A sweeping system upgrade at American Express (Amex)—linked to Federal Reserve payment infrastructure changes—is fueling speculation of renewed collaboration with Ripple, particularly its XRP-powered cross-border technology.
Key Highlights:
Amex’s upgrade delays have triggered rumors of RippleNet integration, due to their history in cross-border payment pilots.
Amex’s largest card overhaul ever, combined with its crypto reward partnership with Coinbase, suggests growing blockchain alignment.
No official confirmation from American Express, but crypto influencers like Versan of Black Swan Capitalist have reignited XRP integration theories.
XRP price is up ~1%, trading around $2.20, with limited reaction so far.
Why Are People Talking?
Amex is:
Modernizing its payments system
Launching a Coinbase One Card offering up to 4% BTC back
Deepening digital transformation at a time of crypto adoption tailwinds
Combined, this raises the question:
Is Ripple quietly becoming the bridge between legacy finance and crypto rails for Amex?
Amex was previously linked to RippleNet via a 2017 pilot using xCurrent, though XRP (the token) was not involved at the time.
Expert View:
“Payment infrastructure is being modernized, and Amex is a known Ripple partner.”
— Versan, Black Swan Capitalist
“This is a perfect opportunity for Ripple’s low-cost, instant cross-border settlement tech to be adopted at scale.”
— Unofficial industry commentary
Legal Update: Ripple vs. SEC Nears Final Resolution
Ripple dropped its cross-appeal, and the SEC is expected to do the same.
Despite this, a judge recently denied Ripple’s bid to reduce its $125M penalty and reverse institutional sale rulings.
Ripple’s CLO Stuart Alderoty reaffirmed that XRP’s non-security status remains intact.
Market Reaction
XRP is showing only modest upward movement (+1%) amid the speculation.
Investors may be waiting for clear confirmation of Ripple’s involvement before pricing in any major rally.
Bottom Line
While no formal announcement links Ripple to Amex’s ongoing system overhaul, the timing, history, and crypto positioning of Amex point to potential synergy. If confirmed, this would mark a significant real-world enterprise use case for XRP—bolstering its status beyond legal headlines.
Keep an eye on:
Statements from Amex or Ripple
Fedwire/instant payments adoption news
Broader enterprise adoption trends of RippleNet or XRPL EVM
