Optimism, Ripple, and Taurus are targeting institutional investment through three pillars: infrastructure, stablecoins, and staking.
Optimism Partners with Circuit to Bring ZK Validity Proofs to OP Stack
Optimism (OP), an Ethereum scaling solution, is accelerating the Layer 2 infrastructure race by fully implementing zero-knowledge proofs (ZK) validation into the OP Stack. The goal is to reduce withdrawal wait times, previously taking several days, to virtually instant settlement.
Optimism has announced a partnership with zero-knowledge proof infrastructure provider Succinct to natively integrate ZK validation into the OP Stack. This upgrade, branded "OP Succinct," will initially be implemented on the main network, the OP Mainnet, before expanding to other OP Stack-based chains.
The existing Optimistic Rollup system, based on a "post-verification" structure, imposed a dispute period during which withdrawals were frozen. This often resulted in withdrawals from Layer 2 to the Ethereum mainnet taking up to seven days. OP Circuit replaces this process with a mathematically-based "proof of validity," allowing transactions to be confirmed without a dispute window.
This change is particularly important for institutional investors and large trading firms. Under the existing structure, custodians had to hold liquidity while waiting for withdrawals, and hedge funds and market makers inevitably suffered from reduced capital efficiency when moving funds between exchanges. In contrast, a proof-of-validity-based structure accelerates settlement, minimizing deposits, and significantly increases the agility of fund transfers between Layer 2, the mainnet, and other chains.
Circuit's proof system reportedly already secures billions of dollars in on-chain value across multiple protocols. Optimism emphasizes that this collaboration is an extension of its "multi-proof strategy," which will allow each chain built on the OP Stack to select a different proof network based on its needs, optimizing security, speed, and cost.
If ZK technology establishes itself as the "canonical" verification method for the optimism ecosystem, it is expected to significantly impact not only the competitive landscape between Layer 2s but also the payment structure of Ethereum-based assets. Resolving Layer 2 withdrawal delays could further enhance the appeal of the OP ecosystem in areas where capital efficiency is crucial, such as on-chain derivatives, institutional payments, and high-frequency trading.
Binance Opens Deposits for Ripple's Stablecoin RLUSD on the XRP Ledger
Global exchange Binance is supporting deposits of Ripple Labs' stablecoin, Ripple USD (RLUSD), which is expected to change the competitive landscape of the stablecoin market. RLUSD, Ripple's flagship stablecoin, is unique in that it operates simultaneously on both the XRP Ledger and Ethereum (ETH).
Binance announced on Thursday that it has completed integration of RLUSD on the XRP Ledger, with deposits now available. Withdrawals will be supported as soon as sufficient liquidity is secured within the platform. Users can check their deposit address by selecting RLUSD from the Binance Wallet menu.
RLUSD is a stablecoin designed to be pegged 1:1 to the US dollar, and is an asset promoted by Ripple as a regulatory-friendly solution for institutional payments and DeFi. Adopting a multi-chain architecture that operates simultaneously on the XRP Ledger and Ethereum, RLUSD aims for a wide range of applications, from cross-border payments for traditional financial institutions to on-chain liquidity provision.
This stablecoin, slated for official launch in late 2024, has garnered attention as Ripple's first full-fledged stablecoin project. With RLUSD, Ripple is challenging the roughly $250 billion (approximately KRW 361.375 trillion) stablecoin market, currently dominated by two major players: Tether's USDT and Circle's USDC. According to CoinGecko, RLUSD's market capitalization has already surpassed $1.5 billion (approximately KRW 2.1682 trillion) since its launch.
This Binance integration could significantly expand RLUSD's circulation base. In particular, the fact that XRP is a native asset on the XRP Ledger differentiates it from existing stablecoins centered on Ethereum and Solana (SOL). Combining Ripple's strengths as an "institutional payment network" with Binance's massive liquidity could have a significant impact on how banks and fintech companies adopt stablecoins.
As stablecoins have established themselves as "base assets" across the crypto market, serving as DeFi collateral, on-chain payments, and exchange margin, the expansion of RLUSD will directly impact the growing influence of the Ripple and XRP Ledger ecosystems. It remains to be seen whether RLUSD can move beyond simply supporting the Ripple ecosystem and become a core pillar of institutional multi-chain payment infrastructure.
Deutsche Bank-backed Taurus partners with Blockdaemon to strengthen institutional staking.
Taurus, a digital asset infrastructure company invested in by major traditional financial institutions such as Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse, and State Street, is expanding its "institutional staking service" targeting global banks and financial institutions in partnership with Blockdaemon.
Taurus has been providing digital asset custody services, primarily for banks, through its proprietary custody solution, "Taurus-PROTECT." This partnership will allow Taurus customers to keep their assets in their existing custody environment and stake them on various Proof-of-Stake (PoS) networks through Blockdaemon's infrastructure. Blockdaemon currently provides institutional staking infrastructure for over 60 protocols.
