Ripple’s latest strategic move has sparked fresh discussions on whether it is positioning itself as the modern successor of the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT). A crypto pundit has highlighted the company’s quiet expansion through global payment corridors, arguing that Ripple’s investment in regulated infrastructure is laying the groundwork for it to potentially emerge as the new SWIFT.
Ripple Tipped To Quietly Replace SWIFT
According to crypto investor Stern Drew, Ripple’s long-term strategy to establish itself as the next-generation global payments network that could rival SWIFT has taken a major leap. In a thread posted on X social media, Drew described Ripple’s recent investment in Singapore-based Tazapay as a “backdoor” move that pushes the company directly into the centre of international trade.
Though not widely known to the public, Tazapay is far from a small player. The company reportedly processes over $10 billion in annualized volume, operating across 70 markets while growing at an astonishing 300% year-on-year. Its services include local collections and payouts, virtual bank accounts, and fiat-to-stablecoin settlement rails.
While many crypto payment companies struggle for regulatory approval, Drew confirms that Tazapay is licensed, regulated, and compliance-first—a primary reason Ripple’s involvement carries significant weight. According to the crypto pundit, Ripple’s biggest barrier has never been technology but local banking access. Moving liquidity across borders is easy on paper, but converting it into payouts in regions like Jakarta, Lagos, or Mumbai has historically been the firm’s stumbling block.
Tazapay bridges this gap, giving Ripple entry into banking corridors that traditional crypto projects cannot touch. By linking local fiat systems with stablecoins and RippleNet, Tazapay creates the compliant infrastructure the crypto company needs to expand globally.
The deal with Tazapay further stands out as Ripple is not acting alone. Drew disclosed that Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, also participated in the investment round. This signals a two-pronged strategy combining stablecoin rails with XRP liquidity, creating a system designed to bypass SWIFT quietly rather than compete with it directly.
Global Reach And Long Game Against SWIFT
Based on the X post, Drew disclosed that Eric Jeck, the Senior Vice President of Corporate and Business at Ripple, referred to Tazapay as a “clear leader” in compliance-focused corridors. The point is, Ripple no longer has to confront regulators head-on in every jurisdiction. By plugging XRP into existing licensed entities like Tazapay, Ripple gains legitimacy and global reach without prolonged battles with authorities.
Drew further noted that while Singapore acts as Ripple’s Asia-Pacific hub, the UAE serves as a Middle Eastern bridge. Japan also continues to strengthen its well-known SBI and Ripple alliance, and the US offers Wall Street integration potential. Together, these regions form a comprehensive global map that positions the crypto firm and Tazapay as contenders to manage international liquidity flows.
The crypto pundit added that SWIFT processes about $150 trillion yearly—far beyond Ripple’s current volume. He revealed that the crypto company does not need to replace SWIFT outright, as partnerships with regulated platforms like Tazapay create parallel Ripple-powered rails that banks will gradually adopt.
Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com
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