Ripple is reportedly getting ready to acquire Circle, the company behind the second-largest stablecoin, USDC.

By emerging as one of the most aggressive players in crypto M&A. Earlier this year, the company acquired Hidden Road, a crypto brokerage platform

Rumors of an "imminent" deal linking together Circle and Ripple have begun to circulate, sparking interest particularly among XRP holders.

As rumors of an "imminent" deal linking together Circle and Ripple continue to swirl in the cryptosphere, anticipation is particularly piqued among XRP holders. This interest stems from the fact that several market analysts have begun offering their predictions on how such a merger might affect the price of Ripple’s native token.

A Risky Move From Ripple

The year 2025 has seen Ripple take an unexpected turn, emerging as one of the most aggressive players in crypto M&A. Earlier this year, the company acquired Hidden Road, a crypto brokerage platform, for an impressive $1.25 billion. But it seems that Ripple isn't slowing down.

Next on the company's radar is an even bigger target: Circle, the firm behind the second-largest stablecoin, USDC. The company currently manages over $61 billion in digital currency and is preparing a public offering on the NYSE under the ticker symbol "CRCL," aiming for a valuation of around $5 billion.

Though Circle initially rejected Ripple's optimistic $4-$5 billion acquisition offer in April, the story took an interesting turn. According to reports by The Tokenizer, Circle is now engaged in preliminary discussions with both Ripple and Coinbase for a potential merger or acquisition. The report also claims that the new bids for Circle are valued higher, ranging between $6 and $11 billion.

If successful, the integration of USDC into Ripple's existing stablecoin, RUSD, would give the company a large presence in the stablecoin market. This move would strengthen Ripple's position within the crypto payments infrastructure, which is being assembled via Ripple Payments, a cross-border payments service launched in December 2024.

What Happens to XRP?

Several market analysts have weighed in on potential price scenarios for XRP in different merger scenarios.

In a moderate scenario, where Ripple manages to acquire Circle for a reasonable price of $6-$8 billion and faces minimal difficulties in integrating USDC into its systems, analysts are projecting that XRP could rise to between $3.50 and $4.50. This projection assumes that increased stablecoin activity will boost liquidity across Ripple's network, indirectly increasing demand for XRP as a bridge asset.

"If we see more liquidity flowing through the network due to stablecoins, then there will be more demand for XRP to facilitate those flows, especially if it's used as a bridge asset between fiat and stablecoins," explained Miles, a market analyst at GlobalCoin.

Offering a similar outlook for this baseline scenario, where the merger faces no major hitches, another analyst, Raymond, also placed XRP in the $3.50-$4.50 range.

"While stablecoins themselves won't determine XRP's price, their integration into Ripple Payments will be key. If we see smooth integration and adoption of USDC into the existing network, then XRP's utility for cross-border settlements will increase, likely driving up demand and price accordingly," Raymond stated.

However, in a best-case scenario, which assumes a strong bull market backdrop and flawless technical integration between RUSD and USDC, and where Ripple manages to absorb Circle and effectively scales Ripple Payments across global markets, analysts are projecting even more significant gains for XRP, placing it in the $6-$10 range.

"In a bull market, with a fully operational and successful rollout of Ripple Payments powered by both RUSD and USDC, we could easily see XRP breaking out to $6-$10, especially if it's widely used for global payments," said Anna, a market analyst at Apex Invest.