Ripple Executive Says XRP May Become the ‘Glue’ of Blockchain Finance

Published by

Debashree Patra and Anjali Belgaumkar

March 10, 2026

Markus Infanger, SVP RippleX, says the XRP Ledger is gradually developing into infrastructure for institutional decentralized finance, with XRP positioned at the center of liquidity and settlement.

Infanger discussed the idea in a Podcast shared by BankXRP on X, describing XRP as a connecting layer within blockchain-based financial systems.

“I see XRP as the glue that connects liquidity and settlement,” Infanger said.

XRP as the Core Asset of XRPL

Infanger explained that XRP functions as the native asset powering the XRP Ledger. The token is used for transaction fees and reserve requirements across the network, making it fundamental to how the system operates.

Because of this structure, XRP plays a direct role in maintaining network activity and facilitating transfers between participants. According to Infanger, the ledger was designed so that value movement and liquidity functions rely on the same underlying asset.

“XRP is the native asset of the XRP Ledger, and it powers all the fees and reserves on the network,” he said.

Ripple’s developer arm, RippleX, focuses on building tools and infrastructure that expand the financial capabilities of the ledger while keeping XRP at the center of transaction activity.

Auto-Bridging Connects Liquidity

He further dived into another feature, which is the ledger’s built-in auto-bridging system. This mechanism allows XRP to act as an intermediary asset when converting between different currencies or tokens.

Through this process, transactions can move across liquidity pools even if a direct trading pair does not exist.

“Auto-bridging allows liquidity to connect across assets and markets through XRP,” Infanger said, describing how the feature helps route transactions efficiently.

Institutional Finance on XRPL

Infanger also pointed to ongoing development around institutional lending on the ledger. RippleX has been working on financial tools designed to allow institutions to access credit and liquidity directly through blockchain infrastructure.

These features aim to position the XRP Ledger as a network where payments, liquidity management, and financial services operate within a single system.

As Infanger summarized in the discussion, the broader vision is to create a network where settlement and liquidity are closely linked through XRP.

FAQs

How does XRP Ledger support institutional adoption?

XRPL offers settlement, liquidity, and lending infrastructure, letting institutions access secure blockchain-based financial services.

Can XRP Ledger improve cross-border payments?

Yes, XRP Ledger enables instant, low-cost cross-border transfers using XRP as a liquidity bridge between currencies.

How is XRPL evolving for decentralized finance?

With auto-bridging, credit tools, and liquidity management, XRPL is becoming a full-scale institutional DeFi platform.

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