Ripple $500 Million Investment Draws Pantera Capital and Major Institutions

Highlights:

• Ripple secures $500M funding at $40B valuation led by Fortress and Citadel Securities.
• Pantera Capital renews decade-long partnership, marking Ripple’s first blockchain backer.
• Ripple expands global footprint with $95B payment volume and 75 regulatory licenses.
• New investment reinforces Ripple’s institutional role in digital asset infrastructure.

Pantera Capital founder and CEO Dan Morehead said his firm’s renewed participation in Ripple’s $500 million investment round marks a major move in a decade-long relationship between the blockchain company and one of its earliest backers. Morehead noted that Ripple was Pantera’s first-ever blockchain venture, made through its inaugural Venture Fund I.

He recalled that Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse attended Pantera’s 2015 summit in Lake Tahoe alongside early crypto figures such as Jesse Powell, Erik Voorhees, and Gavin Andresen. Ten years later, the two met again at the Pantera Blockchain Summit 2025 in New York, reflecting on how Ripple evolved from an early-stage payments startup to a global financial technology firm with institutional reach.

Ripple $500 Million Round Led by Fortress and Citadel Securities

The Ripple $500 million investment round, unveiled during the company’s Swell 2025 conference, values the firm at $40 billion. Fortress Investment Group and Citadel Securities led the transaction, joined by Pantera Capital, Galaxy Digital, Brevan Howard, and Marshall Wace.

The investment follows Ripple’s $1 billion tender offer earlier this year at the same valuation. According to Ripple executives, the decision to accept new capital was driven by a strategy to strengthen relationships with leading financial institutions and expand its institutional investor base.

Ripple has repurchased more than 25% of its outstanding shares in recent years, providing liquidity to employees and early investors. Executives said this approach ensures continued alignment between shareholders and long-term partners while maintaining operational flexibility. The firm characterized the $500 million investment as part of its broader effort to build deeper financial partnerships and expand its global footprint.

Ripple Expands Institutional Services and Regulatory Reach

Ripple reported more than $95 billion in total payment volume processed through its network and over $1 billion in market capitalization for its U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin, RLUSD. The company also highlighted huge growth in Ripple Prime, its institutional trading and custody division, which has tripled in size over the past year. In addition, Ripple completed six acquisitions in just over two years and now holds 75 regulatory licenses globally.

CEO Brad Garlinghouse stated that the Ripple $500 million investment signals backing in the company’s expansion strategy and the growing acceptance of its institutional services. He said Ripple has progressed beyond its original payments focus to offer custody, stablecoin, and prime brokerage products designed for regulated markets.

In addition, Garlinghouse described the round as a signal of institutional trust built over a decade of consistent execution. Pantera Capital’s renewed involvement underscores the continuity of early blockchain investors in Ripple’s trajectory.

The Ripple $500 million investment thus represents both a return to its roots and a consolidation of its institutional position, reinforcing the company’s standing as a core participant in the evolving digital asset infrastructure.