Metaco

Company overview

Ever tried explaining crypto custody to your grandma? It’s somewhere between describing a Swiss bank vault and teaching her how to set up two-factor authentication. That’s where Metaco comes in—except, instead of helping your grandma, they’re helping financial institutions manage billions in digital assets without breaking a sweat or a security protocol.

When Ripple acquired Metaco in May 2023 for a cool 0 million, it wasn’t just another splashy M&A headline. It was a strategic power move—like buying a Formula 1 pit crew for your blockchain race car. Ripple didn’t just want to win the race in cross-border payments; they wanted to own the infrastructure that keeps the XRP engine running smoothly. And Metaco? Well, it’s the Swiss watch of crypto custody—precise, secure, and trusted by some of the biggest names in finance.

Metaco’s roots are as solid as you’d expect from a company headquartered in Switzerland—where chocolate is rich and cybersecurity is richer. Founded in 2015, Metaco has become the go-to platform for banks, asset managers, and financial institutions wanting to dive into digital assets without getting burned. Their flagship product, Harmonize, is basically the Fort Knox of crypto, offering institutions a way to securely store, orchestrate, and govern digital assets across multiple chains, including XRP.

Now, if you’re wondering why custody even matters, consider this: institutional investors aren’t going to park millions in XRP under their digital mattress. They need regulated, secure, and seamless ways to manage these assets. Metaco solves that problem with military-grade security, configurable governance policies, and integrations into existing banking systems. In other words, it makes institutional adoption of XRP not just possible—but practical and scalable.

Ripple saw the writing on the blockchain. With XRP poised to be a cornerstone of global finance—facilitating real-time payments, tokenizing assets, and bridging fiat currencies—Ripple needed a custody partner that could match its ambition. Enter Metaco. This acquisition didn’t just enhance Ripple’s custody solutions; it fortified Ripple’s entire institutional offering, making XRP an even more attractive asset for hedge funds, banks, and fintech innovators.

The synergy is palpable. Ripple brings the liquidity, the global network, and the XRP Ledger. Metaco brings the custody infrastructure, security protocols, and enterprise-grade compliance. Together, they’re building a turnkey solution for institutions ready to embrace blockchain finance without compromising on security or regulatory standards.

Understanding Metaco and Its Impact on XRP

So, what does Metaco really mean for XRP? In a word: legitimacy. Institutional adoption of XRP hinges on trust—trust that the asset is secure, compliant, and accessible through tools that meet enterprise standards. Metaco checks every one of those boxes, giving Ripple the muscle it needs to pitch XRP not just as a utility token, but as a foundational building block for modern finance.

With Harmonize, Metaco enables seamless custody of XRP and other digital assets, allowing institutions to manage these tokens across decentralized applications, exchanges, and legacy banking systems. It’s a game-changer for XRP’s use case in:

• Cross-border payments – Institutional players can now hold and transfer XRP securely, enabling faster settlement and reduced costs.
• Tokenization of real-world assets – From real estate to commodities, XRP can serve as a bridge currency with compliant custody behind it.
• Liquidity provisioning – Market makers and trading desks benefit from fast, secure access to XRP liquidity pools.

It’s also worth noting that Metaco’s compliance-first architecture aligns perfectly with Ripple’s regulatory-forward strategy. This isn’t about hype—it’s about building infrastructure that global banks can actually use. And with RippleNet expanding its reach, the ability to offer institutional-grade custody for XRP positions Ripple as a one-stop-shop for blockchain finance.

Bottom line? Metaco is more than just a crypto vault. It’s the missing link between traditional finance and the decentralized future XRP is helping to build. If you’re bullish on the token’s role in global payments, this acquisition is a seismic shift in the right direction.

Stay ahead of the curve and keep your XRP IQ sharp with XRPAuthority.com—your go-to source for expert insights, market analysis, and the latest on how Ripple and XRP are reshaping the world of blockchain finance.

