When Ripple CEO declared, “We have been ready for this moment; the XRP community has been ready for this moment,” it resonated far beyond mere corporate optimism.
In a video clip posted by Subjective Views on X, his words struck a tone of purpose and imminence that caught the crypto world’s attention early in the week.
Ripple Links with Mastercard for Real-World Payments
The source of the CEO’s excitement lies in a newly announced partnership. Ripple is working with Mastercard, WebBank, and Gemini Trust Company to pilot settlement of Card payments using the regulated stablecoin RLUSD on the XRP Ledger (XRPL).
The initiative was disclosed publicly at the Swell 2025 event. The arrangement would mark one of the first times a U.S.-chartered bank uses a regulated stablecoin on a public ledger for card settlement.
There's only one thing we've all been waiting for: @bgarlinghouse pic.twitter.com/EzMdEgRcEe
— Subjective Views (@subjectiveviews) November 6, 2025
What the Pilot Means for Payments Infrastructure
This pilot is built around RLUSD, Ripple’s U.S.-dollar-backed stablecoin, which is already regulated under a New York State Trust Charter. By shifting settlement into a crypto-native environment like XRPL, Ripple and its partners aim to reduce settlement time, lower friction, and increase transparency behind the scenes of everyday card payments.
If successful, banks and merchants might adopt a system where traditional currencies (fiat) are transferred using blockchain technology, rather than relying solely on cryptocurrency transactions.
Ripple Swell: We’re collaborating with @Mastercard, WebBank, and @Gemini to introduce $RLUSD settlement on the XRP Ledger for fiat credit card payments, starting with the Gemini XRP Credit Card: https://t.co/36yoNBtM9f
This initiative sets a new benchmark for institutional… pic.twitter.com/7UVhCTfuo0
— Ripple (@Ripple) November 5, 2025
Why the XRP Community Is Cheering
For the XRP community, the development validates one of the core value propositions: real-world utility. The CEO’s message wasn’t just motivational, it signaled that Ripple’s infrastructure, developer base, and community liquidity may be entering a new phase.
Community buy-in matters for validator participation, on-chain activity, and ecosystem growth. The announcement spurred optimism in market watchers.
Challenges and Road Ahead
Even though the announcement is bold, it comes with caveats. The pilot is subject to regulatory approvals, issuer onboarding, and technical integration complexities. Ripple notes that the pilot is exploratory and that full roll-out may take time.
For stakeholders, it’s critical to temper expectations: promising pilots do not always translate into instant widespread adoption.
Final Thought
The CEO’s confident tone matches a concrete step forward. With the pilot between Ripple, Mastercard, WebBank, and Gemini, the message that “it’s definitely happening” reflects more than hope—it reflects action.
Whether the pilot scales remains to be seen, but for now, the XRP ecosystem is moving from promise toward proof.