Deal fundamentals: Key players and project overview
Evernorth is a newly established “digital asset treasury” with a straightforward concept: Accumulate a significant cash pool and primarily invest in managing XRP.
Instead of asking companies to hold the token outright, Evernorth seeks to provide a publicly traded stock that offers exposure to XRP (XRP) through its corporate balance sheet.
To expedite its public listing, Evernorth is merging with Armada Acquisition Corp. II, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC)—a public vehicle that facilitates the transition of private companies to public status. Subject to shareholder and regulatory approval, the combined entity intends to list on Nasdaq in Q1 2026 under the ticker XRPN.
The funding objective is over $1 billion, mainly directed towards acquiring XRP on the open market, with a smaller allocation for operational and acquisition expenses. The lead investor, SBI Holdings, has pledged $200 million, with further support expected from Ripple, Rippleworks, Pantera Capital, Kraken, GSR, and others—capital aimed at enabling Evernorth to establish one of the largest XRP treasuries in public markets.
Evernorth’s leadership will be headed by Asheesh Birla, a long-time Ripple executive who is resigning from Ripple’s board to take on the role of CEO. This transition indicates the company’s commitment to operate independently while still benefiting from Ripple’s support.
If the deal finalizes and the funding progresses as anticipated, Evernorth aims to become the largest publicly traded holder of XRP. The company’s approach allows treasurers and investors to easily gain exposure to XRP by purchasing a stock, thus avoiding the complexities of managing wallets, custody, and compliance themselves.
Structure vs. ETF: Understanding the framework
Evernorth is not introducing a spot ETF. Rather, it is a public company that intends to maintain a substantial XRP position on its corporate balance sheet.
Investors will purchase shares of Evernorth, and the company will deploy the net proceeds to directly manage and acquire XRP.
The primary distinction from an exchange-traded fund (ETF) is that an ETF passively tracks the asset. In contrast, Evernorth plans to actively enhance “XRP per share” over time through conventional treasury operations. Additionally, the company aims to leverage strategies like institutional lending, liquidity provisioning, and targeted decentralized finance (DeFi) yield, all within clearly defined risk management frameworks.
This is significant for corporations as shares provide liquidity during market hours and ensure public-company disclosures. They also come with certified transparency and eliminate the need for developing in-house custody and wallet operations.
Since this is equity, returns may differ from spot XRP due to strategic decisions, expenses, and equity market pricing. The company presents this variability as a potential source of added value.
Did you know? Ripple agreed to acquire prime broker Hidden Road in 2025, using RLUSD as collateral in its brokerage products. This move is part of a broader initiative into institutional market infrastructure.
Advantages of shares over direct XRP holdings
For financial teams, the attraction lies in simplicity and security.
Directly holding a crypto token necessitates establishing wallets, selecting custodians, formulating trading and compliance policies, and training employees. With Evernorth, treasurers can simply acquire listed shares designed to reflect XRP exposure, along with public-company reporting, audits, and board oversight.
Evernorth also asserts that it won’t be a passive holder. The company plans to disclose its XRP holdings and work towards increasing “XRP per share” over time, primarily through market purchases and, when suitable, utilizing institutional lending, liquidity provisioning, and selected DeFi tools to generate extra yield.
In essence, it offers exposure to XRP through an equity structure that trades during market hours and operates within established controls.
This is important for companies seeking exposure to the Ripple/XRP ecosystem without having to develop crypto infrastructure internally.
Did you know? Corporate “crypto treasuries” are already in existence, but they primarily focus on Bitcoin (BTC). About 130-160 public companies collectively hold tens of billions of dollars’ worth of BTC, predominantly led by Strategy.
Operational mechanics: Policy, yield, custody, and transparency
This is how Evernorth indicates it will operate if the SPAC deal is finalized.
Acquisition methods
A significant portion of the funds raised is allocated for open-market XRP acquisitions. Following the SPAC merger, the combined company aims to list on Nasdaq under the ticker XRPN. This means its balance sheet and treasury policies will adhere to the reporting cycles established by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Yield enhancement strategies
In contrast to a spot ETF, Evernorth delineates an active approach. The company has also outlined plans to act as a validator and utilize Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin as an efficient entry point for XRP-denominated activities. All plans are dependent on market conditions and the successful execution of the deal.
