Crypto

“They're Still Sitting on the Same Old Rails”: Ripple's Jazzi Cooper

Published

2 years ago

June 13, 2024

“They're Still Sitting on the Same Old Rails”: Ripple's Jazzi Cooper

On the ground for XRP Ledger Apex 2024, we caught up with
Jazzi Cooper, Lead Product Manager at Ripple X and a major driving force behind its ambitious mission. In an
exclusive interview, Jazzi shared insights into Ripple X’s role in reshaping
the financial landscape and paving the way for a future powered by blockchain
technology.

XRP Ledger Apex 2024

Why Traditional Finance Needs a Disruption

“Traditional finance rails today, as we know, are
insufficient. Payments take multiple days if not weeks (…) and settlement is slow,” Jazzi remarked,
setting the stage for a discussion on the urgent need for disruptive solutions
in the financial sector.

The bold promise of blockchain technology lies in its
potential to revolutionize financial systems, a vision embodied by Ripple X and
its dedication to the XRP Ledger. As traditional financial infrastructures
strain under the weight of inefficiencies, Ripple X champions a future where
transactions are swift, transparent, and decentralized. This ambition is not
merely a theoretical exercise but a concerted effort to redefine how value is
transferred and recorded.

One of the main drivers for this charge is Jasmine Cooper,
affectionately known as Jazzi, who heads the Institutional DeFi Products group.
Her team’s mission is to cultivate a suite of products that capitalize on the
unique strengths of the XRP Ledger, thus offering a robust alternative to the
entrenched financial systems that dominate today’s markets.

On Redefining Value Transfer

“The XRP Ledger is purpose-built for value transfer.
We think it’s a very ideal blockchain environment for the issuance, the
movement, the trading of tokens,” Jasmine emphasizes, underscoring the
platform’s suitability for disrupting traditional finance.

Central to Ripple X’s strategy are three key product
verticals: tokenization, financial protocols, and infrastructure. Tokenization
involves the creation of digital tokens that represent real-world assets,
offering a new avenue for asset management and investment. Financial protocols
cover on-chain trading and lending, leveraging blockchain’s transparency and
efficiency. The infrastructure vertical focuses on building the essential
components, such as oracles and cross-chain bridges, which support the seamless
operation of these systems.

Out with the Old?

“Most of fintech today, all of your neobanks, all of
your digital wealth advisors, these have moved a little bit forward by offering
nice UIs… But they’re still sitting on the same old rails.”

As a stark contrast, one of the most exciting developments at Ripple X is the
introduction of multipurpose tokens, a new standard designed for the
tokenization of real-world assets.

“We’ve introduced a new token standard called
multipurpose tokens that’s purpose-built for tokenization of real-world
assets,” explains Jasmine, shedding light on Ripple X’s commitment to
innovation.

This innovation allows metadata to be
directly attached to the blockchain asset, ensuring a higher degree of
reliability and utility. Such advancements pave the way for more sophisticated
use cases, such as bond and equity tokenization, and open up new possibilities
for asset management and investment.

Accessible Blockchain for All: User-Centric Design & Financial Inclusion

Shifting gears, Jasmine’s perspective on the interplay between technology
and society underscores a fundamental truth: technology must align with user
needs and expectations to achieve widespread adoption.

“We ultimately have to meet people where they are in terms
of their tolerance for usability, for risk, for trust, user experience that they
demand across the board,” Jazzi added.

This principle guides
Ripple X’s development efforts. Instead of imposing complex, crypto-native
solutions that might alienate everyday users, Ripple X aims to meet users where
they are, providing intuitive and accessible products that leverage
blockchain’s advantages without overwhelming complexity, thus emphasizing the
importance of user-centric design.

Financial inclusion is another cornerstone of Ripple X’s
vision. By democratizing access to financial services, blockchain
technology can empower individuals in regions where traditional banking
infrastructure is inadequate or nonexistent. Decentralized lending protocols,
for example, can offer capital to those who lack access to conventional
financial institutions, thus fostering economic opportunities and growth in
underserved communities.

Looking ahead, Ripple X is poised to make significant
strides in the realm of real-world asset tokenization. Upcoming announcements
and projects promise to further integrate blockchain technology into various
sectors, enhancing the liquidity and utility of digital assets. Additionally,
the EVM side chain initiative aims to bridge Ethereum’s extensive developer
community with Ripple’s robust infrastructure, creating synergies that could
drive further innovation and adoption.

