Metaco

Company overview

Remember when you used to stash your childhood treasures in a shoebox under the bed? Now imagine doing that with digital assets worth millions — yeah, not the best idea. Enter Metaco: the digital fortress for institutions navigating the wild terrain of blockchain finance. Founded in Switzerland — the land of precision watches, impeccable chocolate, and now, bulletproof crypto custody — Metaco has carved out a serious niche in the digital asset infrastructure arena.

In May 2023, Ripple made a strategic power move and acquired Metaco for a cool 0 million. That’s not just couch-cushion change — it was a calculated play to supercharge Ripple’s institutional custody solutions. Why? Because enterprise-grade custody is the missing link between blockchain innovation and real-world adoption. And Metaco? It’s the bridge, the vault, and the all-knowing Swiss army knife of digital asset security.

For those of us who’ve been in crypto since Mt. Gox was still a thing (yes, I’ve got the scars), institutional-grade custody has always been the elephant in the blockchain boardroom. How do you convince traditional financial institutions to jump into XRP, DeFi, and tokenized assets without a rock-solid way to store them? Metaco answers that question with military-grade encryption, multi-party computation, and deployment flexibility that would make even the most hardened Wall Street execs raise an eyebrow — in a good way.

But Metaco isn’t just some cold-storage solution with a Swiss accent. It’s a full-stack platform designed for banks, asset managers, and fintechs to seamlessly integrate digital asset operations into their existing infrastructure. We’re talking about a modular system that supports everything from token issuance to smart contract orchestration — all while ensuring compliance with regulatory frameworks across jurisdictions. In short, Metaco isn’t just keeping XRP safe — it’s making it institutionally irresistible.

And let’s talk synergy. With Ripple’s global payments network and XRP’s blazing-fast settlement capabilities, pairing up with Metaco creates a one-two punch that’s redefining how value is stored and transferred. This isn’t just about locking up coins — it’s about unlocking new financial ecosystems. Think programmable money meeting custodial integrity, or DeFi meeting Swiss compliance. It’s the kind of thing that makes both crypto OGs and TradFi suits sit up and take notes.

Since the acquisition, Ripple has positioned Metaco as the cornerstone of its enterprise offering. While XRP remains the lifeblood of RippleNet’s liquidity engine, Metaco ensures it’s secured with the same rigor as central bank reserves. This is especially critical as Ripple expands its presence in tokenized real-world assets, CBDCs, and cross-border remittance solutions — all of which demand custody that can scale securely and globally.

Let’s break it down with some key takeaways:

• Founded in Switzerland: A jurisdiction known for regulatory clarity and financial innovation.
• Acquired by Ripple in May 2023: A 0 million investment to bolster enterprise crypto custody.
• Supports institutional crypto adoption: Integrates with banks, asset managers, and fintech platforms.
• Enhances Ripple’s offering: Provides secure storage and management for XRP and other digital assets.
• Scalable and compliant: Meets regulatory requirements across multiple jurisdictions.

Metaco isn’t just a tool — it’s a signal. A signal that Ripple is doubling down on making XRP and blockchain finance not just viable, but bankable. And in a world where the lines between digital assets and traditional finance blur more each day, that kind of infrastructure isn’t just nice to have — it’s absolutely critical.

Products and services

If you thought Metaco was just a glorified crypto vault, think again. This isn’t your average “cold wallet, warm blanket” solution. Metaco’s flagship product, Harmonize, is a full-blown orchestration layer for digital asset custody and tokenization — think of it as the conductor of a highly secure, multi-instrument symphony of digital finance. Whether you’re running a Tier-1 bank or a fintech startup eager to tokenize real estate, Harmonize lets you manage the entire digital asset lifecycle in a way that’s secure, scalable, and surgically precise.

At the heart of Metaco’s offering is its modular architecture — a true game-changer for institutions that need flexibility without compromising security. You can deploy Harmonize on-premises, in the cloud, or even in a hybrid configuration. That means a central bank in Singapore, a private equity firm in London, and a fintech in São Paulo can all run the same secure custody stack, tailored to their specific regulatory and operational needs. And yes, XRP is fully integrated, meaning institutional investors can store, manage, and even tokenize XRP-based assets with the same ease as traditional securities.

