Ripple’s global payments narrative may be gaining fresh momentum as one of its key partners, Thunes, unveils a new development that could further strengthen cross-border settlement infrastructure. As the demand for faster, cheaper, and more efficient international payments continues to rise, strategic partnerships like Thunes play a crucial role in expanding real-world utility across the XRP ecosystem.
Thunes Expands Its Role In The Global Payments Ecosystem
A recent announcement from Thunes could significantly strengthen XRP’s position in the global payments landscape. Analyst XFinanceBull on X has revealed that the company has officially launched real-time payment capabilities in the United States through a direct connection with a Tier 1 financial institution, enabling access to ACH, Same-Day ACH, and all real-time payment rails.
The development comes as Thunes continues to strengthen its international footprint. Thunes holds 50 Money Transmitter Licenses, allowing it to operate across every US state and territory, mirroring Ripple’s regulatory reach. Both companies now independently have institutional-grade access to US clearing systems.
Thunes network already spans 140 countries, supports 90 currencies, and connects to more than 12 billion mobile wallets, stablecoin wallets, and bank account endpoints. Following its expanded partnership with Ripple in September 2025, Thunes integrated blockchain and digital asset technology into its direct global network, leveraging Ripple payments to enhance its SmartX Treasury System.
Meanwhile, Thunes has plugged real-time US settlement into the same network that uses the Ripple blockchain payments infrastructure and XRP as a bridge asset. Over 140 countries can now send money to the US through rails connected to Ripple technology.
Ripple payments have near-global coverage with over 90 payout markets processing more than $70 billion in volume. This integration gives XRP a direct pathway into Tier 1 US banking through a partner that holds licenses in every state.
Institutional Interest Fuels XRP Ledger’s Next Phase Of Growth
The XRP Ledger real-world asset (RWA) ecosystem officially surpassed $3 billion in tokenized value in April. According to an analyst known as BankXRP on X, the incredible insights shared by Luke Judges, Partner Director at RippleX, at Istanbul Blockchain Week, break down exactly where the momentum is heading for real-world asset tokenization. Furthermore, the $3 billion milestone is driven by a highly diversified mix of assets, underscoring Ledger’s expanding institutional utility across multiple segments of finance.
Looking ahead, the next big wave of growth is expected to center around cash and cash-equivalent assets. Money market funds and US Treasury bills, alongside tokenized equities, are being viewed as prime targets for infrastructure disruption. The broader vision is moving toward a globally distributed financial system where regulated assets can trade seamlessly across asset classes through a unified order book.
