Ripple hires LME treasury chief for tokenization push

Ripple has appointed Joseph Thompson, the outgoing head of treasury at the London Metal Exchange, to bolster its institutional tokenization strategy. Thompson brings over 15 years of experience in liquidity management, collateral risk, and clearing operations from his previous roles at the LME, Deutsche Bank, and ICAP. This strategic hire aligns with Ripple's ongoing expansion beyond cross-border payments into the issuance and management of funds, bonds, and other real-world assets. While Ripple has not disclosed a specific title or product roadmap for Thompson, his background in commodities and clearing infrastructure is expected to support the company's broader capital-markets goals. The move follows Ripple's recent acquisition of Hidden Road and the launch of its Ripple Prime institutional trading service. By integrating expertise in collateral mobility and regulated transfer agency, Ripple aims to bridge traditional financial infrastructure with blockchain-based asset management. This appointment underscores the company's commitment to building a comprehensive ecosystem for tokenized securities and institutional trading. The long-term impact on the RWA market remains dependent on future product disclosures and the specific integration of these treasury functions into Ripple's existing infrastructure.