Let’s talk features that make Harmonize stand out in the blockchain finance crowd:

• Multi-party computation (MPC): Eliminates single points of failure by splitting private keys across multiple parties — no more sleepless nights over compromised wallets.
• Granular policy controls: Customize who can do what, when, and how — perfect for banks juggling multiple compliance jurisdictions.
• Tokenization engine: Issue, manage, and transfer tokenized assets — from XRP-based stablecoins to real-world tokenized bonds — all within the same secure environment.
• Open API architecture: Integrates seamlessly with existing banking systems, trading desks, and liquidity providers.
• Real-time auditing and reporting: Offers full visibility and transparency — not just for compliance, but for smart, data-driven decision making.

And here’s where things get spicy for the XRP crowd. Harmonize doesn’t just “support” XRP — it empowers institutions to build entire financial products around it. From custody of XRP reserves to integrating RippleNet’s liquidity features into their own infrastructure, banks and asset managers can now treat XRP not just as a digital asset, but as a programmable financial instrument. Want to offer XRP-backed lending services? Issue tokenized derivatives? Build cross-border payment rails with sub-second finality? Harmonize makes it possible, and Metaco makes it institutional-grade.

For trading desks, the appeal is obvious. With Harmonize, digital assets like XRP can be stored and accessed with the same level of operational control and security as traditional assets — meaning faster settlement, reduced counterparty risk, and easier integration with trading strategies that span both crypto and fiat markets. And as regulatory clarity improves (yes, we’re looking at you, SEC), the ability to offer compliant, auditable custody of XRP and other digital assets becomes a competitive edge — not just a checkbox.

So, whether you’re a fintech looking to launch an XRP-powered remittance app or a global bank exploring tokenized securities, Metaco’s product suite is designed to be your infrastructure backbone. In a world racing toward tokenization, programmable money, and interoperable financial systems, Metaco isn’t just keeping up — it’s laying the tracks.

Partnerships and clients

When your client roster starts to look like a who’s who of global finance, you’re clearly doing something right. Metaco has cultivated partnerships that would make even the most seasoned enterprise software firms green with envy. We’re talking about Tier-1 banks, central banks, asset custodians, and fintech disruptors — all trusting Metaco to handle the digital keys to their kingdom. This isn’t a speculative crypto startup pitching vaporware; this is real infrastructure powering real money.

One of Metaco’s most headline-grabbing partnerships came with Citi — yes, that Citi — which selected Metaco to develop and pilot its institutional digital asset custody capabilities. When a 200-year-old banking titan starts moving into crypto custody, and chooses a Swiss crypto-native firm to do it, you know we’re witnessing the tectonic plates of global finance shifting. And let’s not forget BBVA Switzerland, which has been using Metaco’s platform to offer Bitcoin and Ethereum custody services to private banking clients since 2021. That’s old money meeting new rails, powered by Metaco.

But the ripple effect (pun fully intended) of the Ripple–Metaco union is even more telling. With Ripple’s global enterprise reach and Metaco’s custody tech, we’re seeing a new wave of clients who aren’t just dipping their toes into blockchain — they’re diving in headfirst. That includes:

• Central banks exploring CBDCs: Leveraging Metaco’s secure custody and tokenization tools to pilot sovereign digital currencies.
• Commercial banks and custodians: Offering XRP and other digital assets to institutional clients with full regulatory compliance.
• Fintechs and neobanks: Integrating Metaco’s APIs to build new products around XRP-based payments, lending, and asset management.
• Asset managers and hedge funds: Managing crypto portfolios with institutional-grade controls, including XRP exposure.

What makes these partnerships so powerful is the blend of credibility and capability. Metaco brings the tech stack and security architecture, while Ripple brings the global network, liquidity solutions, and XRP’s lightning-fast, low-cost settlement layer. Together, they’re not just enabling clients to hold crypto — they’re enabling them to build the future of finance.

