XRP Drops After Ripple CTO Publishes XRPL Hub Metrics; Ripple Leads $25M Round in Bitnomial
Ripple CTO David Schwartz publicly released the XRPL Hub he privately operated, publishing real‑time operational metrics — uptime, peer counts, latency, throughput, hostnames, ports and public keys — and confirming the node has run XRPL v2.6.2 stably for over a month. He said the hub is currently under capacity, with peer reservations available if demand rises. The disclosure creates a new reference point for developers, node operators and analysts to benchmark setups and troubleshoot network issues. Schwartz used the publication to argue against large, monetisation‑led smart‑contract overhauls and staking‑style reward systems, urging evidence‑driven, stability‑first protocol upgrades and cautioning that radical additions risk core ledger changes. Separately, Ripple led a $25 million Series C investment in Bitnomial, a CFTC‑regulated exchange that listed XRP and supports spot, futures, perpetuals and options — expanding XRP’s regulated market presence. Market reaction: XRP fell roughly 4–5% in 24 hours to about $2.03 amid the announcements and broader weakness. Key SEO keywords: XRPL Hub, XRPL transparency, XRP price, David Schwartz, XRPL v2.6.2, Ripple investment.
Bearish
Short term: Bearish. The immediate price reaction — a ~4–5% drop — shows that the market viewed the disclosures and related news (including the Bitnomial listing) as net negative or at least not positive catalyst for XRP price. Publicizing hub metrics increases transparency but does not directly expand demand for XRP; Schwartz’s conservative stance on large smart‑contract changes and opposition to staking‑like reward schemes reduces prospects for near‑term utility-driven price spikes that often attract retail speculation. The Bitnomial investment and listing add regulated venues and could support liquidity long term, but this is a structural, gradual positive rather than immediate bullish pressure. Long term: Neutral to mildly bullish. Over time, improved XRPL transparency, stable software (v2.6.2) and more regulated markets (Bitnomial) can increase institutional confidence and on‑ramp liquidity for XRP, supporting price stability or modest appreciation if adoption grows. However, Schwartz’s caution about major programmability changes limits potential dramatic increases in token utility that would drive strong long‑term rallies. Overall classification: bearish in the short term due to the observed price drop and lack of immediate demand drivers; neutral-to-mildly-bullish longer term if regulated listings and operational transparency translate into sustained adoption.