XRP News: Could Ripple’s New Deal With a $190 Billion Payments Giant Spark XRP Price Recovery?
By Sam Daodu | Published April 2, 2026
In a noteworthy development for Ripple and its cryptocurrency XRP, Convera—a global payments company processing approximately $190 billion annually—has entered into a partnership to settle cross-border transactions using Ripple’s blockchain technology. This deal revives interest in whether Ripple’s expanding network might finally bolster XRP’s long-anticipated price recovery.
Convera and Ripple Announce Strategic Partnership
Convera, formerly the business payments division of Western Union until its $910 million spin-off in 2021, is now a standalone powerhouse operating across 200 countries and 140 currencies. Its CEO, Patrick Gauthier, who previously helmed Amazon Pay, oversees a client base exceeding 30,000 businesses—ranging from small- and medium-sized enterprises, financial institutions, to NGOs and educational entities.
The collaboration with Ripple involves leveraging the XRP Ledger to facilitate cross-border payments through a "stablecoin sandwich" settlement model. In this structure, transactions begin and end in traditional fiat currencies but settle midway using RLUSD, Ripple’s regulated stablecoin built on the XRP Ledger. Convera manages the customer-facing payment experience, while Ripple provides the blockchain infrastructure encompassing liquidity, currency on-ramps and off-ramps, and cross-border settlement services.
By targeting payment corridors where conventional banking rails are often slow, costly, or unreliable, this deal aims to offer businesses a more efficient and cost-effective alternative for international money transfers. Although the companies have not disclosed financial specifics or rollout timelines, Convera is concurrently piloting programmable trade settlements alongside Ripple within Singapore’s MAS BLOOM regulatory sandbox—indicating active live testing.
Western Union’s Past and Present Relations with Ripple
Notably, Western Union once trialed Ripple’s technology back in 2018, executing a mere 10 transactions between U.S. dollars and Mexican pesos, before discontinuing due to cost concerns. The CEO at the time regarded the initiative as “too expensive” without delivering evident savings. Now, the successor company Convera is adopting Ripple’s blockchain infrastructure but eschewing XRP in favor of the stablecoin RLUSD for settlement.
This evolution highlights a significant shift: large-scale corporate clients prioritize price stability for vast payment flows, making the volatile XRP less attractive compared to dollar-pegged stablecoins. Consequently, Ripple’s billings and public announcements rarely mention XRP directly, leaving many investors questioning the token’s role and impact.
Does This Deal Bring XRP Price Recovery Closer?
Despite Ripple’s continued business growth and expanding influence in traditional financial networks, XRP price performance does not always reflect these strides. Over the last six months, XRP has suffered a decline of over 60%, often falling after major Ripple partnership announcements.
Currently, the partnership with Convera does not create direct token demand since settlements center on RLUSD, not XRP. However, there remains a potential for XRP to serve as a bridging asset in this payment ecosystem if Ripple introduces its On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) services into Convera’s corridors—especially where stablecoin liquidity is limited.
Ripple’s CEO Brad Garlinghouse frequently describes XRP as the company’s “North Star,” underscoring the aspirational role of the token in their strategic roadmap. Moreover, regulatory clarity provided by the prospective passing of the U.S. CLARITY Act could grant Ripple the legal framework to deploy XRP for settlement activities, potentially unlocking new use cases and demand.
Infrastructure Growth vs. Immediate Token Impact
In the short term, XRP holders should temper expectations that Ripple’s latest landmark partnerships will drive an immediate price surge. Instead, this latest deal with Convera represents foundational infrastructure development—laying down the plumbing through which XRP could eventually flow.
Ripple’s expanding collaborations, including recent integrations with finance giants like Mastercard and pilots within Singapore’s regulatory frameworks, enhance its ecosystem but have yet to translate into sustained XRP buying pressure.
Ultimately, the trajectory of XRP’s price recovery appears linked to multiple factors beyond just business partnerships: regulatory clarity, real-world adoption of On-Demand Liquidity, and stablecoin versus token usage preferences in cross-border payments.
Conclusion
Ripple’s new deal with $190 billion payment processor Convera is a major step forward for the company’s global blockchain settlement ambitions. While it currently relies on stablecoins rather than XRP for settlement, the partnership lays significant groundwork for XRP’s potential future utilization.
For investors and XRP holders, patience remains essential. The deal is not a direct catalyst for price recovery today, but it solidifies Ripple’s growing infrastructure that might one day channel meaningful transaction volume through XRP, lifting its market prospects.
About the Author:
Sam Daodu is a crypto analyst with nearly a decade of experience clarifying blockchain technology for investors. He writes for 24/7 Wall St., covering Bitcoin, altcoins, and crypto market trends, and runs MacLabs Marketing, a content agency specializing in crypto brands. When not writing, Sam enjoys anime, fitness, and exploring music genres often deemed edgy.