Ripple’s institutional custody business now offers staking for Ethereum and Solana, in collaboration with Figment, expanding beyond traditional safekeeping to include asset servicing features. This new capability allows Ripple Custody clients to participate in staking on major proof-of-stake networks without the need to set up validator infrastructure. The service aims to provide operational simplicity with institutional controls, catering to banks, custodians, and regulated asset managers seeking staking yield within their governance perimeter.
Unlike Ethereum and Solana, XRP does not offer protocol staking rewards, highlighting a structural difference between the assets. This can impact custody clients looking for staking yield comparable to other proof-of-stake assets. Figment’s selection by Ripple underscores the importance of separation of duties, operational assurance, and an auditable framework for institutional staking.
While XRP does not currently support staking rewards, Ripple’s ecosystem is exploring the possibility for XRP Ledger (XRPL) staking. However, economic constraints and the absence of staking-related amendments in XRPL’s development pipeline indicate that staking is not actively deployed on XRPL, distinguishing it from Ethereum and Solana staking offerings.
Despite the lack of protocol staking for XRP, XRP-linked investment products continue to attract strong inflows, outperforming Ethereum and Solana products in recent weeks. This illustrates a demand for XRP investments despite the absence of staking rewards. Ripple maintains that XRP remains central to its institutional DeFi roadmap, positioning XRPL as a high-performance chain for tokenized finance while offering yield opportunities on Ethereum and Solana within its custody framework.
In conclusion, Ripple’s approach is to provide a multi-asset custody solution, allowing institutions to earn yield on Ethereum and Solana while utilizing XRP as the connective asset for bridging and collateral flows. This strategy aligns with Ripple’s vision of XRPL as infrastructure for compliant tokenized finance, emphasizing on-chain activity subject to regulatory constraints.
