Ripple has unveiled a proposed lending protocol for the XRP Ledger that would allow financial institutions to borrow digital assets without selling their holdings, expanding the network’s institutional finance capabilities.

According to a proposal published by Ripple, the new XRP Ledger Lending Protocol is designed to fill what the company describes as a missing piece in blockchain-based finance. While tokenization has simplified the issuance and transfer of digital assets, Ripple argues that lending, collateral management, and credit infrastructure have not advanced at the same pace.

The proposal would support lending markets for tokenized U.S. Treasuries, money market funds, stablecoins, commodities, private credit, and other real-world assets on the XRP Ledger. 

Rather than embedding credit decisions into blockchain code, Ripple said lenders and borrowers would negotiate loan terms and complete compliance checks off-chain before transactions move to the network for execution.

Credit decisions stay off-chain while loan servicing moves on-chain

Ripple said the protocol separates institutional credit assessment from blockchain settlement. Once a loan has been approved, the XRP Ledger would automate operational tasks including interest calculations, repayment schedules, loan servicing, and default management.

According to Ripple, this structure was intentionally designed to keep underwriting and regulatory requirements under the control of financial institutions while using the blockchain for standardized execution. The company said this approach mirrors how traditional financial markets separate credit decisions from settlement infrastructure.

The proposal introduces two core building blocks. A Single Asset Vault would pool a single token for lending, while a dedicated Lending Protocol would manage loan origination, servicing, and repayment. Ripple said separating custody from lending infrastructure follows the model already used in conventional capital markets.

As one example, Ripple said a payment provider holding reserves of RLUSD could obtain short-term liquidity through the protocol while waiting for cross-border transactions to settle. According to the company, doing so would allow institutions to avoid liquidating reserve assets or relying on higher-cost bank credit facilities.

Institutional access depends on validator approval

Compliance remains a central part of the proposal. Ripple said both lenders and borrowers would need to complete identity verification before participating, with access controlled through permissioned credentials rather than open participation.

The company also proposed assigning first-loss capital at the lending facility level instead of distributing losses equally across all participants. According to Ripple, this structure is intended to create a clearer framework for allocating credit risk.

The lending framework has not yet become part of the XRP Ledger. Ripple said the technical specifications, published as XLS-65 and XLS-66, still require approval from XRPL validators before they can be activated on the main network. Until then, developers and infrastructure providers can begin testing the proposed system on the XRPL devnet.

The proposal arrives days after Ripple drew attention through another institutional finance connection. As previously reported by crypto.news, Elon Musk’s X has begun rolling out X Money to a limited group of Premium+ users using traditional banking infrastructure provided by Cross River Bank, a Ripple banking partner.

Although some members of the XRP community speculated that the relationship could eventually support blockchain-based payments or stablecoin services, neither X nor Cross River Bank has announced plans to integrate XRP or other cryptocurrencies into the payment platform.

For now, X Money operates entirely through conventional banking rails despite Musk previously suggesting crypto features could be added to the platform’s financial services in the future.

Key Highlights

• Over 140 corporations including Visa, Mastercard, and Stripe support the OUSD stablecoin initiative
• Consortium-driven governance replaces traditional single-issuer control structure
• Zero-fee minting and redemption model eliminates direct transaction costs for businesses
• Primary focus includes corporate payment systems, settlement operations, and treasury management
• Major South Korean corporations like Samsung, Dunamu, and Shinhan participate in the initiative

On June 30, 2026, Open Standard unveiled OUSD with endorsement from Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, and over 140 corporate partners. This initiative focuses on enterprise-scale payment infrastructure and settlement solutions, employing a collaborative governance framework rather than centralized control. The platform offers zero-cost token issuance and redemption, potentially streamlining stablecoin adoption across corporate environments.

Collaborative Governance Model Defines OUSD Framework

Open Standard unveiled OUSD as a consortium-driven digital dollar initiative. The alliance encompasses payment processors, financial institutions, tech enterprises, cryptocurrency exchanges, and blockchain service providers. This launch bridges conventional finance with digital asset ecosystems through unified operational infrastructure.

Unlike traditional stablecoins controlled by singular entities, OUSD operates through a partner-governed board system for strategic oversight. This framework provides member organizations with meaningful input on governance matters and strategic development.

The model distributes reserve income among participating organizations following operational expenses. Consequently, partners obtain tangible financial incentives tied to broader market penetration. This arrangement encourages active promotion since member firms benefit directly from ecosystem expansion.

Leading Payment Processors Anchor Extensive Corporate Coalition

Among Open Standard’s supporters, Visa, Mastercard, and Stripe represent the most prominent payment industry players. Their participation establishes robust connections to worldwide payment infrastructure and commercial networks. This involvement reflects growing institutional appetite for stablecoin-based settlement mechanisms.

