If XRPL Handles 100% of Hidden Road’s Transaction Volume, Here’s the XRP Price Prediction

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The recent acquisition of Hidden Road by Ripple has sparked intense speculation about the future of XRP, particularly regarding how a surge in transaction volume could influence its price. With Hidden Road processing an estimated $3 trillion in annual transactions, the integration of its operations into the XRP Ledger (XRPL) could significantly boost network activity—and potentially, XRP’s market value.

This strategic move underscores Ripple’s growing focus on institutional clients and its ambition to bridge traditional finance with blockchain technology. But what happens if XRPL were to handle 100% of Hidden Road’s transaction volume? Let’s explore the implications, leveraging insights from xAI’s Grok AI model, and analyze the potential ripple effects on XRP’s price, adoption, and long-term utility.

Ripple Confirms RLUSD for Post-Trade Settlement

A key development following the acquisition is Ripple’s confirmation that its native stablecoin, Ripple USD (RLUSD), will be used for post-trade settlement within Hidden Road’s operations. This positions RLUSD as a central component of Ripple’s institutional strategy.

Since RLUSD operates on the XRP Ledger, most of these transactions will flow through XRPL. While XRP itself isn’t used to settle trades directly, it plays a crucial role in network functionality—each transaction requires a small XRP fee, which is then permanently destroyed (burned) by the network.

👉 Discover how blockchain settlement is transforming institutional finance.

This deflationary mechanism slowly reduces the total supply of XRP over time. Given that Hidden Road handles approximately $3 trillion in transactions annually, even partial migration to XRPL could lead to a noticeable increase in transaction count—and thus, XRP burn rate.

Could $3 Trillion in Volume Drive XRP Price Growth?

To assess the potential impact, we turned to Grok, the AI chatbot developed by xAI, for a data-driven analysis. Grok emphasizes that predicting an exact price is complex due to multiple variables: the actual volume transitioned to XRPL, the number of operations generated, the resulting XRP burn, and broader market sentiment.

Grok estimates that if all $3 trillion in Hidden Road transactions were processed on XRPL, it could generate around 1 billion operations per year. At the current base fee of 0.00001 XRP per transaction, this would result in roughly 100,000 XRP burned annually.

At today’s price of approximately $2.16, that amounts to just $216,000 worth of XRP burned each year—a negligible amount compared to the total circulating supply of about 58 billion XRP. Even if transaction volume increased tenfold, the burn would remain a tiny fraction of total supply.

So, while the direct deflationary impact is minimal, Grok highlights that the real value driver lies in demand growth and expanded utility.

The Real Catalyst: Institutional Adoption and Network Utility

The true potential of this integration isn’t just in fees or burns—it’s in increased demand for XRP as a utility asset. If RLUSD becomes a preferred settlement token for institutional forex and trading desks via Hidden Road, more institutions will need to hold XRP to pay for network transactions.

As more financial players build applications and workflows on XRPL, the ledger evolves from a payment rail into a foundational infrastructure layer for global finance. This shift enhances XRP’s role as “digital fuel” for cross-border settlements, liquidity provision, and real-time clearing.

Moreover, Grok points out that network effects could accelerate adoption. Once early movers see efficiency gains—lower costs, faster settlement, reduced counterparty risk—others are likely to follow, creating a compounding effect on XRPL usage.

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Market Sentiment: A Powerful Price Multiplier

Beyond fundamentals, market psychology plays a critical role. Ripple’s acquisition of Hidden Road has already generated positive momentum in the crypto community. Investors view this as a strong signal of Ripple’s growing clout in traditional finance.

If analysts and institutional investors begin to recognize XRPL as a viable alternative to legacy systems like SWIFT or CLS, speculative demand for XRP could surge. Historical precedent shows that news-driven optimism often precedes significant price movements—even before on-chain metrics reflect changes.

Grok notes that bullish sentiment alone could push XRP into higher valuation brackets, especially if accompanied by broader crypto market growth.

XRP Price Forecast: Scenarios Based on Adoption Levels

Based on current data and trends, Grok outlines several plausible price scenarios:

Base Case: Gradual Adoption (Next 6–12 Months)

Moderate Case: Accelerated Integration

Bull Case: Full Adoption + Market Surge

Core Keywords

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the significance of Ripple acquiring Hidden Road?

The acquisition strengthens Ripple’s position in institutional finance by integrating a major FX trading infrastructure provider. It enables seamless use of RLUSD and XRPL for high-volume settlements, increasing demand for XRP as network fuel.

Will XRP be used to settle Hidden Road transactions?

No—settlements will be handled by RLUSD. However, every transaction on XRPL requires a small XRP fee, which is burned. So while XRP isn’t the settlement asset, it remains essential for network operations.

How much XRP could be burned if all $3 trillion in volume moves to XRPL?

Approximately 100,000 XRP per year, based on 1 billion operations at 0.00001 XRP per transaction. While not significant relative to total supply, it contributes to gradual deflation.

Can transaction fees alone drive XRP’s price up?

Not directly. The burn mechanism is too small to materially affect supply. The real driver is increased demand from institutions using XRPL, which raises the need to hold and use XRP.

Is $28.55 a realistic XRP price target?

It’s possible under extreme conditions: full adoption of XRPL by Hidden Road, widespread institutional integration, and a booming crypto market. However, it remains a highly optimistic scenario.

How does RLUSD benefit the XRP ecosystem?

RLUSD brings regulated, fiat-backed liquidity onto XRPL. Its use in high-value settlements increases network activity and reinforces XRPL as a trusted platform for enterprise finance—indirectly boosting confidence in XRP.

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Final Thoughts

While the direct impact of burning 100,000 XRP annually may seem minor, the strategic importance of Ripple’s move cannot be overstated. By embedding RLUSD into Hidden Road’s workflow and leveraging XRPL for post-trade settlement, Ripple is laying the groundwork for mass institutional adoption.

The resulting increase in network usage, combined with positive market sentiment, could drive substantial demand for XRP—not because of supply reduction, but because of growing utility and trust in the ecosystem.

If XRPL successfully captures even a fraction of Hidden Road’s $3 trillion volume, we may witness a new phase in XRP’s evolution: from digital asset to essential infrastructure for global finance.