Products and services

Metaco isn’t just selling crypto custody—it’s selling institutional peace of mind. That’s a hot commodity when your day job involves managing hundreds of millions in digital assets and your biggest fear is waking up to a headline that reads, “Bank Loses Crypto Keys in Excel Spreadsheet Mishap.” With its flagship platform, Harmonize, Metaco delivers a modular, enterprise-grade orchestration layer that supports the entire lifecycle of digital asset management—from custody and trading to tokenization and compliance reporting.

Let’s break it down. Harmonize is designed for the kind of clients who don’t just want to dabble in digital assets—they want to dominate. It allows financial institutions to securely interact with multiple blockchains (yes, including the XRP Ledger), enabling storage, transfer, and governance of assets in a way that meets both internal risk policies and external regulatory requirements. This is not your average crypto wallet—it’s a full-stack digital asset infrastructure platform that integrates with:

• Core banking systems – So banks can manage XRP alongside traditional assets in a unified interface.
• Trading platforms – Enabling seamless execution and settlement of trades across exchanges.
• Tokenization engines – Supporting the issuance and custody of tokenized assets backed by XRP liquidity.
• Compliance tools – Ensuring adherence to AML, KYC, and jurisdictional controls in real-time.

But the real magic? Harmonize’s policy engine. This is where Metaco flexes its Swiss engineering muscle. Institutions can configure granular governance rules—think multi-signature approvals, role-based permissions, and geographic access restrictions—all enforced through secure hardware enclaves and end-to-end encryption. Whether you’re a custodian bank in Frankfurt or a fintech startup in Singapore, Metaco ensures your XRP—and any other asset—is guarded with military-grade rigor.

And it doesn’t stop there. Metaco also offers a suite of APIs and SDKs that allow developers to build custom workflows and integrate digital asset functionality into existing applications. Want to enable XRP payments within your banking app? Or launch a tokenized debt instrument backed by XRP liquidity? Metaco makes it possible, securely and at scale.

In short, Metaco’s products and services don’t just support Ripple’s vision—they amplify it. By embedding XRP custody deep into institutional workflows, Metaco transforms XRP from a speculative asset into an operational one. The result? Broader utility, deeper liquidity, and a faster on-ramp for enterprise adoption in blockchain finance.

Partnerships and clients

When it comes to earning the trust of the world’s most risk-averse institutions, Metaco has built a client roster that reads like a who’s who of global finance. We’re talking major banks, tier-one custodians, and regulatory-conscious asset managers who wouldn’t touch a digital asset without a watertight compliance wrapper. And that’s exactly what Metaco delivers. Before Ripple ever entered the picture, Metaco had already secured partnerships with heavyweights like BBVA, Standard Chartered’s Zodia Custody, DBS Bank, and Citi. These aren’t your average DeFi degens—they’re established institutions with trillions in assets under management and zero tolerance for operational risk.

So, what’s the secret sauce? It’s not just Swiss precision—it’s the ability to integrate seamlessly into existing banking architecture while staying ahead of regulatory curves. Metaco doesn’t force institutions to reinvent the wheel; it helps them retrofit it for the blockchain era. That’s why partners like UnionBank of the Philippines and DZ Bank in Germany chose Metaco to power their digital asset strategies. These institutions wanted to offer crypto services—think XRP custody, tokenized securities, and blockchain-based settlement—without compromising on governance, security, or compliance.

Now that Metaco is part of Ripple’s ecosystem, these partnerships take on a whole new dimension. Institutions already using Metaco’s custody infrastructure are now just a few API calls away from tapping into Ripple’s liquidity solutions and the XRP Ledger’s blazing-fast settlement capabilities. That unlocks a suite of new possibilities:

• Instant cross-border payments using XRP as a bridge currency, backed by secure, institutional-grade custody
• Programmatic access to XRP liquidity for trading desks and market makers
• Token issuance and custody with XRP acting as the reserve asset for stablecoins or real-world asset tokenization

It’s also a win for RippleNet clients. Financial institutions plugged into Ripple’s global network now have a direct path to Metaco’s custody solutions, making it easier than ever to onboard XRP into their operations. This is particularly valuable in regions where regulatory clarity is emerging, and banks are looking for compliant ways to participate in blockchain finance without going full cowboy.

