DeutschThose pronounced dead often live longest. Hardly any saying fits the story of Ripple and the XRP token better. For years, the cryptocurrency was put through the wringer by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), delisted by exchanges, and written off by many retail investors as a “zombie coin”. But in February 2026, a different picture is emerging. While the broader crypto market takes a breather, XRP is suddenly generating volume and attention again. CoinPro.ch analyzes what’s behind this renaissance—and whether the long-promised bank adoption is finally becoming reality.
To understand the current momentum, you need to look beyond price charts and focus on the underlying infrastructure. For a long time, XRP’s main narrative was pure speculation about the outcome of the legal dispute with the SEC. That chapter is now history, replaced by regulatory clarity that makes XRP one of the few “legally secure” assets. This certainty is the foundation institutional investors are building on in 2026. Smart money is no longer chasing quick hype, but reliable frameworks for billion-dollar payment flows.
The fuel: RLUSD and liquidity
A key driver of the current development is Ripple Labs’ strategic shift toward stablecoins. With the establishment of Ripple USD (RLUSD), which has now reached a market capitalization of over $1.5 billion, the economics of the XRP Ledger (XRPL) have fundamentally changed. In the past, any bank that wanted to use the network had to fear XRP’s volatility as a bridge currency. Today, the stablecoin serves as a value-stable vehicle for transfers, while XRP is used in the background for transaction fees and as a liquidity anchor.
This symbiosis solves one of the biggest problems banks have had so far: they wanted the speed of blockchain, but not the risk of fluctuating prices on their balance sheets. Deep integration of RLUSD into the ecosystem is creating organic demand for XRP. When major financial service providers use liquidity pools to swap dollars into euros or yen into Swiss francs, this now happens more efficiently than ever on XRP infrastructure. Recent reports about RLUSD’s full integration on major trading platforms like Binance underline this trend toward mass adoption.
The SWIFT myth and the reality of ISO 20022
For years, a rumor has been circulating through forums that XRP will completely replace the classic SWIFT system. That idea was always exaggerated, but in 2026 we’re seeing an interesting convergence. Instead of destroying SWIFT, Ripple technology is increasingly integrating into existing standards. The global payments standard ISO 20022 is now largely implemented, and XRP was one of the first blockchains to meet this standard.
In practice, this means traditional banking systems and blockchain are finally speaking the same language. Current speculation about meetings between Ripple executives and SWIFT representatives in Miami is further fueling sentiment. Even if official confirmation of close cooperation is still pending, the direction is clear: the vision is no longer a revolution that burns everything down, but an evolution that makes existing systems faster and cheaper. It’s exactly this pragmatic approach that’s currently driving inflows from conservative asset managers.
The ETF hype and institutional inflows
Alongside technological use, the financial product layer also plays a major role. After Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs paved the way, the XRP spot ETF has become a reality in 2026. Providers like Franklin Templeton and Bitwise are seeing steady inflows. Unlike the often volatile moves of retail investors, this creates “floor liquidity”—a price floor supported by institutional holding.
Analysts at Standard Chartered and other major banks are putting XRP back in the spotlight, with price targets of $3 to $8 being discussed for 2026. These forecasts are based on the assumption that XRP could capture a significant share of SWIFT’s volume (estimated at up to 14% within the next few years). Even if such figures should be taken with caution, their very presence in reputable financial media shows that XRP has firmly arrived in the institutional sector.
| Feature / metric | Status / value (Feb 2026) |
|---|---|
| ISO 20022 status | Fully compliant (member of the committee) |
| RLUSD market cap | > $1.52 billion (growing) |
| Transaction Speed | 3–5 seconds to finality |
| Throughput (scalability) | ~1,500 transactions per second (TPS) |
| Average fee | 0.00001 XRP (fractions of a cent) |
| Primary use case | Cross-border settlement & banking bridge |
| ETF status (USA) | Spot ETFs approved & active (e.g., Bitwise, Franklin Templeton) |
| Key partners 2026 | SBI Holdings, Aviva Investors, Standard Chartered |
Conclusion
For investors in Switzerland and Germany, the current situation is particularly exciting. Switzerland established itself early on as a safe haven for crypto companies, thanks to FINMA’s clear stance and the DLT Act. Many Swiss banks already integrate XRP into their custody solutions. In Germany, increasing regulation through the MiCA regulation is also creating a safer environment, making XRP as a “regulated” asset particularly attractive for institutional portfolios.
However, anyone considering an investment shouldn’t ignore the risks. Despite the positive news, XRP remains an asset that depends heavily on global interest-rate policy and further adoption by major banks. Competition isn’t sleeping, and projects like Stellar (XLM) or new stablecoin infrastructures are also competing for the same market.
In summary: the rumors about bank adoption have a more solid foundation in 2026 than ever before. It’s less about “to the moon” slogans and more about integration and real use cases. XRP is changing from rebel to a serious infrastructure player. For investors in the DACH region, this means: XRP belongs on the watchlist more than ever—especially if you believe in the long-term merging of traditional banking and blockchain technology.
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