Additional consortium members feature BlackRock, BNY, Coinbase, Google, IBM, Ripple, OKX, and Standard Chartered. The roster extends to BBVA, DBS, Mizuho, MoonPay, Rakuten Group, and Crypto.com. OUSD launches with comprehensive backing spanning banking, payment processing, technology sectors, and cryptocurrency services.

South Korean members comprise Samsung Electronics, Hanwha Group, Dunamu, and Shinhan Financial Group. The Korean contingent also features K-Bank, KB Kookmin Card, Samsung Card, BC Card, and Hana Card. Hyundai Card, NH Nonghyup Card, and Woori Card complete the regional partnership lineup.

Corporate Settlement Infrastructure Emphasizes Cost Efficiency

Open Standard architected OUSD for cost-effective, high-capacity stablecoin operations. Organizations can create and redeem tokens without transaction charges, based on release specifications. This characteristic holds particular significance for payment processing, treasury functions, and settlement workflows.

The platform eliminates predetermined supply caps. OUSD circulation can grow proportionally with rising commercial demand. This methodology seeks to accommodate substantial transaction volumes without imposed supply constraints.

OUSD deployment remains planned for late 2026. Upon launch, it will compete directly with dominant stablecoins like USDT and USDC. Open Standard frames OUSD as collaborative enterprise infrastructure rather than a centrally controlled financial instrument.

With more institutions embracing stablecoins, the competition is increasingly shifting from issuing tokens to determining who controls the underlying infrastructure and network.

Unlike most existing stablecoins, Open USD will allow businesses to mint and redeem tokens without fees while returning reserve income to participating partners, less a management fee. Governance will also be shared among members rather than controlled by a single issuer.

The model targets one of the core economics of today’s stablecoin market. Issuers such as Circle earn revenue by investing reserves backing their tokens in short-term U.S. Treasuries and retaining most of the interest generated by those assets. Open USD instead plans to distribute that yield to participating businesses.

The approach resembles the Global Dollar Network (USDG), a stablecoin consortium led by Paxos that shares reserve income with participating firms. That network is backed by companies including Robinhood, Kraken and Galaxy Digital, and was designed to encourage broader adoption by aligning incentives between the issuer and distribution partners.

In Europe, a group of banks and payment providers launched Qivalis, a venture to develop a euro-denominated stablecoin as financial institutions seek to build shared digital payment infrastructure.

The breadth of Open USD’s backing reflects that shift. Beyond Stripe, Coinbase, Mastercard and Visa, launch partners include BNY, Standard Chartered, DBS, U.S. Bank, Shopify, Google, IBM, Mercado Pago, Fireblocks, Anchorage Digital, MetaMask, Aave, Solana, Polygon and Ripple.

• REAL launches private execution layer for RWA institutions.
• ZKsync tech enables confidential on-chain settlement via Ethereum.
• Platform aims to bridge the privacy gap in institutional blockchain use.

REAL has introduced a confidential execution layer designed to support regulated financial institutions operating in tokenized real-world asset (RWA) markets, addressing one of the key barriers to broader institutional adoption of blockchain-based finance.

The new layer, built using ZKsync’s Prividium technology, operates alongside REAL’s public Layer 1 network.

According to the company, it enables institutions to keep positions, allocations, and counterparty data private while still benefiting from public settlement and liquidity through Ethereum.

The company said the confidential layer is intended to provide privacy controls without compromising compliance, liquidity, or distribution, allowing institutions to participate in onchain markets while maintaining the confidentiality required for regulated financial operations.

Confidential infrastructure targets institutional needs

REAL said the new execution layer is designed to bridge the gap between public blockchain infrastructure and the operational requirements of regulated financial institutions.

While public blockchains offer benefits such as global access, instant settlement, and composability, the company noted that institutions have been reluctant to conduct business on networks where sensitive information—including positions, treasury strategies, and counterparty relationships—is publicly visible.

Because the confidential layer settles transactions on Ethereum, institutions can access the broader onchain capital market while maintaining operational privacy instead of operating within isolated private networks.

Platform supports regulated financial workflows

According to REAL, the confidential execution layer is built to support a range of institutional workflows where privacy is considered essential.

These include wealth and asset management activities that require protected portfolio information, balance sheet operations, tokenized deposit models, and selective disclosure capabilities for auditors, compliance teams, and regulators when necessary.

The company said institutions using the platform will continue to benefit from blockchain-native settlement, distribution, and liquidity while avoiding the need to expose sensitive business activity on fully public networks.

The launch also expands REAL’s broader strategy of supporting the entire lifecycle of tokenized real-world assets within a compliance-focused infrastructure.

