Ripple CTO: Multiple acquisition deals are underway, XRP Ledger's future upgrades will enhance 'programmability' According to DL News, David Schwartz, Chief Technology Officer of Ripple, revealed that the company is advancing multiple acquisition transactions, involving multiple stages from early to late stages. Schwartz pointed out that traditional financial institutions currently lack interest in mergers and acquisitions in the cryptocurrency field, creating a strategic acquisition window for Ripple. At the same time, the technical team is upgrading the XRP Ledger blockchain, planning to enhance "programmability" and launch lending protocols, but will maintain its focused payment features that distinguish it from general blockchains such as Ethereum. In April of this year, the company acquired broker Hidden Road for $1.25 billion, following its previous acquisitions of custody companies Metaco ($250 million) and Standard Custody.