Metaco

Company overview

Ever wonder what happens when Swiss precision meets crypto custody? Spoiler alert: it doesn’t involve fondue. It involves Metaco — a sleek, security-obsessed firm that’s redefining how institutions handle digital assets. And when Ripple, the blockchain behemoth behind XRP, drops 0 million to snag a company, you know it’s not just for the chocolate and Alps. This is about control, security, and future-proofing the infrastructure of global finance.

Let’s be honest — in the world of crypto, custody isn’t sexy. But do you know what is? Not losing millions of dollars in digital assets. Institutional investors aren’t going to park hundreds of millions in XRP or any other token unless they know those assets are locked down tighter than a Swiss bank vault. That’s where Metaco enters the chat — and why Ripple’s acquisition in May 2023 sent subtle shockwaves through the fintech sector.

Founded in Switzerland, Metaco built its reputation on offering bulletproof custody solutions for digital assets. Not just for XRP, but for Bitcoin, Ethereum, stablecoins, tokenized securities — you name it. Their software, Harmonize, gives banks and institutions a way to securely store and manage digital assets while staying compliant with regulatory standards. And yes, in case you’re wondering, it’s as enterprise-grade as it sounds.

Now, imagine combining Metaco’s infrastructure with Ripple’s global payment network. That’s like pairing the security of Fort Knox with the speed of a Formula 1 car. XRP thrives in high-speed, low-cost cross-border payments — but institutions have always needed robust custody to fully commit. With Metaco, Ripple just handed them the keys to a digital vault built for the future.

Why is this crucial for XRP holders and blockchain finance as a whole? Because institutional adoption isn’t just a buzzword — it’s the path to real liquidity, real volume, and real-world integration. Ripple’s acquisition of Metaco isn’t just about storage; it’s about laying the groundwork for XRP to become the native asset of tokenized global finance.

From a strategic standpoint, acquiring Metaco wasn’t just a flex — it was a signal. A signal that Ripple is transitioning from a cross-border payment disruptor to a full-scale infrastructure provider. And in an industry where custody is often the weakest link, Ripple just turned it into one of its strongest assets.

For fintech institutions eyeing the blockchain space, this move removes one of the final barriers to entry. With Metaco’s tech stack now in Ripple’s arsenal, XRP isn’t just a fast asset — it’s a safe one. And that’s a narrative shift that could rewrite the rules of digital asset adoption.

Understanding Metaco and Its Impact on XRP

Metaco’s integration into Ripple’s ecosystem is more than a corporate acquisition — it’s a strategic cornerstone. The firm specializes in institutional-grade digital asset custody, offering banks and financial infrastructure providers a way to securely interact with the blockchain economy. Its software, Harmonize, is a modular platform that allows financial institutions to integrate digital assets into their existing systems without sacrificing compliance, scalability, or security.

For XRP, Metaco’s impact is immediate and transformative. The biggest hurdle to XRP’s adoption among institutions has always been the question of custody and compliance. With Metaco’s infrastructure now in place, Ripple can offer financial giants a complete package: fast settlement via XRP, secure storage via Metaco, and compliance capabilities baked into the system. This closes the loop on enterprise-grade blockchain finance — and positions XRP as not just a utility token, but a cornerstone of decentralized finance infrastructure.

• Enhanced Custody: Metaco enables secure, regulatory-compliant storage of XRP and other digital assets.
• Institutional Confidence: Banks and asset managers can now interact with the XRP Ledger with greater assurance.
• Scalable Infrastructure: Harmonize supports multi-asset custody, paving the way for tokenized securities and stablecoins alongside XRP.

In a world where tokenized assets are expected to hit trillion by 2030, according to Boston Consulting Group, Metaco’s integration gives Ripple a serious edge. It’s not just about crypto anymore — it’s about becoming the backbone of a new financial system. And XRP is right at the center of it.

As we watch the convergence of crypto and traditional finance, one thing is clear: secure, scalable infrastructure will separate the winners from the hype. At XRPAuthority.com, we’re tracking every move, every upgrade, and every shift that brings XRP closer to mainstream adoption. Stick with us for the sharpest insights in the XRP ecosystem — because the future of finance doesn’t wait, and neither do we.

