Last week, the cryptocurrency market witnessed remarkable developments, highlighted by Stellar’s (XLM) rapid 50 percent surge over just two days. This significant rally put the spotlight back on the underlying dynamics of major blockchain projects. Behind this sharp uptick was Stellar’s newly announced collaboration with financial infrastructure heavyweight DTCC.
Impact of the Stellar and DTCC partnership
DTCC is recognized globally as a major institutional force, providing clearing and settlement services for trillions of dollars in transactions. In a recent announcement, the Stellar team revealed that, in the first half of 2025, it would directly transfer U.S. stocks from the Russell 1000 index, large-scale exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and U.S. government bonds onto the Stellar blockchain. This move once again showcased real-world asset (RWA) tokenization as a primary driver for the market this year.
The immediate surge in market demand sparked a notable price jump for XLM. Stellar rebounded impressively, not only erasing losses from the previous year but also achieving a substantial leap within just a few days.
Glossary: DTCC (Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation) is a major U.S.-based institution managing the clearing and settlement of securities transactions. Blockchain integrations allow traditional financial products to meet new technology.
Why didn’t XRP experience a similar uptrend?
Investors in XRP have questioned why their token has not seen a similar price movement. During the same period, XRP’s price remained largely unchanged and has declined by 29.15 percent since the start of the year. The main reason is that Ripple’s interaction with DTCC actually took place back in March 2024, with this development already priced in at that time.
Ripple previously secured access to Wall Street’s settlement systems using its intermediary platform, Prime, which caters to institutional clients. However, the XRP token itself did not play a direct role in these workflows, which meant there was no immediate impact on its price from the partnership.
“XRP’s price had already responded to the major development in March. The market is now focused on the direct demand and benefits from Stellar’s new DTCC-integrated solution. As a result, XRP has taken a back seat during this cycle.”
Market capitalization is also an important factor. With Stellar’s valuation around $7 billion, it is easier to drive price appreciation compared to XRP’s much larger market cap of $80 billion or more.
| Parameter | Stellar (XLM) | XRP |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 YTD Return | +50% | -29.15% |
| Market Capitalization | $6.95 billion | $80.86 billion |
| DTCC Integration Date | May 2024 | March 2024 |
| Effect of DTCC Integration | Direct tokenization and price increase | Indirect, minimal impact on price |
What are the future expectations for XRP?
Experts point out that no major developments have yet sparked a large capital influx into $XRP. Catalysts such as the anticipated approval of the Clarity Act in the U.S. Senate, expected in the second half of 2025, and Ripple’s possible initial public offering, are considered strong triggers for future price movements in XRP. In other words, a significant rally in XRP will likely require more than on-chain tokenization – legal clarity and sizable new investments are awaited.
