XRP Has Potential to Seize 14% of SWIFT’s Global Transactions, Says Ripple Chief

Garlinghouse: XRP Could Handle 1 in 7 SWIFT Transactions Within Five Years

SINGAPORE — Ripple’s chief executive Brad Garlinghouse believes XRP could soon play a dominant role in cross-border payments, potentially handling 14% of global transaction volume currently routed through SWIFT.

Speaking at the XRP APEX 2025 conference in Singapore, Garlinghouse emphasized XRP’s evolving role in international finance — particularly its strength in liquidity provisioning.

“SWIFT still controls the messaging rails, but the real bottleneck is in liquidity,” Garlinghouse said. “XRP is purpose-built to address that. Within five years, I think we’ll capture 14% of that volume.”

SWIFT, the global cooperative behind the financial system’s messaging infrastructure, enables banks to coordinate international money transfers — but it doesn’t actually move money. Those funds typically pass through multiple intermediaries, resulting in delays and inefficiencies.

Ripple, by contrast, offers a blockchain-based alternative that not only handles transaction messaging but also transfers capital in real time using XRP as a bridge currency. This allows for rapid settlement between disparate fiat currencies without the need for costly pre-funded accounts.

Garlinghouse framed the opportunity around seamless capital movement, calling it a key competitive edge.

Ripple’s strategy has already attracted corporate and institutional interest, especially in regions with fragmented banking systems. With regulators inching closer to clear rules around digital asset infrastructure, the company hopes to gain further traction.

If Ripple’s vision materializes, XRP could become a critical liquidity layer in global finance — reducing friction, lowering costs, and challenging the decades-long dominance of SWIFT.