Atlanta Fed Reserve Bank Mentions XRP as an “International Payment Medium”

XRP and Ripple remain at the center of attention in the conventional banking sector, as evidenced by the recent Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta report.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, a US Federal Reserve Bank district, recently called attention to Ripple’s business model and how the company uses XRP to meet cross-border settlement needs. According to the Reserve Bank, XRP is seen as “an international payment medium.”

These mentions are made in the latest Policy Hub iteration from the Atlanta Fed titled: “An Introduction to Web3 with Implications for Financial Services.” The report essentially highlights the promise of Web3 and the use of digital assets.

The report also underscores the growing adoption rate of Web3 and blockchain technology among public institutions such as central banks. It calls attention to Project Mariana, a proof of concept introduced by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the Bank of France, and other financial institutions.

Highlighting the goal of Project Mariana, which is the facilitation of more efficient cross-border settlements, the Atlanta Fed article mentions Ripple and Stellar as two notable blockchain-focused companies to introduce cost-effective value transfers.

According to the report, Ripple’s business model involves the provision of financial services with the use of XRP. The report further notes that XRP is “roughly envisioned as an international payment medium or wholesale settlement coin.” 

It is important to note that this report is not particularly focused on Ripple or XRP but on the broader Web3 scene. Regardless, the mention has been met with favorable reactions, underscoring the growing attention XRP is receiving from public institutions.

Furthermore, the paper does not explicitly state that the Atlanta Fed plans to use XRP for settlements. WrathofKahneman, a prominent XRP community influencer, called attention to the fact.

The Atlanta Fed released a report re: Web3 & finance that mentions #Ripple. They describe #XRP as an "international payment medium or wholesale settlement coin." "Wholesale settlement" is interesting context. Also a brief overview of Project Mariana.https://t.co/pzazPU8zvu pic.twitter.com/2LAC74RwSR

— WrathofKahneman (@WKahneman) May 25, 2023

Ripple Sets Stage for CBDC Developments

The mention was not unexpected, as Ripple’s promise of an efficient cross-border settlement system has continued to garner attention from different central banks. Last month, The Crypto Basic reported that Ripple partnered with the Central Bank of Montenegro to help pilot its digital currency.

In addition, Ripple recently rolled out its CBDC platform, which central banks can leverage to develop their digital currencies. Institutions using the platform can interact with XRP as a bridge currency, but using XRP is not mandatory. As of press time, information on the banks that have shown interest remains limited.

While the US Federal Reserve has not explicitly communicated its intentions to develop a CBDC, it has continued to examine the implications of adopting one. In March, Fed Reserve Chairperson Jerome Powell disclosed that the bank would need Congressional approval to develop a CBDC.