“Working with Blockdaemon allows us to expand the staking options we offer our customers while maintaining the security and compliance standards demanded by banks and institutions,” said Victor Busson, Chief Marketing Officer at Taurus. “This is another step forward in making it easier for banks and financial institutions to participate in digital assets.”
Andrew Vranjes, Chief Revenue Officer at Blockdaemon, emphasized that institutional staking requires high-availability infrastructure and robust security and governance systems. "Integrating with Taurus allows banks and regulated financial institutions to access multi-network staking and yield services within their existing custody environment," he explained, explaining that this allows them to generate yield while maintaining operational stability, policy control, and asset ownership across PoS networks.
The Taurus-Blockdaemon collaboration is seen as more than just a technological integration; it could serve as an opportunity to spread the perception of "Proof of Stake = Profitable Infrastructure" within traditional finance. As more banks and asset management companies view staking revenue as a source of income similar to deposits and bonds, institutional demand for major PoS assets, including Ethereum (ETH), is likely to gradually expand.
Optimism's introduction of ZK, Ripple's expansion of its stablecoin RLUSD, and Taurus and Blockdaemon's enhanced staking all align with a common trend toward creating an "institution-friendly digital asset market" in the areas of infrastructure, payments, and monetization. It remains to be seen whether these infrastructure improvements will further accelerate the on-chain participation of traditional financial institutions, which has been hampered by regulatory and risk concerns.
💡 "Infrastructure, stablecoins, and staking: the three key institutional needs... Only investors who understand them will survive."
Layer 2 infrastructure (OP Circuit), multi-chain stablecoins (RLUSD), institutional staking (Taurus-Blockdaemon)—these days, the headlines are getting more and more complex.
The problem is that all of this is the 'rules of the game' that will soon change investors' returns and risk structures.
What the market needs now is not just simple coin information,
- A macroscopic view of how infrastructure changes like Layer 2, ZK, and staking affect my portfolio .
- Ability to compare and analyze the structure and risks of new stablecoins such as USDT, USDC, and RLUSD.
- This is a strategy to incorporate staking profits from Ethereum and PoS assets into a portfolio by comparing them to deposits/bonds .
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Step 2: The Analyst
- Anatomy of Tokenomics : Learn how to avoid "dumping risk" by analyzing the issuance structure, inflation, and lockups of stablecoins like RLUSD and L2 tokens.
- On-Chain Analysis : Practice reading institutional and whale fund flows and market cycles using on-chain indicators from the Ethereum and OP ecosystems.
Step 3: The Strategist (Investment Strategy and Portfolio)
- Design your portfolio at the portfolio level to determine the proportions of OP, ETH, stablecoins (such as RLUSD), and staking assets.
- We cover how to adjust the ratio of growth assets to income-generating assets, taking into account inflation, interest rates, and institutional capital inflows.
Step 4: The Trader (Technical Analysis and Trading)
- Learn how to time your entry and liquidation on the charts when news of ZK and Level 2 stablecoin listings emerges through practical chart analysis.
- Hogachang lays the foundation for high-frequency, short-term trading by utilizing various order methods (market price, limit price, stop).
Step 5: The DeFi User (Decentralized Finance)
- Learn specific strategies for using stablecoins like RLUSD, USDT, and USDC for DeFi collateral, liquidity provision, and yield farming .
- You will gain a thorough understanding of the stablecoin and staking revenue structure, including liquidity pools, impermanent loss, and lending (LTV and liquidation risk).
Step 6: The Professional (Advanced Futures and Options)
- When good and bad news about Layer 2, stablecoins, and staking emerge, we cover how to hedge and maximize profits using not only spot but also futures and options .
- Learn systematic risk management at the level of institutional traders , including position sizing, stop loss, and leverage management.
Step 7: The Macro Master (Macro and Market Cycles)
- We train you to interpret the Bitcoin halving, global liquidity, and institutional on-chain participation (Taurus, BlackRock, banks, etc.) as a single macro framework .
- Review past cycles and portfolio updates to strategize how to position yourself for the next "institutional rush."
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🔎 Market Interpretation
By natively integrating Circuit's zero-knowledge (ZK) validity proofs into the OP Stack, Optimism aims to reduce Layer 2 withdrawal latency to virtually "instant settlement." This is a key pillar of the "multi-proof" strategy, which combines security, speed, and cost in the Layer 2 infrastructure race, significantly enhancing capital efficiency and settlement reliability for institutions and professional traders.
Ripple's stablecoin, RLUSD, is expanding its distribution base with Binance deposit support, and its native, multi-chain architecture on the XRP Ledger offers an institutional-friendly alternative to the existing USDT and USDC-centric market. This is likely to lead to a full-scale market share competition targeting demand for regulatory-friendly, dollar-denominated on-chain assets.
The Taurus-Blockdaemon partnership reinforces the narrative that "PoS staking = bank-style revenue infrastructure," accelerating a shift in perception within traditional finance, which now views digital assets as a source of revenue similar to deposits and bonds. All three cases align with the three pillars of infrastructure (optimism), payment and reserve assets (RLUSD), and monetization (staking), solidifying the framework of an institutional-centric on-chain market.