Products and services

Let’s talk tech. Metaco isn’t your average crypto custody provider — it’s the Swiss Army knife of digital asset infrastructure. At the heart of its offering is Harmonize, a platform so modular and scalable it could probably run a central bank’s digital asset division while making your morning espresso. Designed for Tier-1 banks, asset managers, and regulated custodians, Harmonize empowers institutions to tokenize, store, trade, and govern digital assets all from one secure interface. And yes, that includes XRP, which is now one of the primary beneficiaries of this end-to-end, bank-grade architecture.

What makes Metaco’s product suite stand out isn’t just its security (though we’ll get to that), but its interoperability. Harmonize was built to plug seamlessly into existing banking systems, allowing institutions to adopt blockchain finance without ripping out their legacy infrastructure. That’s a big deal — because financial institutions don’t like risk, and they really don’t like tech overhauls. Metaco provides a bridge, not a bulldozer. And with Ripple now in the driver’s seat, that bridge leads directly to the XRP Ledger.

• Tokenization Engine: Enables banks to issue and manage tokenized assets such as securities, stablecoins, and CBDCs — all of which can be settled using XRP.
• Multi-Asset Custody: Harmonize supports a wide range of assets including XRP, BTC, ETH, and tokenized real-world assets, all under a unified governance model.
• Policy-Oriented Access Control: Fine-grained governance tools allow institutions to define roles, permissions, and workflows — critical for compliance in regulated environments.
• Interbank Integration: APIs and SDKs allow Harmonize to connect with core banking systems, treasury platforms, and trading desks, enabling real-time blockchain finance workflows.

Let’s not forget the high-value proposition for XRP holders. With Harmonize now under Ripple’s umbrella, XRP becomes more than a bridge currency — it becomes the settlement layer for tokenized financial products. Imagine a European bank issuing tokenized securities that settle instantly over the XRP Ledger. Or a Latin American fintech using XRP to manage treasury flows across multiple jurisdictions, all safeguarded within Metaco’s custody environment. These aren’t hypotheticals — they’re blueprints for the next wave of blockchain-powered finance.

But wait, there’s more. Metaco’s product philosophy is all about modularity. That means institutions can adopt only the components they need — be it custody, tokenization, or orchestration — and scale as their blockchain strategies evolve. This “Lego block” approach is one reason Ripple saw such value in the acquisition. It allows for rapid deployment across multiple use cases, whether you’re a central bank piloting a CBDC or a hedge fund looking to rebalance portfolios with XRP and stablecoins.

In short, Metaco isn’t just offering products — it’s offering financial institutions a secure, compliant, and scalable way to step into the future of finance. And with XRP now deeply integrated into that future, it’s not just along for the ride — it’s driving the transformation. Whether you’re a fintech startup or a global bank, the message is clear: if you’re building the next generation of financial products, you’ll want XRP in your tech stack — and Metaco in your corner.

Partnerships and clients

When your client list includes global banks, central banks, and some of the biggest names in asset management, you’re not just playing in the crypto sandbox — you’re building the sandbox itself. Metaco’s strategic partnerships read like a who’s who of traditional finance and next-gen fintech. And now that it’s part of Ripple’s arsenal, that list is expanding faster than a memecoin on a bull run.

Before Ripple’s acquisition, Metaco had already inked deals with heavyweight institutions like BBVA, Standard Chartered’s Zodia Custody, and Citibank. These aren’t your average crypto-curious firms — they’re financial juggernauts with compliance departments larger than most startups. What drew them to Metaco? Simple: a custody infrastructure that doesn’t just tick regulatory boxes, but builds the entire filing cabinet. With Harmonize, these institutions can securely manage digital assets, integrate them into existing workflows, and scale without breaking a sweat — or a single compliance rule.

