Evernorth XRP Holdings to Target Higher XRP Per Share, CEO Says

Evernorth has started trading on Nasdaq under the ticker XRPN, with more than 473 million XRP in its treasury. CEO Ashish Birla said the company plans to earn returns from its XRP holdings through financial investments and blockchain-based services such as lending and decentralized finance (DeFi).

Speaking on the Thinking Crypto podcast, Birla said the company will take its time before investing its XRP in different opportunities. Evernorth has not yet announced how much XRP it will use or which platforms it will work with.

Evernorth Plans to Put XRP Holdings to Work

Evernorth wants to earn returns from its XRP rather than simply hold the tokens. The company plans to explore lending services and other financial applications being developed on the XRP network.

However, Birla said the company will check the risks before investing its holdings.

“If the returns look like crazy and something you’ve never seen before, you should think twice,” Birla said.

Evernorth is also looking for partners that can help it use XRP safely. The company has not yet chosen any specific DeFi platforms.

Evernorth Aims to Increase XRP Per Share

The company’s main goal is to increase the amount of XRP held for each share over time. Birla said Evernorth will look for opportunities that support this target.

The company has appointed Hugo, who previously worked at Coinbase’s asset management business and has experience in traditional finance, as its chief investment officer. He will help assess investment opportunities and manage risks.

Birla said Evernorth is also watching developments in tokenized assets, which allow financial assets such as stocks and bonds to be represented on a blockchain. However, its immediate focus remains on finding ways to use its existing XRP holdings.

Banks Show More Interest in Blockchain

Birla said financial institutions that were once cautious about blockchain are now building teams and exploring ways to use the technology.

He pointed to interest in tokenization from BlackRock and Morgan Stanley, as well as potential liquidity-related developments involving Wells Fargo and the Kraken ecosystem. He also discussed Standard Chartered’s support for Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin ecosystem.

According to Birla, more financial companies are now exploring blockchain for practical financial services instead of treating it only as an investment trend.

What Evernorth’s Nasdaq Listing Means for Investors

Evernorth’s Nasdaq listing gives investors a way to gain exposure to a company holding XRP through a regular brokerage account. Investors can buy XRPN shares without directly purchasing XRP through a cryptocurrency exchange.

However, XRPN shares are different from XRP tokens. The share price can change based on the company’s performance, XRP holdings and wider market conditions.

Evernorth has not announced a target return, a specific date for deploying its XRP holdings or how much of its treasury it plans to invest.

What’s Next for Evernorth?

Evernorth plans to assess investment opportunities, choose suitable partners and establish safeguards before putting its XRP to work. It also intends to work with developers in the XRP ecosystem as new financial services become available.

For now, the company is focusing on increasing XRP per share and finding ways to earn returns while managing investment risks.