TL;DR
- Ripple’s CEO forecasts stablecoins soaring from $250 billion today to $1–2 trillion, driven by massive institutional demand and clearer regulations.
- RLUSD just hit a $500 million market cap and tapped BNY Mellon as custodian, marking big banks’ embrace of regulated digital dollars.
- From Amazon and Walmart pilots to Transak on-ramps and the GENIUS Act, enterprises and lawmakers are fast-tracking stablecoins into mainstream finance.
Ripple’s CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, thinks the stablecoin market is about to grow significantly, possibly increasing from its present value of $250 billion to nearly $2 trillion in the coming years. Speaking on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Garlinghouse described the shift as “profound,” framing stablecoins as a crucial bridge between traditional finance and decentralized networks.
With Ripple’s own enterprise-grade token, RLUSD, now backed by banking giant BNY Mellon, the company is primed to ride the coming wave of digital-dollar adoption.
Bullish Multi-Trillion Dollar Forecast
Garlinghouse told viewers that industry estimates foresee stablecoins growing nearly tenfold, fueled by surging institutional demand and clearer regulatory guardrails. He noted the market’s rise from infancy, just $5 billion in 2020, to $250 billion today, and argued that hitting $1–2 trillion is within reach.
Apollo Capital’s CIO, Henrik Andersson, echoed the view, pointing to banks, fintechs, and major retailers all planning token launches. He cited Tether’s profitability and a flurry of new entrants as evidence that dollar-pegged tokens will reshape global payments.
RLUSD and BNY Mellon Partnership
At the heart of Ripple‘s plan is RLUSD, a coin tied to the dollar that was introduced in late 2024. This week, it reached a market cap of $500 million and appointed BNY Mellon as its main custodian. Under the deal, BNY will safeguard reserve assets and provide transaction banking services to power RLUSD conversions. Garlinghouse hailed the collaboration as a signal that legacy institutions now view stablecoins as safe, regulated instruments rather than fringe tokens.
Enterprise-Grade Stablecoins Catch Fire
Apart from Ripple, businesses like Amazon and Walmart are looking into the use of stablecoins. Recent integration of RLUSD with payments platform Transak opens the token to millions of new on- and off-ramps. Meanwhile, Circle continues to grow USDC’s $62 billion ecosystem, and central banks worldwide explore digital-dollar equivalents.
As enterprises seek speed, cost efficiency, and programmability, stablecoins are fast becoming the default rails for cross-border treasury, payroll, and supply-chain finance. Legislative progress is amplifying confidence. The GENIUS Act, which aims to give legal-tender status to U.S. stablecoins, passed the Senate in June, as the SEC takes a more crypto-friendly approach.
