Ripple Prime gets four awards nominations as it pushes XRP into mainstream finance

Ripple Prime, the institutional arm of Ripple Labs, has earned four nominations for the Hedgeweek U.S. Awards 2026. The recognition covers multiple categories in the annual hedge fund industry honors.

The nominations arrive as Ripple accelerates its expansion into traditional finance. In a landmark move earlier this year, the company completed its $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road, a prime brokerage that serves hedge funds and asset managers. Since then, Ripple has been weaving its crypto payment network and XRP into Hidden Road’s existing infrastructure.

Hedgeweek awards are a benchmark for credibility among institutional money managers. Being shortlisted suggests Ripple Prime is gaining traction with allocators who have been skeptical of digital assets. The nominations also reflect the broader strategy: use Hidden Road’s client base to push XRP and Ripple’s settlement technology into portfolios that historically stuck to equities and bonds.

For XRP holders, the trend is a clear positive. More institutional adoption could increase demand for the token, which has long struggled to break beyond retail-driven trading. Ripple’s post-acquisition hiring spree – with new senior staff in New York and London – points to a sustained effort rather than a one-off publicity play.

Ripple has not disclosed which specific award categories it was nominated for. The Hedgeweek ceremony is expected to take place in the fourth quarter. Until then, the market will watch for any announcements about client onboarding or new product launches tied to Hidden Road.

The next concrete update for traders will come in Ripple Labs’ quarterly earnings report, due in October. That filing should show how much institutional capital has flowed through the combined platform – and whether those four nominations translate into real revenue.