Ripple’s $550M Funding Era Is Shifting Faster Than You Can Say “DAO”!

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Ripple is shaking things up by turning XRPL funding into a decentralized fiesta in 2026, with DAOs, regional hubs, and venture networks crashing the centralized grant party.

Ripple’s about to change the way builders get their hands on some sweet, sweet cash on the XRP Ledger. Forget the old one-channel funding setup-this is a whole new ball game! Multiple organizations, community votes, and venture partners are now taking their turn on the funding merry-go-round.

As @Ripple posted on X, the XRP Ledger builder program is stepping into a whole new phase. The official breakdown was released, explaining what’s changing and how you can get in on the action. Spoiler: It’s all about spreading the love, with new ways to get funding, technical support, and venture connections.

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Since 2017, Ripple has pumped a jaw-dropping $550 million into XRPL projects. This money has gone to non-equity grants, builder bounties, hackathons, and accelerators. Around 200 projects-spanning payments, DeFi, tokenization, AI, and gaming-have gotten a piece of that sweet $550M pie.

When $550M Is No Longer the Point

Don’t panic! The money isn’t going anywhere-but the structure that used to control it is flipping the bird and walking off. According to Ripple’s official insights post, 2026 marks the year when independent organizations and community groups start calling the shots.

Introducing: XAO DAO! It’s a hybrid decentralized autonomous organization, made just for XRPL. Think of it as a club where members vote on how resources should flow, fund early-stage builders with microgrants, and shape the ecosystem’s priorities through open proposals. Basically, it’s a democracy but with a lot more code.

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And then there’s XRPL Commons, which has been doing its own thing for a while. They’re already funding emerging projects, running the GLOW program, and launching incubators like The Aquarium in Paris. No waiting on Ripple. These guys are moving fast!

A shiny new regional entity called XRP Asia is in the works too. It’ll focus on the APAC region, with a local team handling regional funding and resources. Early days, but the direction is clear: Ripple is letting go and giving local teams a shot.

Venture Capital Is Already Paying Attention

Now this is where things get REALLY juicy. Big-shot firms like Pantera, Dragonfly, Franklin Templeton, and Superscrypt are already backing XRPL founders. And that’s just the beginning-there’s also a100x Ventures, Reforge, New Form Capital, and Tenity in the mix.

But wait, it’s not just about writing checks. These partners are mentoring teams and connecting them with global capital networks. So yeah, it’s clear-this is no longer just an experimental playground for nerds. The ecosystem has officially gone mainstream.

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Universities, Programs, and What Comes Next

Next up: the shiny new FinTech Builder Program. It’s targeting startups building fancy institutional-grade applications on XRPL, like stablecoin payments, credit infrastructure, and regulated financial services. And this isn’t your grandma’s grant setup-this program will walk founders through the entire process, from product design to market launch.

On the university front, the UDAX program is expanding like a balloon at a birthday party. After its launch at UC Berkeley in fall 2025, it’ll head to Fundação Getulio Vargas in São Paulo this spring and then make its way to the University of Oxford next summer. Who’s ready for some global domination?

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And here’s the kicker: a central XRPL funding hub is on the horizon. No firm launch date yet, but Ripple confirmed it will serve as a one-stop-shop for grants, accelerators, and support programs across the entire network. The $550 million was just the start. What gets built on top of it? Well, that’s no longer Ripple’s call alone.

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2026-02-27 19:46