Ripple's Reece Merrick Reveals How GTreasury Is Changing Global Settlement

Cover image via U.Today Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available. Read U.TODAY on Google News The persistent challenges associated with guaranteeing cross-border payments has been highlighted by Ripple Labs’ Senior Executive Officer, Middle East & Africa, Reece Merrick. In a response to the frustration of a veteran banker, Merrick noted that the traditional banking system of settlement remains "painful." Advertisement GTreasury's unique edge over traditional banking According to him, the slow settlement processes he witnessed firsthand from his earlier banking days, before moving to Ripple, expose the frustration of his clients. He decried the multiple layers of intermediary banks that a client’s payment request has to pass through and the associated delays. Merrick implied that traditional banking systems are slow, opaque, unpredictable and stressful when it comes to cross-border settlements. He believes it was not good service for a client not to know specifically when their money would arrive at its destination. The senior executive claimed that GTreasury, which has been acquired by Ripple for $1 billion, is revolutionizing cross-border payments. He explained that Ripple is utilizing the XRP Ledger to ensure secure, efficient and reliable transactions. Similar story from my side… Before joining @Ripple I spent 10+ years in FX dealing with payments for large enterprise customers. There was nothing worse than getting a call from a customer asking me where their funds were. All you could confirm is that the payment had… https://t.co/HHhkapvMku — Reece Merrick (@reece_merrick) December 17, 2025 The goal is to overcome the challenges of trapped liquidity, slow settlement and high payment costs to clients. Merrick highlighted that with GTreasury, clients are assured of round-the-clock settlements. Additionally, the cost of cross-border settlements is significantly reduced by between 60% and 90%. Another huge change offered by GTreasury is the flexibility and speed it offers to clients. Unlike the traditional banking system, which requires two to three days, GTreasury offers blockchain-based payments in seconds. The acquisition of GTreasury by Ripple is part of its expansion efforts aimed at enhancing cross-order payment systems. Recently, Merrick hinted at a possible expansionary move into South Africa , given improvements in the regulatory environment. Notably, South Africa remains a key market for Ripple as it seeks to establish a presence for the Ripple USD (RLUSD) stablecoin. You Might Also Like Wed, 12/17/2025 - 06:14 Ripple CEO Celebrates Impressive XRP ETF Milestone By Alex Dovbnya Ripple’s strategic capture of cross-border settlement Interestingly, given the dominance of giants like Tether (USDT) and Circle (USDC) on the stablecoin market, Merrick says RLUSD aims to move beyond being a "Ripple-only" asset. It is aiming to become a regulated banking tool for the blockchain. Ripple is focused on taking products to existing users rather than waiting for them to migrate. With these plans set in motion, Ripple intends to become a global force in cross-border settlement through quicker and reliable solutions. #ripple