Ripple’s recently acquired Hidden Road has secured a broker-dealer license from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). This marks a significant milestone in expanding its prime brokerage services for institutional investors. 

Market watchers see it as a deliberate strategy by Ripple to build infrastructure and position itself for future growth. That being said, traders are expecting that XRP’s value will rise later.

Ripple Expands Institutional Presence with Hidden Road’s FINRA License

According to the latest press release, Hidden Road Partners CIV US LLC was granted approval. The license now enables the firm to provide a broader suite of regulatory-compliant services, including clearing, financing, and prime brokerage for fixed-income assets to institutions.

Noel Kimmel, President of Hidden Road, highlighted that the license was a pivotal development for the company. According to him, it enhances Hidden Road’s ability to operate in traditional financial (TradFi) markets.

“As a FINRA member, we will be able to bring our best-in-class, technology-driven fixed income service offering to an expanded universe of institutional clients. Our business has tremendous momentum, and we look forward to continuing to provide superior execution and support to our clients amidst today’s exceptionally dynamic market environment,” Kimmel said.

The FINRA approval follows Ripple’s $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road. Announced on April 8, 2025, this was one of the largest deals in the digital assets sector. 

The move positions Ripple as the first cryptocurrency company to own a global, multi-asset prime broker. Experts believe the acquisition and subsequent license are part of a broader strategy Ripple is employing. 

“Hidden Road just secured a broker-dealer license right after Ripple’s acquisition. This isn’t a coincidence, it’s a statement. XRP is not playing checkers. It’s playing regulatory chess,” an analyst wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Is Ripple Behind XRP’s Low Price? Analyst Thinks So

In fact, analysts also claim that XRP’s neutral reaction to recent milestones isn’t a sign of weakness but rather a strategic move. In a recent analysis, crypto analyst Levi argued that the current price of XRP, hovering around $2, is not coincidental, but rather a result of Ripple’s deliberate approach.

He suggested that the low price is designed to allow Ripple to operate under the radar while making key strategic moves, such as the Hidden Road acquisition. 

“Hidden Road isn’t a flex. It’s infrastructure. It’s the final puzzle piece — giving Ripple a fully integrated, lightning-fast, global value settlement system,” he stated.

The analyst emphasized that while the public focused on Ripple’s legal battles with the SEC, the company quietly built its global value settlement system behind the scenes.

“XRP at $2 isn’t undervalued — it’s deliberately suppressed. When the switch flips, the revaluation won’t be gradual — it’ll be instant,” Levi noted.

In his view, those who have invested early will be positioned to benefit as the market shifts. Meanwhile, XRP, after hitting an all-time high earlier this year, has continued to decline. 

At press time, the altcoin was trading at $2.0. According to BeInCrypto data, this represented a decline of 1.0% over the past day.

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Ethereum price started a fresh decline below the $1,620 zone. ETH is now consolidating and might attempt to recover above the $1,620 resistance.

• Ethereum started a fresh decline below the $1,620 and $1,600 levels.
• The price is trading below $1,620 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average.
• There was a break above a connecting bearish trend line with resistance at $1,590 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD (data feed via Kraken).
• The pair could start a fresh increase if it clears the $1,615 resistance zone.

Ethereum Price Faces Hurdles

Ethereum price struggled to continue higher above $1,690 and started a fresh decline, like Bitcoin. ETH declined below the $1,600 and $1,580 support levels. It even spiked below $1,550.

A low was formed at $1,538 and the price is now attempting a recovery wave. There was a move above the $1,580 level. The price climbed above the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $1,690 swing high to the $1,538 low.

Besides, there was a break above a connecting bearish trend line with resistance at $1,590 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD. Ethereum price is now trading below $1,620 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average.

On the upside, the price seems to be facing hurdles near the $1,600 level. The next key resistance is near the $1,615 level or the 50% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $1,690 swing high to the $1,538 low. The first major resistance is near the $1,655 level.

A clear move above the $1,655 resistance might send the price toward the $1,700 resistance. An upside break above the $1,700 resistance might call for more gains in the coming sessions. In the stated case, Ether could rise toward the $1,750 resistance zone or even $1,800 in the near term.

Another Drop In ETH?

If Ethereum fails to clear the $1,615 resistance, it could start another decline. Initial support on the downside is near the $1,5750 level. The first major support sits near the $1,540 zone.

A clear move below the $1,540 support might push the price toward the $1,480 support. Any more losses might send the price toward the $1,420 support level in the near term. The next key support sits at $1,400.

Technical Indicators

Hourly MACD – The MACD for ETH/USD is losing momentum in the bearish zone.

Hourly RSI – The RSI for ETH/USD is now below the 50 zone.

Major Support Level – $1,540

Major Resistance Level – $1,655