And let’s not forget the fintech crowd. Metaco’s SDKs and APIs are already powering next-gen financial apps that integrate XRP for everything from remittances to DeFi lending. With Ripple’s backing, these platforms gain access to not just custody, but also Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) service, giving them a competitive edge in settlement speed and cost efficiency.

In a space where partnerships are often announced with fanfare and forgotten by next quarter, Metaco’s integrations have staying power. These aren’t just logos on a slide deck—they’re functioning deployments in production environments, actively managing and securing digital assets like XRP in real time. That kind of traction doesn’t just validate Metaco’s tech—it reinforces XRP’s evolving role as a trusted pillar of institutional blockchain finance.

Security and compliance

In the world of institutional crypto custody, security isn’t just a feature—it’s the foundation. And when your digital vault is safeguarding assets like XRP, which operate at the intersection of trading, payments, and tokenization, your infrastructure better be bulletproof. That’s where Metaco earns its stripes. This isn’t your average “cold wallet in a coffee can buried in the backyard” setup. Metaco’s security model is engineered for the kind of clients who get audited by alphabet agencies and manage assets in the billions.

Let’s start with the tech. Metaco utilizes hardware security modules (HSMs) and secure enclaves to create a zero-trust environment for key management. These aren’t your off-the-shelf solutions—they’re certified to FIPS 140-2 Level 3 or higher, a standard that would make even the most paranoid cybersecurity officer sleep well at night. Private keys are never exposed, not even to administrators, and every transaction requires multi-party approvals enforced by cryptographic policies. It’s like Fort Knox got a blockchain upgrade.

And then there’s compliance. Metaco doesn’t just meet regulatory requirements—it bakes them into the platform’s DNA. Harmonize is designed with a compliance-first architecture that integrates seamlessly with AML, KYC, and transaction monitoring systems. Whether an institution is operating under the MiCA framework in Europe, the SEC in the U.S., or the MAS in Singapore, Metaco equips them with the tools to maintain full regulatory alignment while managing digital assets like XRP. This isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about enabling real-time, auditable governance that regulators actually trust.

• Role-based access controls prevent unauthorized actions, ensuring only approved personnel can initiate or approve transactions.
• Geofencing and jurisdictional controls allow institutions to enforce location-based restrictions, critical for cross-border compliance.
• Real-time audit trails offer full visibility into all custody operations, supporting both internal governance and external regulatory reviews.

What’s particularly compelling for XRP holders is how Metaco’s approach to security directly supports the token’s institutional viability. Let’s face it—no major bank or asset manager is going to touch XRP without knowing custody is airtight and compliant with their jurisdiction’s rules. Metaco delivers that confidence, allowing Ripple to pitch XRP not just as fast and efficient, but also safe and regulated. That trifecta—speed, utility, and security—is what separates XRP from the speculative pack and positions it as a legitimate asset in the future of global finance.

And the cherry on top? Metaco’s infrastructure allows institutions to customize governance policies granularly, enabling compliance by design. Want to ensure that XRP transactions over million require dual signatures from different departments? Done. Need to restrict transfers to only pre-approved counterparties? Easy. Looking to enforce time-based access windows for trading activity? Harmonize has it covered. This kind of configurability is what makes Metaco not just a security solution, but a strategic enabler for enterprise-grade blockchain finance.

At XRPAuthority.com, we’re tracking every move Ripple makes to bridge traditional finance with the blockchain future. Metaco’s security and compliance architecture is a cornerstone of that mission—fortifying XRP’s role as a trusted, scalable asset for institutions navigating the digital transformation. Stay informed, stay secure, and stay bullish with us—your ultimate source for all things XRP.