Ripple's $5 Billion Bid for Circle Rejected; Launches Own Stablecoin Amid Crypto M&A Surge
April 30, 2025
Circle is currently focused on its IPO strategy, having filed registration documents on April 1, 2025, despite recent market volatility.
In a competitive move, Ripple launched its own stablecoin, RLUSD, which has quickly grown to a market cap of $318 million.
The bid comes amid a surge in merger and acquisition activity in the crypto sector, with many firms gearing up for public listings.
Ripple's CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, noted a favorable environment for digital asset adoption in the U.S. due to regulatory changes, which he sees as an opportunity for growth.
Due to regulatory restrictions during its IPO quiet period, Circle has not publicly commented on the takeover bid or its valuation.
Since the start of 2025, the cryptocurrency sector has seen a significant increase in deals, with 88 transactions worth $8.2 billion, nearly tripling the transaction value from all of 2024.
Ripple has been on an acquisition spree, including its recent $1.25 billion purchase of prime broker Hidden Road, aimed at enhancing XRP adoption.
As Ripple resolves its legal issues with the SEC, including a recent settlement, it is well-positioned for aggressive expansion in the U.S. market.
Despite the rejection of its initial offer, Ripple remains interested in Circle and has not ruled out the possibility of making a revised bid.
The XRP community continues to show strong trading activity, with volumes exceeding $3 billion in the last 24 hours, despite broader market challenges.
Ripple recently made a bid between $4 billion and $5 billion to acquire Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, but the offer was rejected as too low.
This acquisition attempt would have merged two significant players in the cryptocurrency market, as Circle's USDC is the second-largest stablecoin with a market cap of $61.7 billion.
Summary based on 7 sources
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Sources

International Business Times • May 1, 2025
$XRP Retreats Amid News Circle Rebuffed Ripple's Takeover Offer
CoinDesk • Apr 30, 2025
XRP Issuer Ripple Reportedly Offered to Buy USDC Issuer Circle
PYMNTS.com • Apr 30, 2025
Report: Circle Rejects Ripple’s $4 Billion to $5 Billion Takeover Bid
Cointelegraph • Apr 30, 2025
Ripple $4B-$5B bid to purchase Circle rejected — Report