Ripple, a leading enterprise blockchain company, has officially confirmed its acquisition of Rail, a payment infrastructure provider specializing in stablecoins, for a reported $200 million. This strategic move aims to significantly bolster Ripple's presence in the enterprise digital payments sector and solidify its position as a premier infrastructure provider for institutions conducting payments via stablecoins. The acquisition, confirmed by Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, is anticipated to be finalized by the end of 2025 or the fourth quarter of the current year, pending regulatory approvals.

Garlinghouse highlighted the acquisition as a pivotal step in Ripple's stablecoin strategy, emphasizing that the integration of Rail's capabilities will make Ripple the "go-to provider" for global financial institutions. Rail, a Toronto-based platform backed by firms like Galaxy Ventures, is recognized for its focus on enabling stablecoin-based cross-border payments and reportedly accounts for 10% of the global stablecoin flow. Its core offerings, including virtual accounts, third-party payment support, and treasury automation, will be seamlessly integrated into Ripple's existing payment network and API stack.

This acquisition aligns with Ripple's ongoing expansion and comes at a time when its own stablecoin, RLUSD, is rapidly gaining traction. Launched in December, RLUSD has swiftly climbed the stablecoin leaderboard, currently ranked 105th among all crypto assets by market capitalization. It boasts a circulating supply of 612.74 million, a market cap of $612.71 million, and a 24-hour trading volume of $45.26 million, placing it just below PayPal's PYUSD.

The purchase of Rail is part of Ripple's broader strategic acquisition spree. The company has already committed over $3 billion to such strategic initiatives, including the notable $1.25 billion acquisition of prime brokerage Hidden Road earlier this year. Ripple President Monica Long reiterated the company's strong acquisitive position, backed by billions of dollars on its balance sheet, and affirmed that the Rail deal further solidifies Ripple's leadership in the burgeoning stablecoin sector. Ripple currently operates one of the world's largest digital asset payment platforms, holding over 60 active licenses and supporting both XRP and other digital assets. The Rail acquisition will notably enhance infrastructure for stablecoin flows, enabling users to leverage these assets without directly holding crypto.