Ripple has announced its acquisition of prime brokerage giant Hidden Road for $1.25 billion, marking one of the most significant mergers and acquisitions in the history of the crypto industry.
This milestone deal follows closely on the heels of another billion-dollar transaction, as President Donald Trump’s re-election injects fresh momentum into the digital asset space. With expectations of looser regulatory frameworks, market optimism is surging.
The timing couldn’t be better for Ripple. Just last month, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission dropped its lawsuit against the company, which had accused Ripple of conducting an unregistered securities offering.
“We’re at a pivotal moment in the evolution of digital assets,” said Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse. “With the regulatory uncertainty of the previous SEC leadership finally behind us, the U.S. market is open in a way we haven’t seen before. The digital asset landscape is maturing to meet the demands of institutional finance — and Ripple is positioned at the forefront.”
Hidden Road, a powerhouse in global clearing, handles over $3 trillion annually and serves more than 300 leading institutional clients, including top-tier hedge funds. This acquisition cements Ripple’s place as a major player bridging the gap between traditional finance and the crypto economy.
Crypto’s upswing
The deal marks another powerful stride forward for the crypto industry, which continues to gain traction despite ongoing economic headwinds related to tariffs.
Just last month, cryptocurrency exchange Kraken announced its $1.5 billion acquisition of retail futures trading platform NinjaTrader — a move that underscores the sector’s growing ambition.
Meanwhile, stablecoin issuer Circle and trading platform eToro — which offers access to stocks, crypto, and other assets — have both filed for IPOs. While current market volatility may influence the timing, their plans signal strong confidence in long-term growth.
Venture funding in the crypto and blockchain sector surged to $3.8 billion across 220 deals in Q1, according to Crunchbase — a 138% increase over the previous quarter’s $1.6 billion across 242 deals.
This impressive growth was fueled in part by Binance’s landmark $2 billion investment from Abu Dhabi-based MGX, the largest single investment ever made in a crypto company.