SWIFT Chief Resurfaces 2017 Ripple XRP Rivalry
SWIFT’s Chief Innovation Officer, Tom Zschach, recently resurfaced a 2017 article highlighting Ripple’s bid to challenge SWIFT’s dominance in cross-border payments with its XRP-based solutions. The original article covered Ripple’s launch of its Swell conference to coincide with SWIFT’s flagship SIBOS event. Crypto researcher SMQKE questioned the timing of this repost, asking “What does he know about Ripple and SWIFT that the rest of the world is not supposed to see yet?” The move has reignited speculation over whether Ripple’s blockchain network can outpace SWIFT’s financial messaging system. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has forecast that XRP could capture 14% of SWIFT’s transaction volume within five years. As SIBOS 2025 approaches, market observers will watch for any competitive or collaborative updates that may influence the adoption of distributed ledger technology in global payments.
Bullish
Resurfacing a 2017 article by SWIFT’s Innovation Chief casts renewed spotlight on Ripple and XRP as viable alternatives to SWIFT’s messaging network. This heightened visibility often drives speculative buying, as traders anticipate that any developments at SIBOS 2025 could accelerate institutional adoption of XRP for cross-border settlements. Historical precedents—such as price upticks following Ripple’s Swell events and positive commentary from SWIFT leadership on blockchain pilots—suggest that similar news can trigger short-term rallies. In the long run, clear competitive or collaborative outcomes at SIBOS could further reinforce XRP’s utility, supporting sustained bullish momentum.