• BBVA Switzerland: One of the first traditional banks to offer crypto trading and custody, powered by Metaco’s technology.
• Citibank: Partnered with Metaco to develop institutional-grade digital asset custody solutions as part of their long-term blockchain roadmap.
• Zodia Custody: A subsidiary of Standard Chartered, leveraging Metaco’s infrastructure to deliver secure, bank-backed custody for crypto assets.

Now, with Ripple at the helm, these partnerships have a new dimension: XRP integration. Imagine a global bank already using Metaco to custody tokenized assets — with Ripple’s network, that same bank can now settle those assets using XRP, instantly and securely across borders. This is the kind of transformation that turns pilot programs into production-grade platforms. And it’s already happening behind the scenes.

But it’s not just about the big guys. Metaco’s client roster also includes regional banks, asset managers, and fintech startups looking to leapfrog into blockchain finance without getting lost in the technical weeds. Armed with Ripple’s global presence and XRP’s liquidity layer, these players can now offer services like instant cross-border payments, tokenized asset custody, and on-chain treasury management — all while staying fully compliant.

This synergy between Metaco’s custody expertise and Ripple’s payment infrastructure is creating a new standard for blockchain integration in the financial sector. Instead of siloed solutions, institutions now have access to an interoperable, secure, and XRP-native ecosystem. That’s not just a partnership — it’s a paradigm shift.

And here’s the kicker: every new client that onboards with Metaco is a potential node in Ripple’s growing network. Every tokenized asset secured via Harmonize becomes a candidate for XRP settlement. This isn’t just about adoption — it’s about network effects, compounded value, and exponential growth. That’s the kind of math we love at XRPAuthority.com.

Security and compliance

If there’s one thing Swiss firms know how to do well — besides punctual trains and immaculate watches — it’s keeping things secure. And when it comes to Metaco, security isn’t just a feature; it’s a philosophy. This is no amateur hour with duct-taped firewalls and “password123” logins. We’re talking military-grade security architecture, purpose-built to satisfy the nerves of even the most compliance-obsessed risk officers in global finance.

Metaco’s Harmonize platform is built on a zero-trust security model — a framework that assumes nothing and verifies everything. Every transaction, every access request, and every operational workflow is governed by multi-party approval processes and cryptographic authentication. This is particularly crucial when you’re managing assets like XRP, where speed is a feature but trust is non-negotiable. Harmonize ensures that institutions can operate on the XRP Ledger without exposing themselves to operational or regulatory risks.

From a compliance standpoint, Metaco doesn’t just meet regulatory expectations — it anticipates them. Harmonize is engineered to support global regulatory frameworks, including FATF’s Travel Rule, GDPR, and region-specific crypto asset regulations across the EU, Asia, and the Americas. That means whether you’re a Swiss private bank or a Singaporean fintech, you can custody XRP and other digital assets in a way that keeps your compliance team smiling (or at least not panicking).

• Regulatory Integration: Harmonize supports configurable compliance workflows, enabling Know Your Customer (KYC), Anti-Money Laundering (AML), and transaction monitoring to be embedded directly into custody operations.
• Hardware-Based Key Management: Private keys are stored in secure hardware modules (HSMs) or multi-party computation (MPC) environments, ensuring keys are never exposed — not even to internal staff.
• Audit-Ready Architecture: Real-time logging, immutable audit trails, and role-based access controls make it easy for institutions to demonstrate compliance to regulators without breaking a sweat.

And let’s not forget Ripple’s role in amplifying this security stack. With Metaco now part of Ripple’s ecosystem, the ability to offer secure, compliant custody for XRP is no longer a theoretical benefit — it’s a core feature. This gives Ripple a massive edge in onboarding institutional clients, especially those who’ve been sitting on the sidelines waiting for the right custody solution before diving into blockchain finance. Metaco eliminates the excuse of “it’s not secure enough” from the institutional playbook.

In an environment where one misstep can land you in regulatory hot water or, worse, a headline-grabbing hack, institutions need more than just custody — they need confidence. Metaco delivers that confidence at scale, and Ripple delivers the network that puts it to work. That’s why this isn’t just a win for Ripple or Metaco — it’s a seismic shift for XRP’s role in regulated blockchain finance.