Levi Rietveld Sparks Debate Among XRP Community
Crypto analyst Levi Rietveld of Crypto Crusaders reignited interest in the U.S. payment overhaul through a post on X. In the clip he shared, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell highlighted the scale and purpose of the central bank’s investment in modern settlement infrastructure.
Powell stated:
“We’re also, as you know, investing heavily right now in building a new settlement system for instant payments. In the U.S., it’ll be the first such major expansion of our core payment systems since the 1970s. We found the case for this quite compelling for consumers, businesses, and just ensuring that all financial institutions have access to the payment system.”
Rietveld’s post has since drawn attention among XRP supporters, who interpret the Fed’s commitment to instant settlement as validation of the broader trend toward real-time payments — a domain where XRP has long claimed leadership.
Big Moves in U.S. Payments
#XRPpic.twitter.com/5yu3dvzcid
— Levi | Crypto Crusaders (@LeviRietveld) October 7, 2025
FedNow: The U.S. Enters the Instant Payment Era
The Federal Reserve’s FedNow Service, launched in July 2023, represents a pivotal step toward real-time banking. The platform allows financial institutions to clear and settle payments instantly, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, marking the first such modernization of U.S. payment rails in nearly fifty years.
At its launch, Powell explained the system’s potential benefits:
“Over time, as more banks choose to use this new tool, the benefits to individuals and businesses will include enabling a person to immediately receive a paycheck or a company to instantly access funds when an invoice is paid.”
While over 500 banks had joined the network by 2024, Powell acknowledged that adoption would take time:
“It’s early days. We expect it’ll take some time, but it’s there — and we think it’ll be beneficial.”
Despite the gradual rollout, the Fed’s long‑term goal remains clear — to ensure that every U.S. financial institution, regardless of size, has equal access to fast, secure, and affordable payment capabilities.
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— TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) June 15, 2025
What It Means for XRP and Blockchain Settlements
The Fed’s modernization efforts introduce both competition and collaboration potential for blockchain‑based systems such as XRP Ledger. FedNow is not a cryptocurrency network — it’s a centralized, bank‑facing rail — but its introduction raises expectations for settlement speed and efficiency across the financial sector.
For XRP holders, the implications are twofold:
The Fed’s push for instant payments could reduce the urgency for banks to explore external blockchain‑based solutions.
However, it could also open new avenues for interoperability, where XRP and other blockchain platforms integrate with or complement traditional systems to handle cross‑border liquidity and off‑hours settlements.
Experts argue that as the FedNow system matures, financial institutions may still turn to tokenized liquidity solutions — such as those powered by XRP — to achieve cross‑border reach and on‑demand currency conversion that domestic systems alone cannot provide.
A Converging Future for U.S. Payments
Jerome Powell’s comments, amplified by Levi Rietveld’s post, highlight a broader transformation already underway. The United States is not only catching up to real‑time payment standards seen in regions like Europe and Asia. It is also setting the stage for hybrid settlement models — ones that may blend centralized rails with decentralized liquidity networks.
For the XRP community, this is a pivotal moment. As the Fed reshapes domestic payments, XRP’s relevance will hinge on its ability to integrate with, rather than compete against, these new systems. The race toward instant settlement is on — and the U.S. Federal Reserve has officially entered the field.