Meta Plans to Acquire Ripple: A Reality Check

Rumors are circulating in the fintech and crypto community about the possible acquisition of Ripple Labs by tech giant Meta. This speculation was prompted by a recent interview on the TechPath YouTube channel featuring XRP Las Vegas event manager Bradley Kimes. Is Meta planning to acquire Ripple? During the discussion, Barrow highlighted Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's renewed interest in stablecoins and cross-border payments, an area that Ripple has been involved in for a long time. Therefore, if it materializes, rumors of a Meta acquisition could be related to interest in Ripple's XRP and RLUSD stablecoins. "Can we see a potential end here when someone like Meta pursues Ripple?" Barrow asked. Here, he consulted Zuckerberg about the profitability of cross-border payment systems. "Zuckerberg is just saying that their profits will double if they can engage in cross-border payments." Kimes did not confirm any agreements but acknowledged the broader trend of mergers and acquisitions across the industry. "Whether it's Ripple or Meta targeting them or anything else, I see this as a time when such special things could happen," he said. "Meta must have a plan. Now, if that plan involves trying to acquire Ripple, I don't know." Zuckerberg's comments at an event hosted by Stripe have also fueled speculation. He described global money transfers as "ridiculously difficult" and stated that "someone needs to build a stablecoin... it needs to have a certain scale to become a standard." Barrow believes that Ripple's established user base—over 6.5 million holders—represents the kind of scale that Zuckerberg is looking for. Meta's recent hiring decisions have added to the appeal. Ginger Baker, Meta's current VP of Product, has ties to the Stellar Foundation, Plaid, and First Horizon, which have deep ties to the payments and blockchain industries. Kimes also referenced a broader model of strategic links: "It's like Ripple trying to acquire Circle... "All of this happening tells me the bigger sign that this is not going to change and go in the other direction." The XRP Las Vegas event, scheduled to take place on May 30-31, is expected to be the stage for industry announcements. "If history is any measure, last year and every year, we always have something on stage that is hot news," Kimes stated. When asked how the XRP community might react to a potential Meta-Ripple partnership, Kimes confidently replied: "I think they will support... Whatever they do, it is in Ripple's best interests and pursues the widespread adoption of technology and innovation." With increasing speculation, many are watching the developments that may occur at the upcoming event. Currently, both Ripple and Meta have not made any official comments on this issue.