Ripple has long been promoting the idea that digital assets represent the future of payment systems. According to its 2026 Global Digital Asset Survey, which involved more than 1,000 finance executives, the industry appears to be aligning with this perspective—72% now believe their companies must provide digital asset solutions to remain competitive.
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Ripple has long been advocating that digital assets are the future of financial transactions. Its 2026 Global Digital Asset Survey of over 1,000 finance leaders indicates the sector is finally catching on—72% assert that their firms must provide digital asset solutions to stay competitive.
For those invested in XRP, the situation is more complex. The survey’s most optimistic insight revolves around stablecoins, rather than XRP as a bridging asset. A striking 29% of respondents identified price volatility as a significant concern, which explains why many banks steer clear of settling transactions directly in XRP. This indicates that while Ripple’s ecosystem is growing, XRP’s price remains stagnant, hovering near $1.40.
Does this progression actually benefit XRP, or does it represent another instance where Ripple’s ecosystem develops while XRP’s value remains flat?
Insights from Ripple’s Survey
Stablecoins emerged as the key finding in the Ripple survey. An impressive 74% of finance professionals believe that stablecoins enhance cash-flow efficiency and free up trapped working capital, viewing them as treasury management tools as opposed to just payment methods. Fintech companies are acting on this belief—31% utilize stablecoins for customer payment collection, while 29% directly accept stablecoin transactions. Almost half of fintechs are developing their own digital asset solutions internally, whereas 74% of corporations plan to rely on external providers.
While banks and asset managers are still in the early stages of adoption, they are setting the stage for future integration. Of those assessing tokenization partners, 89% highlighted secure custody as a primary concern, and 97% indicated that security certifications, such as ISO and SOC II, are crucial when selecting a provider. These organizations are not merely experimenting; they are rigorously evaluating partners as they would with traditional custodians.
A prevailing theme across all four categories—banks, asset managers, fintechs, and corporations—is that companies prefer a single provider that can manage all their needs. 71% of corporations favor a comprehensive infrastructure partner, and slightly more than half of fintechs and financial institutions share this preference. When questioned about their primary concerns regarding digital assets, respondents cited regulatory clarity (40%), security (37%), compliance requirements (30%), and price volatility (29%).
Implications of Findings for XRP’s Price
The finding that 72% of finance leaders prioritize digital asset solutions is positive for Ripple’s business, but it doesn’t specifically mention XRP. The term “digital asset solutions” encompasses stablecoins, tokenization, and custody services, all of which can generate revenue for Ripple without necessarily involving the XRP token. Banks could adopt Ripple’s full infrastructure and utilize RLUSD without ever using XRP.
The preference for stablecoins expressed by 74% of respondents suggests further complexity. RLUSD has achieved a market cap of $1.53 billion since its December 2024 launch. Its adoption by banks for treasury management and cross-border settlement can be attributed to its reliability in maintaining a dollar peg in varying market conditions. When 74% of finance leaders assert that stablecoins enhance cash-flow efficiency, they are precisely describing the purpose that RLUSD was designed to fulfill—not the role of XRP as a volatile bridging asset.
The priorities on custody (89%) and a one-stop-shop (71%) underscore a stronger case for XRP. Ripple is developing that comprehensive infrastructure, and XRP is an integral part of it. Banks adopting RLUSD for settlements are already engaged with Ripple’s ecosystem, making the use of XRP for bridging in less liquid currency markets a more straightforward transition than starting anew. The emphasis on custody also bolsters the case for XRP ETF infrastructure as institutional-grade storage is essential for the scalability of ETF providers.
Concerns about price volatility, highlighted by 29% of respondents, reveal why progress may be gradual. When banks can settle transactions with stablecoins that maintain their $1 value, convincing compliance teams to endorse a token that has dropped 62% from its peak in July is challenging. Many banks are likely to continue settling in RLUSD until the Clarity Act securely classifies XRP as a commodity, reserving it for transactions in markets where stablecoin options are lacking.
What XRP Holders Should Monitor Going Forward
The major hurdle for the Clarity Act was overcome on March 20, when Senators Tillis and Alsobrooks reached an agreement on stablecoin yield. The markup by the Senate Banking Committee is slated for late April, and if the bill doesn’t reach the Senate floor by May, the dynamics of the midterm elections may delay its progress for the remainder of 2026.
This markup represents the key event that could translate survey sentiment into tangible demand for XRP. If the legislation progresses, banks already engaged with Ripple’s ecosystem will have a clear regulatory pathway to utilize XRP directly. Conversely, if it stalls past May, the sentiments expressed in the survey will remain just that—a Ripple narrative without any positive influence on the XRP price.
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