TL;DR
- Michael Higgins says blockchain infrastructure is becoming the foundation of “Wall Street 2.0,” as institutional finance shifts toward 24/7 markets, tokenization, and real-time settlement.
- Ripple Prime has tripled its year-over-year revenue following Ripple’s $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road, driven by growing institutional demand for digital asset services.
- Ripple believes regulated stablecoins, tokenized assets, and blockchain-based payment rails are reshaping global finance by reducing reliance on legacy banking infrastructure.
The company argues that the next phase of financial markets relies on always-on settlement, tokenized assets, and digital payment rails instead of systems built around traditional banking hours.
Great speaking with @shannybasar at @MarketsMedia about the momentum behind @Ripple Prime’s continued growth. The current crypto winter is not a digital asset winter: markets are moving toward 24/7 access and need always-on, blockchain-powered infrastructure to make this happen.…
— Mike Higgins (@mikehiggins) July 20, 2026
Building the Foundation for Wall Street 2.0
Michael Higgins, international chief executive of Ripple Prime, recently described blockchain infrastructure as the base layer for what he calls Wall Street 2.0 during an interview with Markets Media. According to Higgins, the recent slowdown in parts of the digital asset market has not reduced institutional interest in blockchaintechnology. Large financial firms continue exploring faster settlement, tokenization, and real-time liquidity management.
Ripple Prime has benefited from Ripple’s $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road, completed in late 2025. The transaction expanded Ripple’s institutional footprint by adding prime brokerage, clearing, and financing capabilities across multiple asset classes.
The company reports that Ripple Prime’s revenue has tripled compared with the previous year. Institutional clients increasingly seek integrated services covering foreign exchange, digital assets, derivatives, swaps, and fixed-income products through a unified operational framework.
Ripple Prime also secured a $200 million debt facility from Neuberger Specialty Finance, increasing its ability to provide financing and liquidity solutions for institutional market participants.
Blockchain Infrastructure Drives Institutional Finance
A central element of Ripple Prime’s strategy is replacing legacy settlement processes with blockchain-based systems that operate around the clock. Traditional financial infrastructure often limits collateral movement to banking hours, forcing institutions to maintain larger liquidity reserves during weekends and market closures.
Ripple believes regulated stablecoins such as RLUSD can improve collateral efficiency by enabling continuous transfers and settlement without relying on traditional payment networks. This approach aligns with broader industry trends as banks, asset managers, and payment companies continue testing tokenized deposits, digital bonds, and blockchain-based settlement platforms.
While major banks are expected to expand their presence in digital prime brokerage as regulatory clarity improves, Higgins argues that blockchain-native technology platforms hold a competitive advantage because they were built for multi-asset operations rather than adapted from decades-old financial infrastructure.