💡 Strategy Points
1) Layer 2 infrastructure perspective
- The introduction of ZK on OP stack-based chains can widen the gap in 'withdrawal delay and payment confirmation speed' between Layer 2, and strengthen the competitiveness of the OP ecosystem in the fields of on-chain derivatives, high-frequency trading, and institutional payments.
- Institutional and professional investors have the potential to increase their use of OP-based dApps and derivatives infrastructure, as the burden of bridge risk and locked liquidity awaiting withdrawals is reduced.
2) Stablecoin and payment strategy
- RLUSD combines the existing B2B cross-border payment channels of the Ripple network with the massive liquidity of Binance, and aims to be a multi-chain payment hub utilizing the 'XRP Ledger + Ethereum' dual structure.
- This opens up an environment where institutions and fintechs sensitive to regulatory risk management can utilize RLUSD in parallel to hedge USDT risk or as part of a regulatory-friendly dollar stablecoin portfolio.
3) Staking and profit infrastructure
- With access to 60+ PoS network staking through the Blockdaemon infrastructure within Taurus Custody, banks and asset management companies will be able to treat staking revenue as a "managed product" without the need for a separate on-chain operating organization.
- This could lead to a reevaluation of major PoS assets such as Ethereum as "institutional bond assets (digital assets with cash flow)" in the mid- to long-term, and could lead to increased institutional staking participation → strengthened network security → revitalization of on-chain finance.
4) Common Insights from an Institutional Investor Perspective
- Infrastructure: ZK-based Layer 2 settlement improvements reduce operational risks and costs for trading, derivatives, and custody.
- Reserve Assets: The rise of regulation-friendly stablecoins (RLUSD) is beneficial for diversifying on-chain dollar infrastructure and designing regulatory-compliant DeFi.
- Profitable Infrastructure: This is a structure where the demand from banks to incorporate staking into their product lineup similar to deposits and bonds is realized through the 'backend role' of infrastructure operators (Taurus and Blockdaemon).
📘 Glossary
- Layer 2
To address congestion and fee issues on the Ethereum mainnet, scaling solutions process transactions on a separate network and then upload only the results to the mainnet. Representative examples include Optimism and Arbitrum.
- Optimistic Rollup vs. ZK Rollup
Optimistic Rollup: A structure where transactions are processed assuming they are "normal," then disputes are accepted for a set period of time (up to seven days). Withdrawals may be delayed during this period.
ZK Rollup (Zero-Knowledge Proof-based Rollup): This structure mathematically proves (proves validity) a transaction bundle and immediately confirms it, resulting in very fast withdrawal and settlement speeds.
- ZK (zero-knowledge) validity proof
A technology that mathematically proves that certain information (e.g., a transaction is valid) is true without revealing the details. This technology simultaneously aims to protect personal information, expedite settlement, and enhance security.
- Stablecoin
A cryptocurrency designed to be pegged 1:1 to the value of real assets like the US dollar. Due to its low price volatility, it serves as a reserve currency for DeFi collateral, exchange margin, and on-chain payments.
- Staking
In a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) blockchain, staking involves depositing coins to the network, participating in block creation and verification, and receiving rewards in return. This is similar to the "interest and coupon collection" aspect of traditional finance.
- Institutional Custody
This service allows banks, custodians, and specialized firms to store and manage customers' digital assets on their behalf. Security measures such as regulatory compliance, insurance, multi-signatures, and cold wallets are key.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q.
What practical benefits does introducing ZK validity proofs bring to investors?
While the existing optimistic rollup architecture required up to seven days to transfer assets to the Ethereum mainnet, ZK proofs allow withdrawals to be processed almost instantly. Institutional investors and trading firms no longer need to hold funds for extended periods, allowing them to move funds between exchanges and execute hedging strategies more quickly. Individual investors also benefit from faster capital turnover and a more convenient Layer 2 experience when using the bridge.
Q.
How does RLUSD compare to USDT and USDC, and why is depositing to Binance important?
RLUSD is a stablecoin issued by Ripple, operating simultaneously on both the XRP Ledger and Ethereum. Its multi-chain architecture differentiates it from USDT and USDC in that it targets regulatory-friendly institutional payments and DeFi by integrating with Ripple's established banking and payment networks. Supporting RLUSD deposits on Binance will make it easier for traders and institutions around the world to hold and move RLUSD, increasing its circulation and liquidity, while also increasing the utility and awareness of the entire XRP Ledger ecosystem.
Q.
How does Taurus and Blockdaemon's institutional staking services differ from staking for general investors?
While general investors stake directly through personal wallets or exchanges, the Taurus-Blockdaemon model allows institutions like banks and asset managers to simultaneously stake across multiple PoS networks within a custodial environment that meets regulatory and security standards. The key difference lies in the ability to integrate staking profits into customer products, similar to deposits and bonds, while meeting institutional financial requirements such as high-availability servers, governance and compliance, and audit trails.
TP AI Precautions
This article was summarized using a TokenPost.ai-based language model. Key points in the text may be omitted or inaccurate.
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