November 14 2025
Recent speculation surrounding XRP, the token of Ripple, have come to the fore following insights from prominent crypto commentator Remi Relief. His comments come in response to observations from leading analyst Paul Barron’s, who questioned whether Ripple’s strategy was originally intended to bridge the increasingly fragmented world of bank-issued stablecoins. This raises the question of XRP’s use case as a vital link for liquidity between institutional networks. Relief even posits that this could propel XRP’s price towards $1,000.
Remi Relief has proposed a model in which the global payments structure diverges into two interconnected systems, both relying on XRP for settlement. The first hypothesis involves a revamped version of SWIFT, which would retain most of its existing infrastructure but integrate blockchain-based assets such as XRP, XDC, HBAR, and Chainlink. This would result in faster transactions and increased efficiency. However, many financial institutions will remain skeptical given SWIFT's past politicization.
The second hypothesis involves the creation of a new network, based on Ripple, in collaboration with Thunes. This would function as a more independent and reliable channel for cross-border payments. This system would not only be potentially faster, but also more cost-effective and more widely accepted by various countries.
Remi expects both models to coexist for a time, leaving banks and governments free to choose based on transaction size, cost, and reliability. However, he believes the Ripple-Thunes system will eventually become dominant as more banks migrate to this more efficient system. Regardless of which scenario materializes, Relief emphasizes that both paths have the potential to push the XRP price towards $1,000 faster than most analysts currently estimate.
Paul Barron's initial observation, which sparked discussion, focused on the increasing competition among major banks to create their own stablecoins. He pointed out that while SWIFT continues to promote neutral rails, banks like JPMorgan, Bank of America, Citi, and Wells Fargo are focusing on developing US-based consortium stablecoins. Similarly, European institutions like ING and Deutsche Bank plan to launch euro-denominated versions by 2026.
Barron's warned that this trend toward single ownership systems for stablecoins will further fragment the global financial network, creating walled gardens where each bank's stablecoin operates in isolation. According to him, this fragmentation will bring XRP back into focus, perhaps a long-held vision of Ripple's CEO Brad Garlinghouse. Their strategy has always been to position XRP as a bridge for interconnection between otherwise siloed financial ecosystems. This aligns with Ripple's vision for the XRP Ledger as a neutral settlement layer for simple international value transfer between various digital and fiat systems.
How realistic is the prediction that XRP could rise to $1.000?
The prediction that XRP can rise to $1.000 is based on the vision that XRP can function as a crucial bridge in a world increasingly fragmented by bank-isolated stablecoins. This will require significant adoption by financial institutions and a shift in how international payments are organised.
What impact will banks' plans to launch stablecoins have on the crypto market?
Major banks' initiatives to launch their own stablecoins are creating new dynamics in the crypto market. These bank-controlled stablecoins could rethink the roles of existing cryptocurrencies, including XRP, and even stimulate competition and collaboration between traditional and emerging financial systems.
What are the implications of a potential merger between Ripple and Thunes for the future of cross-border payments?
A potential partnership between Ripple and Thunes could significantly speed up and reduce the cost of cross-border payments. The increased speed and reliability would further challenge competition with the SWIFT system, which could again boost the adoption of digital assets like XRP.
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