Wrapping up

In the face of skepticism and the noise surrounding
cryptocurrencies, Ripple X’s commitment to practical, impactful solutions
stands out. By focusing on real-world problems and developing technology that
enhances user experiences, Ripple X is not only pushing the boundaries of what
blockchain can achieve but also ensuring that these advancements are accessible
and beneficial to a broad audience. The future of finance, as envisioned by
Ripple X, is one where blockchain technology seamlessly integrates into our
daily lives, enhancing efficiency, transparency, and inclusion in ways that
traditional systems have long struggled to deliver.

XRP Ledger Apex 2024

Why Traditional Finance Needs a Disruption

On Redefining Value Transfer

Out with the Old?

As a stark contrast, one of the most exciting developments at Ripple X is the
introduction of multipurpose tokens, a new standard designed for the
tokenization of real-world assets.

Accessible Blockchain for All: User-Centric Design & Financial Inclusion

“We ultimately have to meet people where they are in terms
of their tolerance for usability, for risk, for trust, user experience that they
demand across the board,” Jazzi added.

Wrapping up

Crypto

Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud: Bizman loses Rs 2.6 cr to crypto, investment fraud | Hyderabad News – The Times of India

Published

10 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Hyderabad: A 69-year-old businessman from Somajiguda lost 2.65 crore allegedly in a cryptocurrency and stock investment fraud. Based on his complaint, Hyderabad Cyber Crime police have registered a case.The complainant was first contacted by a fraudster posing as Ramya Krishnan on Aug 30, 2025 through Facebook. She persuaded the victim to invest in a cryptocurrency and stock trading platform, Polyus Finance PFP Gold, hosted at the domain pfpgoldfx.vip, promising high returns to finance his proposed resort and apparel ventures.Fraudsters provided the victim a contact number for daily communication and sent screenshots showing notional profits credited in his wallet in USDT cryptocurrency. To build trust, the fraudster even allowed the victim a token withdrawal of 4,300 on Sept 12, 2025.Encouraged, the victim transferred over 2.65 crore in 10 transactions between Sept 10 and Dec 39, 2025 to various current accounts provided by the accused.When he attempted to withdraw his ‘earnings’, the accused demanded an additional 15% conversion commission. After he refused, the website became inaccessible and calls to the fraudsters went unanswered.Realising that he was duped, the victim filed an online report on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) before approaching the Cyber Crime police on Feb 25.Based on his complaint, a case was registered under Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act and Sections 111(2)(b) (Organised crime), 318(4) (Cheating), 319(2) (Cheating by personation), 336(3) (Forgery for purpose of cheating), 338 (Forgery of valuable security, will, etc.) and 340(2) (Using as genuine a forged document or electronic record) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on Wednesday. Police were analysing financial transactions to identify and arrest the accused.

Crypto

Terror groups receive $1.7b. from Iran through Binance | The Jerusalem Post

Published

22 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Terror groups receive .7b. from Iran through Binance | The Jerusalem Post

Iranians were able to access more than 1,500 Binance accounts last year, and $1.7 billion was transferred from two of them to terrorist proxies, The New York Times reported Monday.

That was a potential violation of global sanctions, the report said, citing company records and documents collected by internal investigators.

The cryptocurrency exchange site reportedly fired or suspended at least four employees cited in the internal investigation. The company blamed “violations of company protocol” relating to its clients’ data, the Times reported.

The report came days after The Jerusalem Post spoke with experts from blockchain intelligence platform NOMINIS.io about how the Iranian regime was evading Western sanctions through cryptocurrencies.

The regime maintains a steady income using cryptocurrency through oil sales to Russia and China, NOMINIS CEO Snir Levi said at the time.

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who pleaded guilty to failing to implement a program to prevent money laundering, arrives for his sentencing in federal district court in Seattle, Washington. (credit: REUTERS/Deborah Bloom)

Regarding the latest scandal, he told the Post this week: “The latest allegations about Binance come months after the lawsuit by the victims’ families of October 7 – the ongoing Balva [versus] Binance case.

The majority of the allegations can be easily confirmed by on-chain data. There are thousands of cases where money has been sent and received to and from wallets that have clear connections to Iran.”

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao is being sued by the families of American victims and hostages of the October 7 massacre. He has been accused of knowingly enabling Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to transfer more than $1b. through its platform, including more than $50 million after the October 7 massacre.

Zhao pleaded guilty to anti-money-laundering violations in connection with Binance in 2023. US President Donald Trump pardoned him last October.

“They say what he did was not even a crime,” Trump told reporters last October. “It wasn’t a crime. That he was persecuted by the Biden administration, and so I gave him a pardon at the request of a lot of very good people.”

Binance representative Rachel Conlan said the accounts linked to the $1.7b. in Iranian transactions have been removed and the relevant authorities were informed.

“Any suggestion that Binance knowingly allowed sanctionable activity to continue unchecked is incorrect and defamatory,” she said, despite Zhao’s earlier admission of anti-money-laundering violations.

