Blockchain Meets Big Money

Ripple just made its boldest move yet — acquiring Hidden Road and officially opening a new office in Dubai. This isn't just expansion; it's a strategic play to anchor Ripple at the heart of the Middle East's booming financial sector. With this acquisition and full regulatory approval in the UAE now in hand, Ripple is set to scale its operations to unprecedented levels — and potentially reshape global finance in the process.

Let’s start with the acquisition…

Hidden Road, a prime brokerage powerhouse founded by Marc Asch (formerly of SAC Capital and Point72), has built a serious reputation in foreign exchange and digital assets. Backed by top-tier investors like Citadel Securities, Coinbase Ventures, and FTX Ventures, the firm specialises in clearing, financing, and margin for institutional clients — especially those looking to trade digital assets without directly holding them.

By bringing Hidden Road into the Ripple ecosystem, Ripple gains access to a full-stack prime brokerage platform with direct ties to liquidity providers like Wintermute, Virtu, and Optiver. That means the XRP Ledger (XRPL) now has the potential to handle multi-billion — possibly multi-trillion-dollar clearances across FX, crypto, and derivatives markets. This acquisition isn’t just about growth; it’s about plugging Ripple’s blockchain tech into the backbone of global institutional trading.

In a recent discussion, Mike Higgins, Global Head of Business Development at Hidden Road, highlighted the explosive growth of prime brokerage infrastructure. In 1999, daily FX (foreign exchange) turnover was US$1.2 trillion — with none of it flowing through prime brokerage platforms. By 2019, a report from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) showed that the FX market had grown to US$6.6 trillion per day, with US$1.5 trillion of that now clearing through prime brokerage systems. (And that’s just the FX market!)

Hidden Road currently processes over US$3 trillion annually for more than 300 institutional clients, including hedge funds and trading firms. With Ripple’s backing, the firm aims to expand across asset classes including FX, digital assets, derivatives, swaps, and fixed income. The integration with the XRPL will enhance interoperability between digital and traditional markets, positioning the combined entity as a formidable player in the global financial system.

The new Abu Dhabi office signals Ripple’s serious commitment to the Middle East — a region processing US$400B+ in annual trade and US$40B+ in remittances. Even more intriguing: sources suggest members of the UAE royal family may be linked to Ripple’s regional launch, signalling deep-rooted support and long-term strategic alignment.

Ripple President Monica Long has already been in high-level talks with UAE officials, paving the way for new cross-border payment partnerships, and with Hidden Road’s infrastructure and XRPL’s speed and scalability, Ripple is now poised to offer next-gen clearing and settlement — all-powered by blockchain.

The bottom line? Ripple isn’t just expanding — it’s building the rails for the next era of global finance. With Hidden Road onboard and a stronghold in Dubai, Ripple is turning vision into infrastructure — and the XRPL into a serious contender for global settlement dominance.