains bridging the gap between partnership announcements and verifiable on-chain utility. Julius Alagbe is a senior financial journalist and Editor at MarketForces Africa with nearly two decades of experience in finance, accounting, and economics reporting.He is one of Nigeria's most prolific financial market reporters, covering capital markets, monetary policy, corporate earnings, banking, telecoms, and macroeconomic developments across Africa.Julius has built a strong footprint reporting on Nigeria's leading corporates and financial services sector, including coverage of the Nigerian Exchange Group, Central Bank of Nigeria monetary operations, MTN Nigeria, GTCO, and major investment banking transactions.He regularly monitors the CBN's open market operations, interbank FX markets, and equity market movements, providing readers with real-time intelligence on Nigeria's financial landscape.His reporting draws on direct access to institutional research from firms including Moody's Ratings, CardinalStone Securities, Fitch, and other leading African investment houses.Julius brings analytical depth and editorial rigour to every story, making complex financial data accessible to professionals, investors, and policymakers across Africa.Julius Alagbe is based in Lagos, Nigeria. Financial News Subscription

Ripple Prime ventures into leveraged ETF financing market. Oct 9, 2026 Reading time: 3 min Ripple Prime is expanding its services into the leveraged exchange-traded fund (ETF) financing market by offering total-return swaps to fund managers. This strategic move, building on the company's acquisition of Hidden Road, aims to capture recurring fees from financing charges in a segment traditionally dominated by banks, while also exposing Ripple to market risks associated with the underlying assets. The U.S. leveraged ETF market is substantial, comprising 593 funds with over $256 billion in assets, according to Morningstar Direct data cited in a Wall Street Journal report. Ripple Prime's entry into this market tests whether a firm originating from the crypto industry can successfully compete in a balance-sheet-intensive segment long held by traditional financial institutions. Strategic Expansion and Acquisition Following its acquisition of Hidden Road, which was completed in 2025, Ripple's prime brokerage business was established as Ripple Prime. The acquisition, announced in April 2025 for $1.25 billion, integrated Hidden Road's multi-asset capabilities in clearing, brokerage, and financing. Ripple Prime's services were recently highlighted with an announcement on Tuesday, October 6, detailing its brokerage, clearing, and financing offerings for Brevan Howard. Financing Mechanism and Revenue Potential Leveraged ETFs utilize derivatives, including total-return swaps, to magnify daily investment performance. Ripple Prime's offering of these swaps allows fund managers to finance their ETF positions. For example, the Tradr 2X Long SDNK Daily ETF pays Ripple a rate tied to the overnight bank funding rate plus four percentage points. As of Wednesday, October 7, this translated to approximately 8% of the fund's assets on an annualized basis, representing a source of recurring fees for Ripple Prime. Inherent Risks and Competitive Landscape However, this expansion also introduces market risks. Providing swap financing means Ripple Prime is exposed to the performance of the underlying assets financed by these swaps. While the move diversifies Ripple's business beyond traditional crypto services, it enters a competitive landscape where firms like Jane Street and Clear Street are also gaining traction. Implications for XRP The implications for XRP, the cryptocurrency associated with Ripple, appear limited. The news is viewed more as a long-term ecosystem development rather than a direct bullish catalyst for XRP's price. Unless Ripple Prime's expansion demonstrably creates measurable demand for XRP, increases its token utility, or triggers fresh buying interest, the immediate price impact on XRP is expected to be constrained. XRP is currently trading around $1.41, with little immediate sign of a positive market reaction to this news. Ripple's broader institutional strategy includes other markets such as custody and tokenization-related partnerships, exemplified by its work with Meritz Securities in South Korea. However, it is important to note that XRP does not underlie or collateralize these ETF swaps. Investors are advised to monitor XRP's trading volume, market sentiment, and price action around key resistance levels before interpreting this expansion as a direct driver of a rally. The success of Ripple Prime in this new venture hinges on its ability to navigate the complexities of balance-sheet-intensive financing and compete effectively against established players, while managing the inherent market risks associated with leveraged ETF financing. Broader context. Source materials place the factual news in this context: The U.S. leveraged ETF market has 593 funds and more than $256 billion in assets, including XRP, and Ripple Prime is making itself known in the news by entering the financing chain, providing total-return swaps to fund managers.