Pantera Capital CEO Dan Morehead, in a recent live interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box, highlighted Ripple’s ambitious goal of challenging the global banking messaging giant, SWIFT.
During the interview, Morehead discussed the growing landscape of blockchain projects and their varied applications. While focusing primarily on Pantera’s new Solana-focused treasury company, he took a moment to highlight that different cryptocurrencies serve different purposes.
Specifically, he noted that Ripple is targeting a major pain point in traditional finance—cross-border payments and messaging—by competing directly with SWIFT.
“There might be other use cases, you know, like Ripple’s going after SWIFT,” Morehead remarked.
Ripple’s Positioning Within the Blockchain Ecosystem
Notably, Morehead’s comments placed Ripple alongside other major blockchain projects, each serving distinct roles. He described Bitcoin as “digital gold,” primarily a store of value.
On the other hand, he characterized Solana as a high-performance blockchain with massive transaction throughput. As for Ripple, Morehead described it as a serious contender for modernizing cross-border payments and financial communication.
This perspective highlights the diversity within crypto technology, where no single project dominates all aspects of the industry.
Ripple VP: “We’re Building a SWIFT-Like Replacement”
Ripple’s attempt to disrupt SWIFT has long been a focal point for investors, notably the XRP Army.
In January, Ripple’s Senior VP Eric van Miltenburg stated at the 2025 World Economic Forum that Ripple aims to be a modern alternative to SWIFT for cross-border payments.
He called attention to Ripple’s focus on fast, compliant, and customer-driven infrastructure, targeting traditional financial institutions seeking innovation.
Meanwhile, at the XRPL Apex in June, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said the XRP Ledger could handle 14% of SWIFT’s transaction volume within five years.
Other Industry Commentary
Weighing in on these statements, popular XRP community figure Crypto Eri argued that Ripple’s approach is competitive rather than collaborative with SWIFT. This counters ongoing speculation that Ripple might integrate or partner with SWIFT systems.
Moreover, the XRP Army believes Ripple’s acquisition of Hidden Road is a strategic move to bypass legacy systems like SWIFT altogether.
Morehead’s remarks on live TV have sparked significant reaction in the XRP community.
I think @andrewrsorkin forgot to tell him there is an XRP blackout in place @cnbc. Might not get invited back for committing the cardinal sin. Never mention XRP or Ripple. https://t.co/33KsKmgWLr
— Digital Asset Investor (@digitalassetbuy) September 16, 2025
Interestingly, other industry leaders share a similar view. In July, Teucrium CEO Sal Gilbertie said the firm launched its 2x Long Daily XRP ETF because he believes Ripple could “hopefully” replace SWIFT.
Speaking on the Thinking Crypto podcast, Gilbertie praised Ripple’s long-term focus on modernizing cross-border payments. He stressed that Ripple’s mission to upgrade outdated banking systems resonated with him, given his background in derivatives.
“Decades Later, It’s Still Just Vibes”
Meanwhile, it hasn’t all been praise for Ripple in its ambition to rival SWIFT. In March, Forbes published a scathing report, labeling Ripple a “good-for-nothing” and “zombie” project.
The article questioned Ripple’s long-standing promise to replace SWIFT, noting that over a decade later, the company is “still running pilot programs in small markets.”
Similar critical commentaries have emerged even within the crypto community. Chainlink proponents have recently questioned XRP’s relevance in the evolving crypto landscape.
They argue that decades later, it’s still running on hope, while projects like Chainlink are securing government collaborations.
While Ripple and XRP have landed high-level partnerships, critics argue they are falling behind on their core promises after years in the making.
DisClamier: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author's personal opinions and do not reflect The Crypto Basic opinion. Readers are encouraged to do thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.