Leadership and operational independence
Birla will resign from Ripple’s board to assume the CEO role at Evernorth. Ripple will remain a strategic investor, while Brad Garlinghouse, Stuart Alderoty, and David Schwartz are anticipated to serve in advisory roles. The structure is intended to preserve ecosystem alignment while ensuring that Evernorth’s day-to-day operations remain independent.
The crucial question: Will over $1 billion in purchases influence XRP?
In absolute terms, $1 billion spread over several months is significant but not overwhelming for XRP.
Ripple’s Q1 2025 update indicates an average daily spot volume for XRP around $3.2 billion across leading exchanges. This suggests Evernorth would likely time its purchases to minimize market slippage. Nonetheless, a consistent buyer can tighten spreads and deepen liquidity as market makers adjust for predictable demand.
Liquidity has improved since previous years. In 2025, Kaiko documented a post-settlement peak for XRP on US exchanges, with approximately $116 million in bids and offers within 1% of the market price. Greater liquidity typically reduces execution costs and aids the market in absorbing block flows. It does not eliminate price risk, as large clustered orders can still impact the market, but it facilitates more manageable staged accumulation.
There are also collateral effects. Should Evernorth successfully list, its stock could serve as an “XRP proxy” for investors unable to purchase the token directly. For instance, if the stock is valued at a premium, and if XRP per share rises, Evernorth might successfully raise further capital for additional XRP purchases, creating a reinforcing cycle. Conversely, in risk-off markets, that cycle could reverse.
Lastly, if institutional demand continues to escalate through ETF and exchange-traded product (ETP) flows or increasing index weights, the market structure surrounding XRP could become more favorable. Kaiko’s research shows that indexes beyond BTC and Ether (ETH) have performed robustly in markets where assets like XRP are included, potentially amplifying the impact of a large, systematic buyer like Evernorth.
Did you know? XRP’s total supply was capped at 100 billion XRP when the XRP Ledger was launched in 2012, and the network does not rely on mining.
Key milestones to monitor before closing
As regulatory filings, funding arrangements, and execution signals emerge, the next stage will reveal how well Evernorth is prepared to implement its XRP strategy in the public markets. Here’s what to observe as the process advances.
Regulatory milestones: SPAC transactions follow a specified protocol. Anticipate an SEC Form S-4, the merger proxy and prospectus, followed by a vote from Armada II shareholders and standard closing conditions. The target for completion is Q1 2026. If successful, the new entity will list on Nasdaq under the ticker “XRPN.”
Funding dynamics: Two main factors will determine the amount of cash contributing to the balance sheet. One is private investment in public equity (PIPE) linked to the merger. The other is the redemption of SPAC shareholder shares. The target is greater than $1 billion in gross proceeds, including $200 million from SBI, with additional engagement expected from Ripple, Pantera, Kraken, and GSR. The final funding mix at closure will influence Evernorth’s early capacity to acquire XRP.
Operational strategy disclosure: Look for a formal treasury policy detailing how frequently the company plans to acquire XRP, any blackout periods, and hedging guidelines. Expect information on designated custody providers and key performance metrics like “XRP per share.” The company has also hinted at validator participation and the potential use of Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin as an entry point into XRP-related DeFi. Filings should clarify actual plans.
Leadership and governance structure: Birla will exit Ripple’s board to become Evernorth’s CEO. Ripple executives are poised to provide advisory support, indicating alignment with the broader ecosystem while ensuring operational independence. The final board composition and committee structure, including audit and risk, should be revealed in the Form S-4 filing.
Execution indicators: Following the listing, early metrics to monitor include details on PIPE closures, the initial disclosed XRP acquisitions, and the timing of quarterly reports.
Together, these indicators will shed light on whether Evernorth successfully scales into the substantial public XRP treasury it has proposed.
