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Ripple

An American technology company which develops the Ripple payment protocol and exchange network

Categories

Technology  
Ripple
Leadership team

Ryan Fugger  (Concept Originator)

Alan Safahi  (Advisory Board)

Brad Garlinghouse (Chief Executive Officer)

David Schwartz  (Chief Cryptographer and Chief Technology Officer))

Ken Kurson  (Advisory Board)

Chris Larsen (Founder)

Jed McCaleb (Founder)

Industries

Technology

Products/ Services
Ripple Payment and Exchange Network
Number of Employees
1,000 - 20,000
Headquarters
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Established
2012
Social Media
Summary

Ripple is a technology company at the forefront of blockchain innovation, with a mission to revolutionize the global payments landscape. By harnessing the power of blockchain technology, Ripple offers financial institutions the ability to conduct payments swiftly, securely, and economically while ensuring transparency at every stage of the transaction process.

Ripple's suite of products and solutions is already in active use by numerous banks, payment service providers, and financial institutions in over 50 countries worldwide. These products are designed to bring about significant improvements in payment processing, offering instant transactions, high reliability, cost-effectiveness, and comprehensive end-to-end visibility.

The company's overarching objective is to modernize the outdated infrastructure of global payments, which is often plagued by inefficiencies, delays, and high costs. Ripple's innovative approach not only benefits financial institutions but also holds the potential to transform the way individuals and businesses conduct cross-border payments and remittances.

In summary, Ripple is a pioneering technology company committed to driving positive change in the world of finance by using blockchain to facilitate faster, more secure, and cost-efficient payments, all while promoting transparency in the global payments ecosystem.

History

Ripple, a blockchain technology company, has a rich history that spans several key milestones and developments:

Origins and Ideation (2004-2011): Ripple's journey began in 2004 when Ryan Fugger conceptualized a decentralized monetary system that would empower individuals and communities to create their own currencies. Fugger laid the foundation for this vision with RipplePay.com. Around the same time, in 2011, Jed McCaleb started developing a digital currency system that verified transactions through consensus rather than mining, as seen in Bitcoin.

Formation of OpenCoin (August 2012): In August 2012, Jed McCaleb and Chris Larsen came together to create OpenCoin. They approached Ryan Fugger with their digital currency idea, and after discussions with key members of the Ripple community, Fugger handed over control. OpenCoin marked the beginning of Ripple's formal development.

Introduction of Ripple Protocol and Funding (2013): OpenCoin initiated the development of the Ripple protocol (RTXP) and the Ripple payment and exchange network. In April 2013, the company announced the closure of an angel funding round with support from venture capital firms. That same month, OpenCoin acquired SimpleHoney to promote virtual currencies and make them more accessible to the average user.

Rebranding to Ripple Labs (September 2013): On September 26, 2013, OpenCoin officially changed its name to Ripple Labs, Inc., reflecting its focus on developing innovative blockchain solutions.

Regulatory Challenges and Rebranding (2015): In 2015, Ripple faced regulatory challenges and received a civil money penalty from the U.S. Treasury's FinCEN for violating the Bank Secrecy Act. To emphasize its commitment to compliance and innovation, the company rebranded from Ripple Labs to Ripple in October 2015.

New York BitLicense (June 2016): In June 2016, Ripple obtained a virtual currency license from the New York State Department of Financial Services, making it one of the few companies to hold a BitLicense in the state.

Legal Disputes and Settlement (2017-2018): Ripple was involved in a legal dispute with R3 over an option agreement. However, in September 2018, the two parties reached an undisclosed settlement agreement.

Global Expansion and Partnerships (2018): Ripple continued its global expansion and collaboration with financial institutions. Notably, a Japanese bank consortium launched "MoneyTap," a Ripple-powered mobile app for domestic payments in Japan. Spanish Banking group Santander also released "One Pay FX," the first mobile application for international payments using Ripple's xCurrent technology.

SEC Lawsuit (2020-2023): In December 2020, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Ripple and its executives with violating investor protection laws for conducting an unregistered securities offering. This lawsuit continued into 2023, with a court ruling in July stating that XRP was not a security, though the case's outcome remains uncertain.

Acquisitions and Regulatory Approvals (2023): In May 2023, Ripple acquired Metaco, a Swiss crypto custody firm, for $250 million. Additionally, Ripple received approval from the central bank of Singapore to offer regulated digital payment token products and services in June 2023.

Ripple's history is marked by its dedication to modernizing the global payments infrastructure, its adaptability to regulatory challenges, and its ongoing efforts to provide innovative blockchain solutions for the financial industry.

Mission

Ripple's mission is to revolutionize global payments by leveraging blockchain technology to enable instant, reliable, cost-effective, and transparent cross-border transactions for financial institutions, businesses, and individuals.

Vision

Ripple's vision is to create a more efficient, accessible, and interconnected global financial system by leveraging blockchain technology to enable faster, cost-effective, and transparent cross-border transactions.

Key Team

Jed McCaleb (Founder)

Chris Larsen (Founder)

Products and Services

Ripple offers a range of products and services aimed at modernizing global payments:

RippleNet: Ripple's network connects financial institutions, enabling them to conduct fast, secure, and low-cost cross-border transactions.

XRP Cryptocurrency: XRP, Ripple's native digital currency, serves as a bridge asset for facilitating international transfers within RippleNet.

On-Demand Liquidity (ODL): ODL leverages XRP for real-time liquidity provisioning, reducing the need for pre-funded accounts in various currencies.

References
Ripple
Leadership team

Ryan Fugger  (Concept Originator)

Alan Safahi  (Advisory Board)

Brad Garlinghouse (Chief Executive Officer)

David Schwartz  (Chief Cryptographer and Chief Technology Officer))

Ken Kurson  (Advisory Board)

Chris Larsen (Founder)

Jed McCaleb (Founder)

Industries

Technology

Products/ Services
Ripple Payment and Exchange Network
Number of Employees
1,000 - 20,000
Headquarters
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Established
2012
Social Media