Ripple Prime has announced a major strategic partnership with EDX Markets and EDXM International, aiming to more closely integrate digital asset markets with the traditional financial system for institutional investors. This initiative is designed to address challenges like fragmented liquidity and dispersed trading across multiple platforms—issues that large investment firms regularly face. Under this agreement, institutions will be able to access both spot and perpetual crypto markets through a single, unified platform, enabling more efficient and integrated trading operations.
Deepening institutional liquidity and next-gen brokerage infrastructure
Backed by major financial giants such as Charles Schwab, Fidelity, Citadel Securities, and Goldman Sachs, EDX Markets is supported by organizations that collectively manage assets exceeding $11.5 trillion and oversee more than 77 million investor accounts. The new platform profiles itself on transparency, governance, and institutional-grade trading quality, providing investment professionals with secure and effective access points to digital assets.
Michael Higgins, International CEO of Ripple Prime, called this collaboration a significant stride in the evolution of crypto brokerage infrastructure. He stressed that partnering with platforms like EDX—which bridges traditional finance and digital asset markets with security and liquidity—delivers the level of performance and depth clients demand.
Thanks to this new setup that allows for the unified management of both traditional and digital markets, institutions no longer have to open separate positions or allocate collateral for each platform. Consolidating liquidity under one roof leads to more effective use of capital and better risk monitoring.
The joint platform offers centralized credit intermediation, net settlement, and integrated collateral management, giving institutional investors direct access to deeper liquidity. Hedge funds, market makers, and large portfolio managers in particular benefit from managing their positions under a single system.
Settlement and margin innovations with the RLUSD stablecoin
A key aspect of the partnership is the planned integration of Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, pegged to the US dollar, into the EDX ecosystem for settlement and collateral purposes. Once implemented, institutions will be able to use RLUSD for depositing and withdrawing collateral in both spot and derivatives crypto trading. This is expected to reduce reliance on traditional banking infrastructure and boost cross-collateral efficiency, especially for large-volume transactions.
Mini glossary: RLUSD is Ripple’s stablecoin, designed to maintain a 1:1 peg with the US dollar. It is intended for use as collateral or a settlement asset in institutional transactions. Stablecoins like RLUSD help minimize price volatility in digital markets and accelerate transactions.
Tony Acuña-Rohter, CEO of EDX Markets, pointed out that institutions today require market infrastructure which combines the rigor of traditional finance with the agility of digital assets. He explained that with this partnership, clients will gain access to deep, transparent liquidity and high capital efficiency across both spot and perpetual crypto markets.
Bridging the gap between crypto and traditional finance
This strategic partnership delivers not just easier access to trading for institutional clients, but also accelerates the structural convergence of crypto and mainstream capital markets. As liquidity deepens and assets like RLUSD become part of institutional workflows, the boundaries between digital and traditional finance become increasingly blurred.
| Feature | Ripple Prime & EDX Markets | Traditional Spot Crypto Exchanges |
|---|---|---|
| Liquidity access | Institutional-level, unified access across multiple markets | Typically only platform-specific liquidity |
| Settlement-Collateral Management | Integrated, cross-asset management and netting support | Separate collateral management for each exchange |
| Stablecoin Integration | Settlement and margin opportunities with regulated assets like RLUSD | Limited integration, typically USDT/USDC only |
Ultimately, Ripple Prime’s move to prioritize institutional liquidity sharing is seen as a pioneering example in the institutionalization of crypto markets and accelerating integration between traditional finance and digital assets.