And let’s be honest: in a market where “partnership” often means little more than a tweet and a handshake, Metaco’s relationships are the real deal. These aren’t PR stunts; they’re enterprise-grade integrations with full regulatory oversight and long-term strategic value. That’s why clients aren’t just testing Metaco — they’re scaling with it.

At the end of the day, Metaco’s client ecosystem is a reflection of what the future of blockchain finance looks like: collaborative, compliant, and built on infrastructure that doesn’t just store digital assets like XRP — it elevates them into programmable, investable, and transferable financial instruments. If you’re serious about crypto, you’re watching Metaco. If you’re serious about XRP, you’re already taking notes.

Security and compliance

Let’s face it — in the world of crypto custody, security isn’t just a feature; it’s the whole product. And in Metaco’s case, it’s not just about locking the vault — it’s about designing the vault, the security system, the biometric scanner, and the AI-powered watchdog, all to Swiss precision. When Ripple acquired Metaco, they weren’t just buying a custody provider — they were securing the institutional backbone of XRP and blockchain finance for the next decade.

Metaco’s security architecture is built on a zero-trust philosophy. That means no single point of failure, no blind spots, and no assumptions. Every access point, every transaction, and every operational workflow is scrutinized, authenticated, and logged. Multi-party computation (MPC) is the star of the show — a cryptographic wizardry that ensures private keys are never fully assembled in one place. Instead, they’re fragmented, distributed, and only come together in a mathematically secure way when needed. Think Ocean’s Eleven, but for crypto — and with fewer acrobatics.

But security without compliance is like a vault with no door — it may look solid, but it won’t stand up in court. That’s why Metaco layers its security with an industry-leading compliance framework that meets — and often exceeds — the demands of financial regulators across continents. Whether you’re under the watchful eye of the SEC, FINMA, MAS, or the ECB, Metaco’s platform is built to align with global regulatory standards for digital asset custody, reporting, and auditability.

Here’s how Metaco ensures ironclad compliance while keeping XRP and other assets nimble and accessible:

• Role-based access controls: Granular permissions ensure the right people have the right access at the right time — critical for institutions managing multi-asset portfolios.
• Real-time compliance monitoring: Integrated tools automatically flag anomalous activity and ensure adherence to AML, KYC, and transaction screening protocols.
• Audit trail immutability: Every action is traceable and tamper-proof, offering regulators and internal auditors full transparency without compromising operational efficiency.
• Geofencing and jurisdictional controls: Assets can be constrained or moved according to region-specific compliance rules, making it easy to adhere to cross-border regulations.
• Integration with regulatory tech (RegTech): Seamless API connections to third-party compliance software provide automated reporting and risk assessments.

And yes, XRP is at the center of this compliance fortress. With Ripple’s ambitions spanning CBDCs, tokenized real estate, and cross-border payments, XRP needs to be stored, managed, and deployed in ways that satisfy both crypto-native and traditional finance governance. Metaco makes that possible, enabling financial institutions to treat XRP with the same regulatory rigor as fiat currencies or sovereign bonds. That’s not just good for optics — it’s essential for adoption.

One of Metaco’s less flashy but most critical features is its support for jurisdictional segregation. Say a bank in Germany wants to custody XRP for institutional clients, but needs to comply with BaFin’s specific rules on crypto asset handling. Metaco allows that same bank to isolate its custody environment, apply custom compliance policies, and generate jurisdiction-specific reports — all without spinning up a new system. That kind of flexibility isn’t just rare; it’s revolutionary.

In a post-FTX world, institutional players aren’t just looking for yield — they’re looking for trust. And trust is earned through transparency, auditability, and security you can take to the regulators. With Metaco in its arsenal, Ripple has positioned XRP not just as a fast and efficient settlement asset, but as a fully compliant, institutionally viable cornerstone of modern finance.

At XRPAuthority.com, we’ve been tracking these developments since day one. If you’re serious about understanding how XRP is being fortified for the future of global finance, this is where you stay ahead of the curve. Don’t just HODL — get informed, get strategic, and get connected. The next wave of blockchain finance is already here, and it’s built on infrastructure like Metaco. Let us help you ride it with confidence.