B HODL Plc Buys 100 Bitcoin for Treasury Reserve
B HODL Plc (AQUIS: HODL), a U.K.-listed company focused on Bitcoin holdings, has purchased 100 Bitcoin as part of its treasury reserve strategy. The acquisition was made at an average price of £83,872 ($113,227) per coin, with a total outlay of about £8.39 million. The move marks the company’s latest step in building a long-term Bitcoin reserve while using its holdings to support operations on the Lightning Network, a payment system designed for faster Bitcoin transactions. Purchase and Holdings According to company disclosures, the newly acquired 100 Bitcoins bring B HODL’s total holdings to 100 BTC. The cost basis for the entire position stands at £8.39 million, matching the value of the latest purchase. B HODL said its treasury strategy is centred on disciplined acquisition of Bitcoin, treating the digital asset as a scarce monetary reserve. The firm added that its reserve also underpins revenue-generating infrastructure linked to the Lightning Network. Strategy and Market Context While some companies have added Bitcoin to their balance sheets as an alternative asset, B HODL was founded specifically to accumulate and manage Bitcoin reserves. Its approach combines holding Bitcoin as a long-term strategic asset with developing income streams from network operations. The company’s acquisition comes as Bitcoin continues to gain traction among corporate treasuries globally. Businesses from the United States to Latin America have begun adopting similar strategies, though B HODL is among the first in the United Kingdom to pursue a model focused solely on Bitcoin accumulation and related revenue generation. The firm did not disclose the timing of the purchase or comment on whether additional acquisitions are planned.
How Ripple (XRP) Has Been Revolutionizing Cross-Border Payments and Digital Finance
Unlike typical “shitcoins” that crash after legal troubles, Ripple’s XRP has stayed in the top 20 since 2012, despite its 100 billion pre-mined tokens. Its resilience stems from navigating multiple legal battles and building strategic international partnerships, such as with MoneyGram. XRP is unique: it wasn’t created as a store of value like Bitcoin or a smart-contract platform like Ethereum. Its purpose is to facilitate fast and affordable cross-border payments. Using the XRP Ledger (XRPL) Consensus Protocol, transactions are validated every 3–5 seconds without mining or staking, making it fast, low-cost, scalable, and eco-friendly. Designed to solve the “last-mile” problem in global payments, XRP’s On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) eliminates pre-funded accounts and cuts settlement times drastically. This has attracted remittance providers like Intermex, banks like Travelex in Brazil, and major Asian partners such as SBI Group and Tranglo. This analysis explores XRP’s identity, adoption, legal challenges, strategic alliances, and the future outlook for both the token and Ripple. Ripple (XRP)’s Timeline of Lawsuits and Partnerships Ripple has always had a dual narrative: on one hand, a series of high-stakes legal battles that threatened its existence, and on the other, the steady construction of a global network of powerful financial partners. The legal journey of XRP has been complex and defining, marked by regulatory enforcement, private litigation, and investor class actions.Here’s a detailed breakdown of the key legal and regulatory challenges that have shaped its path. Name Type Filing Period Jurisdiction Outcome SEC v. Ripple Labs, Inc. SEC Enforcement 2020-12-22 U.S. District Court, SDNY Summary judgment (Jul 2023) favored Ripple on public sales but not institutional sales, with resolved actions by 2025 as per multiple reports. In re Ripple Labs, Inc. Litigation Investor Class Actions 2018-05 to 2018-11 N. District of California Consolidated and ongoing litigation with varying procedural rulings. R3 HoldCo LLC v. Ripple Labs Contract Dispute 2017 U.S. Civil Courts The dispute was over an option to purchase a large volume of XRP, with settlement concluded in September 2018 under confidential terms. Tetragon v. Ripple Labs Inc. Shareholder Litigation 2021-01 Delaware Court of Chancery The court denied Tetragon’s request and favored Ripple, finding that the SEC’s lawsuit did not automatically trigger redemption rights for investors. FinCEN / DOJ Enforcement Regulatory Enforcement 2015-05-04 U.S. Treasury / DOJ Resolved by a settlement where Ripple paid a $700,000 civil penalty for violating Bank Secrecy Act requirements. MoneyGram-Related Investor Suits Related Class Actions 2021 U.S. Federal Courts Lawsuits filed against MoneyGram (not Ripple) alleging it misled investors about the benefits of its partnership with Ripple. The landmark SEC vs. Ripple case remains the most influential. In December 2020, the SEC alleged that Ripple conducted a $1.3 billion unregistered securities offering. The pivotal moment came in July 2023, when Judge Analisa Torres ruled that XRP sold on public exchanges was not a security, while direct sales to institutions were. This decision provided crucial regulatory clarity, even as appeals and final penalty negotiations continued into 2025. While navigating legal challenges, Ripple simultaneously executed an aggressive partnership strategy to build the infrastructure necessary for XRP’s real-world use. Partner Name Type Period Region Notes MoneyGram Partnership & Investment 2019-06-17 Global Ripple invested ~$50M, and MoneyGram utilized ODL for remittances from 2019-2021 before the relationship was wound down amid SEC pressure. Bitso Partnership & Investment 2019-10-14 Mexico / LATAM Active ODL partner. Ripple led an investment round to ensure liquidity for the crucial U.S.-Mexico remittance corridor. SBI Holdings Strategic JV 2016-onward Japan / APAC Long-standing and deep partnership. Formed SBI Ripple Asia to promote Ripple’s tech to a consortium of Japanese banks. Santander Pilot / Partnership 2018 Spain / Global Launched the “One Pay FX” mobile app using Ripple’s enterprise messaging technology (xCurrent) for faster international payments. American Express Pilot / Partnership 2017-2018 U.S. & UK Conducted pilot trials using RippleNet for B2B payments between the U.S. and the UK, in partnership with Santander. Tranglo Partnership / Stake 2020-2021 Asia Ripple acquired a strategic stake in this payment hub to expand ODL corridors and provide payout services across Southeast Asia. Coil Ecosystem Grant 2019 Developer Ecosystem Ripple’s investment arm, Xpring (now RippleX), provided a 1 billion XRP grant to support web monetization and micropayments. Exchange Integrations Liquidity Partnerships Various Global Ongoing partnerships with exchanges like Bitstamp, Uphold, and Bitso to provide essential liquidity for ODL corridors. RippleX Portfolio Venture Investments 2018-onward Global RippleX has made numerous investments in projects like Forte, NEAR, and Coinme to foster innovation and expand the use cases of the XRP Ledger. BBVA Banking Partnership (Digital Asset Custody) 2025-09 Spain, Switzerland, and Turkey Ripple is providing custody tech for retail crypto under EU MiCA rules, building on existing custody partnerships This web of partnerships—from global banks to regional payment providers and innovative startups—has been instrumental. Key alliances like those with SBI Holdings in Japan and Bitso in Mexico have created powerful beachheads for institutional adoption and proven the viability of ODL in high-volume remittance corridors. What Next For XRP? With the worst of its legal battles seemingly behind it and a clear use case gaining traction, the future of XRP is focused on expansion and evolution. Several key developments are poised to shape its next chapter.