The company said its platform covers issuance, risk assessment, insurance, trading, and institutional execution under a single architecture designed for regulated financial markets.

REAL expands institutional blockchain offering

REAL describes itself as an institutional blockchain infrastructure provider focused on compliant real-world asset tokenization and risk-managed capital flows.

Built on Cosmos Tendermint, the platform supports multiple stages of onchain financial products, including issuance, compliance, liquidity, insurance, risk assessment, and trading.

The company said its dual-validator architecture combines technical validators with business validators such as tokenizers, risk scorers, insurers, and credit agencies to provide an infrastructure aimed at institutional trust.

The confidential execution layer uses ZKsync’s Prividium privacy technology, which is designed to enable regulated entities to operate onchain with configurable confidentiality, selective disclosure, and settlement on Ethereum.

A U.S. judge sentenced Chinese businessman Miles Guo, the billionaire behind the fraudulent crypto venture Himalaya Coin, to 30 years in prison, long after a trial jury found the well-connected defendant was guilty of several crimes in 2024.

Guo, 55, also known as Ho Wan Kwok and a number of other aliases, was a self-imposed exile from China who had a close relationship with Steve Bannon, the former strategist of President Donald Trump who has had his own legal entanglements. In 2021, Guo had pushed his fraudulent crypto token, known as H-Coin, telling prospective buyers that it was 20% backed by gold and that the operation would cover 100% of investment losses.

He was said to pull in $500 million in investments, which was just one element of what U.S. authorities called “interrelated fraud schemes” perpetrated over five years, leading to his conviction on counts including racketeering, fraud and money laundering.

Key Takeaways

• RZLV shares advance 9.42% following shareholder endorsement of $300M share repurchase authorization

• Company anticipates UK Court clearance by mid-September 2026

• Rezolve Ai maintains FY26 revenue projection of approximately $360 million

• Company aims for minimum $500 million annual recurring revenue by year-end 2026

• Repurchase program provides board discretion without mandating specific share quantities

Rezolve AI PLC (RZLV) shares climbed 9.42% to reach $2.8450 following shareholder authorization of a substantial share repurchase program. The stock experienced an early jump after market open and maintained strength throughout the session near session highs. This approval provides the company with a strategic mechanism to address what management views as a market valuation disconnect.

Rezolve AI PLC, RZLV

Annual Meeting Delivers Buyback Mandate

During the company’s Annual General Meeting, Rezolve Ai shareholders voted to authorize both capital reduction and share repurchase capabilities. This mandate permits the board to execute buybacks totaling up to $300 million. The initiative still requires customary UK Court confirmation before any share repurchases can commence.

This authorization grants Rezolve Ai operational latitude to acquire ordinary shares in accordance with UK Companies Act 2006 provisions. Management anticipates completing the court approval process by mid-September 2026. Following judicial clearance, the company intends to initiate repurchases when market dynamics align with strategic board determinations.

According to Rezolve Ai’s announcement, the repurchase program may leverage open market acquisitions, block transactions, or private negotiations. The company noted it may occasionally repurchase shares from BTIG. Importantly, the program establishes no obligation to purchase any predetermined share volume.

Company Connects Repurchase Plan to Expansion Trajectory

Rezolve Ai characterized the shareholder vote as validation of its strategic direction and expansion prospects. Management stated that current market capitalization fails to capture the company’s operational scale. The company also highlighted accelerating commercial traction within its enterprise client portfolio.

The firm disclosed it currently supports over 1,000 enterprise clients worldwide. Additionally, Rezolve Ai reported approximately $60 million in preliminary revenue for the first quarter of 2026. Management reiterated its full fiscal year 2026 revenue target of roughly $360 million.

This projection represents approximately 7.5 times the company’s fiscal 2025 revenue baseline. Rezolve Ai also forecasts exiting 2026 with no less than $500 million in annual recurring revenue. Consequently, the buyback authorization coincides with an aggressive growth narrative the company continues to advance.

Brain Suite Platform Powers Digital Commerce Strategy

Rezolve Ai competes in the AI-powered commerce sector through its Brain Suite platform. This technology assists retailers, consumer brands, and financial services organizations in optimizing digital sales workflows. The platform facilitates search functionality, customer interaction, product suggestions, and transaction completion.

The company markets Brain Suite as foundational infrastructure for instantaneous commerce intelligence. It serves enterprises requiring accelerated product discovery and enhanced customer personalization. Accordingly, Rezolve Ai attributes its growth trajectory to rising enterprise adoption of automated commerce solutions.

RZLV’s rally demonstrated robust investor response to the buyback authorization combined with refreshed growth indicators. The stock’s 9.42% appreciation renewed market attention following the shareholder decision. Nevertheless, the repurchase program remains contingent upon court confirmation and board execution.