Ripple Gets Cited in U.S. Congress Push to Modernize Fed Payments

Ripple was cited during a U.S. House hearing as Congressman Sam Liccardo pressed Federal Reserve officials on whether the U.S. payment system can keep up with modern crypto-fintech needs. Liccardo focused on faster transaction speeds, lower costs, and fair access to Fed infrastructure, explicitly referencing Ripple alongside major fintech players. The mention comes as SWIFT rolls out a new retail payments framework, where Ripple is already linked through bank partnerships. Earlier, Ripple proposed a model for stablecoin issuers to hold Fed accounts funded via pre-funded ACH, aiming to integrate RLUSD into domestic payment rails for payroll, bills, and everyday transactions—potentially reducing capital being “trapped” in existing flows. Ripple’s potential broader impact was also highlighted via a resurfaced JPMorgan estimate that Ripple could unlock up to $120 billion in cross-border transactions. The overall theme is that blockchain-based payment infrastructure is moving from the margins toward mainstream U.S. financial policy, with Ripple and RLUSD increasingly in the policy conversation. For traders, the key takeaway is that Ripple and RLUSD are gaining direct visibility in regulatory/policy discussions about payment modernization—an incremental positive signal, but not a direct catalyst tied to immediate token utility changes.