Digital Ascension Group MD Reveals Why He is Investing in XRP Only

Jake Claver, Managing Director of Digital Ascension Group and staunch XRP proponent, recently revealed why he is placing his investment focus solely on XRP. 

In a post on X, the executive shared an infographic that indicates the reason behind his decision to only invest in XRP. Interestingly, his disclosure pointed to XRP’s prospective utility in acting as a bridge currency for high-value payments. 

Specifically, the infographic, titled “Interledger: Enabling Interoperability Across Platforms 2020-2025,” presents XRP as the prospective central bridge connecting traditional financial networks to modern platforms. 

Could XRP Serve as a Central Bridge?

It divides its layout into two main sections: the left side lists traditional financial networks such as Japan’s Zengin, the EU’s SEPA, ACH and Fedwire from the U.S., the UK’s FPS, and the High-Value Payment System (HVPS) from China.

Meanwhile, on the right, the infographic includes major platforms like Bloomberg and Fidelity in banking, SAP in treasury, and tech giants such as Apple, IBM, Tesla, PayPal, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google.

Interestingly, the protocols from the left connect to the major platforms on the right through a central hub labeled “XRP Ledger,” suggesting that XRP could facilitate transactions between them. 

This depiction essentially claims that the Interledger Protocol, with XRP at its core, could create a unified payment system bridging traditional finance and modern digital platforms. 

For instance, a payment initiated through Zengin in Japan could theoretically settle on Amazon’s platform in the US with XRP as the bridge, bypassing the delays and fees of conventional systems like SWIFT. 

The infographic presents XRP as the important intermediary. With this, the asset would enable interoperability across borders and industries. This narrative is one of the major factors behind Claver’s investment focus on XRP as a major asset in global finance.

Concerns Raised

However, the graphic’s portrayal of XRP’s role within the Interledger Protocol has raised concerns. For one, the Interledger Protocol, developed to facilitate payments across different ledgers, operates as a blockchain-agnostic system, meaning it does not require XRP or any specific crypto asset. 

The protocol uses connectors to route payments, allowing flexibility in currency conversions without mandating XRP as a bridge. While Ripple co-developed ILP in 2015, with then CTO Stefan Thomas contributing massively, the protocol has since evolved independently. 

Further, Critics argue that the graphic exaggerates XRP’s role, with some labeling it as speculative. Major financial networks like SEPA or Fedwire have not publicly adopted the Interledger Protocol, and tech giants like Apple and Amazon show no signs of integrating XRP for payments. 

Notably, XRP’s adoption has also been hampered by Ripple’s ongoing SEC lawsuit, initiated in 2020, which alleges the company sold XRP as an unregistered security. This legal battle has deterred institutional adoption, casting doubt on the feasibility of the infographic’s vision.

Claver Maintains Optimism in XRP

Despite these concerns, Claver has maintained certainty around his XRP investment. Notably, his strategy may hinge on Ripple’s proven technology and potential for growth if regulatory hurdles completely clear, especially considering that the SEC lawsuit is already near an end.

Also, Claver’s Digital Ascension Group, a family office that partners with Ripple’s Standard Custody & Trust, might be another factor determining his decision to only invest in XRP.

Responding to his disclosure, Michael Graziano, a crypto proponent, stressed that investors should regard this as Claver’s personal investment choice and not try to apply it to their strategy. Graziano indicated that he and investors are free to do things differently. In response, Claver agreed to this statement.