Inside Ripple’s Reported $50B Bet: Why the Firm is Buying Back $750M in Shares Right Now
Ripple Labs is preparing a major secondary share repurchase program that could value the company at $50 billion, according to a report that signals renewed confidence in the firm’s long-term position despite broader weakness in digital asset markets.
According to a Wednesday Bloomberg report, Ripple plans to buy back as much as $750 million worth of shares from existing investors and employees through a tender offer expected to remain open through April.
The proposed valuation represents a 25% increase from the $40 billion level attached to the company during its $500 million capital raise in November 2025.
Tender Offer Reflects Private Market Confidence
The buyback would allow current shareholders and employees to liquidate part of their holdings while giving Ripple tighter control over its private equity structure. Tender offers of this scale are often viewed as a signal that a company believes its current valuation still understates future growth potential, particularly when no public listing is immediately planned.
Ripple President Monica Long said during the company’s November fundraising round that the firm had no near-term intention to pursue an initial public offering.
Private market data suggests sentiment has not been entirely one-directional. Figures from Forge Global showed Ripple’s private share price fell more than 9% on Wednesday, suggesting that while the tender valuation is high, trading in secondary markets still reflects caution around broader crypto-sector uncertainty.
Ripple Expansion Strategy Extends Beyond Crypto Rails
The reported buyback comes as Ripple continues to expand into traditional financial infrastructure through acquisitions and licensing moves that extend beyond blockchain-based payments.
Ripple has already agreed to acquire Hidden Road in a deal valued at $1.2 billion, giving the company access to institutional prime brokerage capabilities outside its core digital asset settlement business. The firm completed an acquisition of GTreasury in October as well, strengthening its position in enterprise treasury solutions.
This week, Ripple confirmed plans to advance its presence in Australia by pursuing a financial services license through the acquisition of a local payments company, continuing a pattern of building regulated infrastructure in multiple jurisdictions.
Stablecoin Growth Adds To Balance Sheet Momentum
On Monday, Ripple said it had now processed more than $100 billion in transactions across its network, marking a major milestone for the company’s payment infrastructure.
Its stablecoin, Ripple USD, has also crossed a $1 billion market capitalization threshold less than two years after launch, reflecting growing institutional use of dollar-backed digital settlement assets.
RLUSD launched in December 2024 and has since become central to Ripple’s broader payments stack for banks and fintech firms seeking blockchain-based settlement without direct exposure to volatile cryptocurrencies.
Meanwhile, XRP has remained under pressure in public markets. The token has declined more than 53% over the past six months and was trading near $1.39 at publication, despite continued growth in Ripple’s business operations and infrastructure footprint.
National Trust Charter Remains Part of US Strategy
Ripple’s long-term U.S. regulatory ambitions also remain active.
In December, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency conditionally approved Ripple and several other crypto firms for national trust bank charters, a move that could allow the company to deepen its role in regulated financial services.
In its application, Ripple stated that the proposed charter would not be used to issue RLUSD directly, separating the banking initiative from its stablecoin issuance strategy.
