Ripple’s aggressive expansion strategy is once again under scrutiny from disgruntled XRP investors. What was presented as a milestone moment for the company has instead reignited the debate over whether Ripple’s ecosystem growth is translating into measurable value for XRP holders.
XRP Price Slumps Despite Ripple’s Hidden Road Deal
In late 2025, Brad Garlinghouse announced the completion of Hidden Road’s acquisitionnow rebranded as Ripple Prime. For many XRP investors, such announcements carry expectations. If XRP is foundational to Ripple’s ecosystem, then major corporate wins should, in theory, reflect in the token’s market performance. Instead, the price action has told a different story.
Over the past two months alone, XRP has declined by more than 25%, underperforming during a period that included positive corporate developments. Historically, similar announcements have triggered short-lived volatility but rarely sustained upward momentum. The pattern has created a perception gap between corporate growth narratives and investor outcomes.
Amid XRP’s continued price weakness, an analyst resurfaced Garlinghouse’s post on the Hidden Road deal, arguing that investors are funding corporate expansion that mainly benefits executives. He maintained that billions tied to the ecosystem have been used to acquire traditional financial firms, while token holders have seen little in return. For price-focused investors, acquisitions mean little unless they materially lift XRP’s value.
This disconnect explains the mounting frustration, as holders are primarily concerned with capital appreciation, liquidity growth, and long-term upside. When high-profile acquisitions are announced, expectations rise. When price charts fail to respond meaningfully, those expectations turn into skepticism. The recurring cycle of optimism followed by muted market reaction has intensified scrutiny around whether Ripple’s expansion strategy directly benefits XRP investors.
Broader Acquisition Strategy May Shape Long-Term Outcomes
Hidden Road is only one component of Ripple’s recent expansion. Garlinghouse also pointed to GTreasury, Rail, Standard Custody, and Metaco as part of and concentrated acquisition push over the past two years.
The 2023 acquisition of Metaco strengthened institutional-grade custody infrastructure. Standard Custody, added in 2024, enhanced regulated asset safeguarding capabilities. Rail expanded payment rails, while GTreasury integrated enterprise treasury management tools into Ripple’s ecosystem. Each deal broadened Ripple’s operational footprint across custody, settlement, payments, and financial services.
Beyond acquisitions, Ripple has maintained partnerships with financial institutions and payment providers across global corridors, steadily embedding its infrastructure into traditional finance frameworks. Collectively, these moves represent vertical integration and long-term positioning rather than short-term market catalysts.
While XRP’s immediate price response has been limited, these integrations may serve as foundational infrastructure for future demand dynamics. Institutional custody, treasury management, prime brokerage, and payment rails could, over time, increase the token’s utility within Ripple’s ecosystem.
For now, price performance remains the primary concern for holders. However, the accumulation of regulated entities and enterprise-grade platforms may indicate that Ripple is building structural depth before potential market repricing. Whether that foundation ultimately translates into sustained XRP appreciation remains to be seen, but the company’s acquisition strategy suggests a long-term roadmap that extends beyond immediate market reactions.
Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com
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