Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has announced that the company now owns over $100 billion worth of XRP , marking a significant milestone for the blockchain-based payments firm. The revelation highlights Ripple’s dominant position in the cryptocurrency ecosystem, especially as the company navigates shifting regulatory landscapes and rising demand for its solutions. Ripple’s $100 Billion XRP Holdings In a recent interview, Garlinghouse confirmed Ripple's ownership of over 72% of the total issued XRP tokens, translating to a valuation exceeding $100 billion. This far surpasses earlier estimates of Ripple’s worth, including a 2024 valuation of $11 billion . Garlinghouse pointed out that such figures no longer reflect the true value of Ripple when its substantial XRP holdings are taken into account. This positions Ripple ahead of major players like MicroStrategy in terms of digital asset holdings, reinforcing its importance in the cryptocurrency market. While MicroStrategy holds a...

  Sucden Financial , a leading multi-asset execution, clearing, and liquidity provider, has announced the opening of its new European office in Hamburg, Germany , marking a significant milestone in the company’s global expansion strategy. The move comes as demand for Sucden Financial’s services continues to grow across Europe. A Strategic Step Forward The new office, operating under the name Sucden Financial Hamburg GmbH , is licensed by Germany’s Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and holds Category 4 membership with the London Metal Exchange (LME) . This strategic expansion underscores Sucden Financial’s commitment to delivering specialized services to clients across the European Union. The Hamburg office will initially provide access to LME contracts , catering to industrial metals users, producers, and recyclers in Germany and beyond. Future plans include offering European clients access to commodity derivatives and foreign exchange markets . Leadership Driving In...

  The U.S. government has been granted permission to liquidate a staggering 69,370 Bitcoins (BTC) seized from the notorious Silk Road marketplace, marking a pivotal moment in the cryptocurrency landscape. With an estimated value of $6.5 billion , this move is expected to influence Bitcoin's market dynamics while sparking debates about the implications of such large-scale liquidation. The Silk Road Bitcoin Legacy Silk Road, operational from 2011 to 2013, was a darknet marketplace primarily used for the trade of illegal goods, often transacted in Bitcoin. Following its shutdown and the arrest of founder Ross Ulbricht , U.S. authorities seized a massive trove of Bitcoin linked to the platform’s activities. The 69,370 BTC in question constitutes one of the largest cryptocurrency seizures in history. After years of holding these assets, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has decided to liquidate the Bitcoins, citing price volatility as a key motivator. Legal and Economic Justifications T...

  Shiba Inu (SHIB), the popular meme-based cryptocurrency, is turning heads once again with impressive price movements and renewed market interest. Over the past week, SHIB has showcased its potential through whale activity, massive token burns, and promising developments in its ecosystem. Here's a comprehensive look at what’s driving SHIB’s bullish momentum. SHIB Price Surges to Multi-Month High At the time of writing, SHIB is priced at $0.00002421 , reflecting a 1.66% increase in the past 24 hours and a 15% gain over the last week. This marks a significant step toward reclaiming its 52-week high of $0.00004533 , achieved in March 2024. The renewed rally is bolstered by an increase in trading volume by 17% , signaling growing trader interest. The SHIB futures market has also seen a resurgence in activity, as open interest metrics indicate new long positions entering the market. The bullish sentiment has investors optimistic about SHIB breaching key resistance levels like $0.00003...

  London Capital Group (LCG), a UK-based CFDs and FX broker, has faced significant financial challenges, culminating in a £6 million loss in 2023. However, the company anticipates a turnaround, projecting profitability in the second half of 2024 due to a strategic pivot in its business model. The Shift to an Introducing Broker Model In mid-2023, LCG transitioned from a traditional brokerage model to operating as an introducing broker. This strategic shift, spearheaded by CEO Dave Worsfold and Managing Director Matt Basi , involves partnering with industry leaders such as IG Group and its parent company, FlowBank . Under this new model, LCG generates revenue by introducing clients to partner firms, which pay LCG a portion of trading fees. This change has allowed LCG to: Outsource technology, client onboarding, and custody services. Reduce operating costs significantly. Focus on providing high-touch, bespoke client services. Financial Challenges in 2023 Despite the strategic pivot,...

  Polish retail FX and CFDs broker, XTB S.A. (WSE:XTB) , has announced that its Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Jan Byrski , will step down from his position effective January 15, 2025 . The resignation is attributed to personal reasons , according to a brief statement from the company. While XTB has not provided further details or announced a successor, this marks a notable transition in its leadership. Jan Byrski: A Distinguished Career Byrski joined XTB’s board as Chairman in December 2021 , playing a pivotal role in shaping the company’s governance and strategic direction. Beyond his corporate role, Byrski is a well-regarded academic and legal expert. He serves as a Professor of Economic Law at the Faculty of Finance at Kraków University of Economics , specializing in areas such as financial innovation law, legal protection of information, and IT and TMT law. Byrski’s other notable contributions include: Partnering at Traple Konarski Podrecki & Partners , providing lega...

  XRP has started 2025 with an impressive rally, gaining 11.92% on January 1 , and continuing to surge in the days following. The cryptocurrency associated with Ripple is now trading above $2.37 , showing strong bullish momentum. Here’s what’s fueling the surge and what lies ahead for XRP. Key Factors Driving XRP’s Rally 1. Increased Network Activity and Transaction Volumes Recent data shows heightened activity within the XRP ecosystem: Payment Volume Surge : XRP’s transaction volume from wallet to wallet reached multi-week highs. Escrow Release : Ripple moved 500M XRP tokens (worth over $1 billion) from escrow into a new wallet, which included a note referencing the upcoming inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20, sparking excitement within the market. 2. Open Interest Spikes XRP’s futures open interest increased by 25% in the first two days of January, rising from $1.86 billion to $2.37 billion . This indicates new money entering the market, with long positions dominatin...