Ripple Prime launches institutional desk; Stellar, Chainlink, Tether advance blockchain finance

What Shipped

Welcome to our latest update on the blockchain and cryptocurrency space, where exciting developments are shaping the future of digital finance. Recently, several projects and organizations have made notable progress, especially in the areas of cross-border payments, decentralized finance (DeFi), and blockchain infrastructure.

One of the highlights is Ripple’s launch of Ripple Prime, a new platform designed to be a one-stop institutional trading and financing desk. This service aims to simplify how financial institutions trade digital assets and access liquidity, making it easier and faster for them to move money globally.

Meanwhile, Stellar continues to innovate with its Etherfuse initiative, which is ambitiously working to bring 100 sovereign currencies onto the blockchain. This means national currencies, like dollars or euros, could be represented digitally and used on Stellar’s network, potentially revolutionizing how we think about money and cross-border transactions.

Developers on Stellar also have a new resource with the Protocol 24 Upgrade Guide, helping them smoothly transition to the latest version of Stellar’s protocol. This upgrade includes improvements to speed, security, and new features, ensuring the network remains robust and developer-friendly.

On the data side, Chainlink, a leader in connecting blockchains with real-world data, shared its Q3 2025 Quarterly Review and announced winning the Swift Hackathon 2025 Business Challenge. Chainlink also introduced DataLink, a new service designed to bring institutional market data onto blockchains, which could improve the accuracy and trustworthiness of smart contracts that rely on external information.

Additionally, the stablecoin world is buzzing as Tether plans to launch its USAT stablecoin in December, aiming to reach 100 million Americans. Stablecoins are digital currencies pegged to traditional money, like the US dollar, and they help bring stability to the often-volatile crypto market.

Why It Matters

These developments highlight how blockchain technology is moving closer to mainstream financial use. Ripple Prime’s institutional desk lowers barriers for banks and trading firms, which could lead to faster and cheaper cross-border payments. This is significant because traditional international transfers can be slow and expensive.

The effort to bring sovereign currencies onchain through Stellar’s Etherfuse project could fundamentally change how money flows across borders. By digitizing national currencies, it becomes easier to send, receive, and convert money globally without relying on intermediaries. This can empower people in countries with less developed banking systems and reduce costs for everyone.

Chainlink’s advances with DataLink and its hackathon win demonstrate the increasing importance of reliable data in blockchain applications. Smart contracts—self-executing contracts with the terms written in code—need accurate real-world data to function correctly, whether for financial products, insurance, or supply chain tracking. Chainlink’s innovations help make these contracts more trustworthy and useful.

Tether’s USAT stablecoin launch is also a big deal because stablecoins act as a bridge between traditional finance and crypto. They offer the benefits of blockchain technology—like fast transactions and transparency—while maintaining a stable value. This can encourage more people to try crypto for everyday payments and savings.

Builders’ Corner

For developers and blockchain builders, there’s plenty to explore and learn from these updates:

Stellar Protocol 24 Upgrade: The upgrade guide is a valuable resource for developers to upgrade their applications with new features and optimizations. If you’re building on Stellar, make sure to review the guide to keep your projects up to date.
Etherfuse Project: Developers interested in stablecoins and tokenizing real-world assets can follow Etherfuse’s progress and possibly contribute or build complementary tools for sovereign currency tokens.
Chainlink DataLink: If your smart contracts require reliable market or institutional data, exploring DataLink could enhance your dApps (decentralized applications) by providing trustworthy information.
Ripple Prime API: Institutional developers can look into Ripple Prime’s APIs and services to integrate seamless trading and financing options into their platforms.

For newcomers, these projects illustrate how blockchain technology is becoming more accessible and practical, beyond just buying and selling cryptocurrencies.

Quick Prices

Here’s a snapshot of some key cryptocurrency prices as of October 24, 2025:

Bitcoin (BTC): $110,789 (up 0.18% in 24 hours)
Ethereum (ETH): $3,919.36 (up 1.21%)
Ripple (XRP): $2.52 (up 5.13%)
Stellar (XLM): $0.32 (up 2.93%)
Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR): $0.17 (up 3.16%)
Flare Networks (FLR): $0.017 (up 1.38%)
XDC Network (XDC): $0.062 (up 0.32%)

Most of these tokens are showing positive momentum, which reflects growing confidence and adoption in the ecosystem.

What to Watch

Looking ahead, here are some important things to keep an eye on:

Tether’s USAT Launch: Watch for how the stablecoin performs after its planned December launch and whether it achieves wide adoption among U.S. consumers.
Adoption of Sovereign Currencies on Stellar: Follow the progress of Etherfuse and how many national currencies it can successfully bring onchain. This could be a game-changer for global payments.
Ripple Prime Uptake: Institutional interest in Ripple Prime will indicate how quickly traditional finance embraces blockchain-powered trading and liquidity solutions.
Chainlink’s DataLink Applications: New partnerships and use cases for DataLink could expand the role of blockchain oracles in finance and beyond.
Stellar Protocol Upgrades: Additional improvements and developer tools may be announced, making the platform even more attractive for building next-generation financial apps.

Blockchain technology continues to evolve rapidly, and these projects illustrate a future where digital assets and decentralized networks become integral parts of the global economy.

TL;DR: Ripple launched Ripple Prime to simplify institutional trading, Stellar is working to bring 100 national currencies onto its blockchain, and Chainlink introduced DataLink to bring reliable market data onchain. Tether plans to launch its USAT stablecoin in December targeting 100 million Americans. These developments show growing adoption and practical uses for blockchain technology in finance, making it easier for institutions and everyday users to benefit from digital assets.

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Ripple Prime launches institutional desk; Stellar, Chainlink, Tether advance blockchain finance