More than half a dozen compliance officials have left Binance, including a sanctions manager and the leader of the enterprise compliance team, over the past few months, the Times reported.

“No investigator was dismissed for raising compliance concerns or for reporting potential sanctions issues,” Conlan said in a statement to The Guardian.

Democrat senator opens inquiry into cryptocurrency company

While Conlan insisted there was no wrongdoing, US Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) opened an inquiry into Binance on Tuesday, seeking records of the company’s dealings in Hong Kong , where funds have previously been transferred in a network against sanctions.

“Binance appears to have ignored warnings and recommendations to prevent Iranian money-laundering schemes on its cryptocurrency exchange,” Blumenthal wrote in a letter to Binance co-chief executive Richard Teng.

“According to documents obtained by the Times and the Journal, Binance was even warned that Hexa Whale was financing terrorist organizations such as the Yemeni Houthis, and internal investigators found cryptocurrency transfers to wallets associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and payments to crew members of Russia’s sanctions-evading shadow fleet of oil tankers,” he wrote.

“Instead of actually preventing illicit use, Binance has sought to evade accountability and influence the White House through lobbying and a financial partnership with World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the cryptocurrency firm owned by the sons of President Trump and his special envoy Steve Witkoff… This influence campaign has worked: In May 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it was dismissing a lawsuit against Binance for lying to regulators and mishandling funds, followed in October by the stunning Presidential pardon of founder Changpeng Zhao.”

“The scale of the newly revealed illicit transfers – uncaught until nearly $2 billion flowed to sanctioned entities – and the unexplained firing of internal investigators call into question Binance’s compliance with American sanctions and banking laws, and its 2023 agreement to resolve the previous federal investigation,” Blumenthal wrote.

Crypto

1 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock With More Potential Than Any Cryptocurrency | The Motley Fool

Published

1 day ago

February 25, 2026

Press Room

Crypto is stumbling while AI is advancing.

We’re in one of those times when market players are shunning crypto investments. Factors such as persistent inflation, a declining likelihood of interest rate cuts (typically a major catalyst for crypto price pops), and outflows from once-hotly popular crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have put the hurt on even the most prominent digital coins and tokens.

Given that, it’s worthwhile to consider another high-potential technology — artificial intelligence (AI). Despite huge growth opportunities ahead, AI has also taken it on the chin lately as well. It still has a bright future, and I believe investors can still hop on this train with a company that’s not a pure play, but one deeply — albeit not exclusively — involved in the technology.

Read on to see what AI giant I believe can outpace even the most popular cryptocurrencies.

Image source: Alphabet.

Alphabet is advancing AI

That company is none other than Google owner Alphabet (GOOG +0.68%)(GOOGL +0.68%). Although it’s still known, with some justification, as a search engine operator, the company has been neck-deep in AI for years. It’s developed both hardware and the large language models (LLMs) powered by it, and it clearly aims to be a top name in this technology.

I have no doubt it can succeed. Google’s AI component Gemini is now fused into the company’s search and many other features (like Google Mail). This makes it a convenient option for web searchers querying for more than basic information on a subject. Its functionalities are also integrated into offerings like Google Docs, where users can harness AI to help with their writing. The Gemini platform itself is a hot item, with a monthly active user count now topping 750 million.

On the hardware front, Alphabet is not only actively developing and deploying Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) — chips designed to power AI functionality — it invented them. Originally designed to bolster the company’s AI capabilities, the processors are now being sold to external customers, opening another revenue stream.

Today’s Change

(0.68%) $2.11

Current Price

$313.03

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$3.8T

Day’s Range

$309.36 – $313.66

52wk Range

$142.66 – $350.15

Volume

20M

Avg Vol

23M

Gross Margin

59.68%

Dividend Yield

0.27%

AI is a growth catalyst for Alphabet

Alphabet doesn’t break out the revenue it derives from AI hardware and services, so we can’t put a precise number on how much the technology is bringing in for the company.

Still, it’s clearly foundational these days — the phrase “AI” was mentioned 94 times during management’s fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings conference call. And the tech giant stated in the accompanying earnings release that “We’re seeing our AI investments and infrastructure drive revenue and growth across the board.”

Alphabet’s two main revenue buckets, Google Services and Google Cloud — both of which feature AI-enhanced products — have seen robust increases. The former’s revenue grew 14% year over year during the quarter to almost $96 billion, while the latter’s skyrocketed 48% to just under $18 billion.

The numbers don’t lie. Even if the economy slows or inflation remains stubborn, demand for Alphabet’s impressively large suite of AI products and services will remain strong. I’d feel much more confident parking my money in this AI stock than gambling it on a wobbly cryptocurrency.