Mastercard Deal Cements Ripple as Institutional Leader

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has praised Mastercard's partnership deal as proof that the industry is now copying Ripple's vision, which it once mocked as a 'banker coin'. The exchange landed as Mastercard named Ripple among its over 30 partners in the new Agent Pay for Machines service.

Hugo Philion, founder of Flare, had previously argued that the crypto industry was adopting the same institutional relationships it once derided. Garlinghouse amplified this remark on X, endorsing the assessment.

The Mastercard deal has strengthened Ripple's case as a leader in institutional partnerships. The service allows for permissioned, machine-speed payments between AI agents, and uses the XRP Ledger for settlement.