Crypto analyst Pumpius has argued that Ripple’s recent actions reflect a deliberate effort to construct a comprehensive institutional infrastructure, comparable to that of established banking institutions. In his post, he asserted that Ripple is “building a banking empire” and identified February 26, 2026, as a critical date that market participants may be underestimating. According to Pumpius, understanding Ripple’s direction requires examining the company’s acquisitions and regulatory positioning as interconnected components. He stated that Ripple is assembling a “full institutional stack” like traditional financial institutions, adding regulated capabilities in sequence rather than in isolation. RIPPLE IS BUILDING A BANKING EMPIRE AND FEB 26 IS A DEADLINE NOBODY IS WATCHING Zoom out. Ripple is assembling the full institutional stack the same way banks do it, one regulated component at a time. Acquisitions tell the story. Metaco gave Ripple institutional custody… pic.twitter.com/4hw9hLTCbr — Pumpius (@pumpius) February 22, 2026 Custody, Prime Brokerage, and Payments Under One Structure Pumpius pointed to specific acquisitions to support his claim. He noted that Metaco provided institutional-grade custody infrastructure. He also referenced Hidden Road, describing it as adding prime brokerage-level execution, financing capabilities, and access to core market infrastructure. In addition, he cited Rail as contributing high-volume payment distribution capacity. While acknowledging that not all acquisition prices are public, Pumpius argued that the direction is clear. In his view, Ripple is consolidating custody, payments, prime brokerage, and treasury-related services within one organizational framework. He suggested that this mirrors how banks structure their operations to serve institutional clients efficiently and compliantly. Beyond acquisitions, Pumpius emphasized Ripple’s movement through the U.S. regulatory process, particularly in the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency trust bank pathway. He referenced “conditional approvals” cited among firms progressing through that pipeline and described entry into the regulated perimeter as transformative. According to his analysis, once an entity operates within that perimeter, it shifts from seeking permission to becoming part of the approved financial system. The T. Rowe Price Active Crypto ETF and February 26 Pumpius linked Ripple’s institutional buildout to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s review of the proposed T. Rowe Price Active Crypto ETF. The SEC has set February 26, 2026, as the final decision date to approve, reject, or delay the application. The significance of this proposal lies in its structure and sponsor. Unlike the Bitcoin-only ETFs approved in 2024, this would be an actively managed fund. T. Rowe Price, which manages approximately $1.8 trillion in assets, has explicitly listed XRP as a core “Eligible Asset” alongside Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. Approval would mean that one of the largest and most established traditional asset managers formally includes XRP within a regulated investment product. We are on X, follow us to connect with us :- @TimesTabloid1 — TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) June 15, 2025 Pumpius suggested that such an approval would represent more than a new fund launch. He describes it as a milestone that could facilitate allocations from pension funds, retirement accounts, and other institutional pools of capital. He further implied that when a firm of this scale introduces a crypto product, competing banks and brokerages are compelled to provide comparable offerings to their clients. In closing, Pumpius posed a direct question: why would Ripple be assembling custody, prime brokerage, payments infrastructure, and a trust bank framework at the same time that ETF access windows are being formalized? He asked whether the alignment is coincidental or a carefully sequenced strategy positioning Ripple at the center of institutional crypto integration. Disclaimer : This content is meant to inform and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not represent Times Tabloid’s opinion. Readers are advised to conduct thorough research before making any investment decisions. Any action taken by the reader is strictly at their own risk. Times Tabloid is not responsible for any financial losses. Follow us on X , Facebook , Telegram , and Google News The post Here’s Why February 26 Is Crucial to XRP Holders appeared first on Times Tabloid .
