Ripple Expands to Paris Ahead of 2028 Olympics—XRP Tipped for Ticketing Infrastructure
- Samantha
- Jul 18, 2025
- 2 min read
A stunning leak from Ripple’s European operations has sparked rumors that XRP could be powering ticketing for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The speculation comes just weeks after Ripple quietly expanded its operations in Paris, a move that many now believe was directly tied to negotiations with Olympic organizers and French digital payment providers.
The Leak That Shook the Crypto World
The leak, which emerged from an internal Ripple Europe presentation, outlines potential collaborations with international sporting bodies, naming the "Global Event Smart Access Initiative"—a codename now widely believed to reference the LA28 Olympics. Among the features discussed were blockchain-based ticketing, NFT-integrated fan experiences, and ultra-fast payment settlements using XRP.
If validated, this would mark the first time a major global sporting event adopts a crypto asset as a core payment and access system.
Why Paris? Why Now?
Ripple’s expansion in Paris seemed routine—until now. France has been a leader in crypto regulation within the EU and actively supports blockchain innovation, especially after the success of ticketing pilots during the 2024 Paris Olympics, which experimented with blockchain tech to combat scalping and fraud.
Sources close to the matter suggest that Ripple France has been in quiet discussions with tech partners from the 2024 Games to build a scalable, tamper-proof Olympic ticketing system—powered by the XRP Ledger.
XRP’s Advantages: Fast, Cheap, Secure
With transaction speeds under 3 seconds and fees less than $0.01, XRP is ideally positioned for high-volume, high-urgency systems like ticket sales. Add to that the XRPL’s support for NFTs and smart contracts, and you get a powerful infrastructure for:
Ticket tokenization
Real-time transfer/resale tracking
Identity verification & anti-scalping protocols
Fan engagement via digital collectibles
This isn't just about payments. Ripple appears to be eyeing a full stack blockchain ticketing ecosystem.
Global Visibility Meets Institutional Validation
If the rumors are true, the 2028 Olympics could become the most blockchain-integrated sporting event in history, and Ripple would become a household name beyond the crypto world.
More importantly, this could signal a massive leap in mainstream adoption for XRP, helping it shed its identity as “just a remittance token” and rebranding it as a smart payment’s engine for real-world utility.
What This Means for XRP Price & Ecosystem
Market speculation has already begun. XRP saw a mild pump after the leak hit social media, but analysts predict this is just the beginning. If confirmed, the partnership could:
Add hundreds of millions in daily volume
Trigger institutional investments from event organizers and sponsors
Drive NFT marketplace growth on XRPL
Push XRP price toward the long-anticipated $4–5 range
