Ripple CEO: XRP Could Seize 14% of SWIFT’s Market Share in Cross-Border Payments

SINGAPORE — Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse says XRP could capture as much as 14% of the global volume currently handled by SWIFT within five years, positioning the token as a core infrastructure layer for international payments.

Speaking at the XRP APEX 2025 conference in Singapore on Wednesday, Garlinghouse pointed to XRP’s growing utility in facilitating real-time liquidity for cross-border transfers.

“SWIFT today does two things: it handles messaging and relies on banks for liquidity,” Garlinghouse said. “I’m less focused on messaging and more on the movement of capital. If XRP powers that liquidity, that’s a big opportunity — I’d project a 14% market share in five years.”

While SWIFT remains the backbone for global interbank messaging, it doesn’t directly move money. Instead, it signals instructions between banks, leaving actual transfers to intermediary institutions — a process that can take days and rack up fees.

Ripple’s pitch is to streamline this system by offering both the message and the money in a single, blockchain-based solution. XRP, Ripple’s native token, is used as a bridge asset, allowing funds to be converted and transferred across borders instantly without the need for pre-funded accounts in destination countries.

The approach could significantly cut costs and settlement times for international transactions — especially for institutions seeking more efficient liquidity management.

Ripple has long argued that its infrastructure offers a superior alternative to the legacy systems underpinning the global financial network. With continued momentum in institutional adoption and regulatory clarity advancing, XRP’s role in the evolving cross-border payment landscape may be poised for expansion.