Ripple is strengthening continuing education in blockchain technology financially and through new academic partnerships
- Ripple Strengthens Blockchain Education with $1.5 Million in RLUSD Grants and New Academic Partnerships.
- A newly created UBRI advisory board brings together engineers, legal and technology experts to advance blockchain innovations in practical applications.
Ripple is increasing its focus on education and blockchain development in a new phase of its University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI).
2025 there was new partnerships, an advisory board has been established and over $1.5 million in research grants are available in the form of Ripple USD (RLUSD) ready.
The next era of UBRI is here.
The University Blockchain Research Initiative is expanding academic commitment with three powerful moves: https://t.co/GVwaRQeBzZ
→ Advisory Council Launch: Featuring @JoelKatz and leading cryptographers from partner universities to advance…
— Ripple (@Ripple) October 27, 2025
The initiative aims to make experts from other fields more familiar with Ripple’s blockchain system and promote collaboration between engineers, legal experts and other experts. Since the UBRI program launched in 2018, more than 60 universities have received support.
Ripple has invested over $80 million in research to promote onchain education and blockchain education worldwide.
Ripple’s latest investment brings together financial and academic resources, enabling universities to experiment with blockchain-based practical applications in law, finance and technology.
Newly formed UBRI advisory board to promote blockchain innovation
The new UBRI advisory board strengthens Ripple’s global work with experts from all disciplines. Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer Joel Katz XRP Ledger developer David Schwartz, experts like Dr. Hitesh Tewari from Trinity College Dublin and Dr. Yebo Feng from Nanyang Technological University to develop new ideas and drive blockchain innovation.
Other participants include Dr. Hyunok Oh from Hanyang University and Dr. Radu State from the University of Luxembourg. They deal with topics such as zero-knowledge proofs, smart contracts and quantum-secure cryptography. Together, they plan to develop new blockchain tools that strengthen Ripple’s products and support research and innovation worldwide.
David Schwartz noted:
“For blockchain to truly evolve, there must be a continuous exchange of ideas between those developing the technology and those exploring its future.”
The advisory board will lead research on DeFi adoption, blockchain security and privacy-preserving technology. Ripple wants to use this facility to foster collaboration, improve innovation, and accelerate the true growth of blockchain across its ecosystem.
Ripple collaboration with the University of San Francisco
Ripple’s collaboration with the University of San Francisco (USF) expands UBRI’s research goals. At USF’s Center for Law, Tech, and Social Good, faculty and students will explore how blockchain can improve public services and how new state laws can support responsible, beneficial innovation for communities.
The computer science department at USF will create an XRPL hub that will act as a validator for the XRP ledger and give students hands-on experience with blockchain technology, said Michele Neitz, the center’s director:
“USF’s partnership with UBRI provides our students with the opportunity to engage with blockchain technology from both a technical and policy perspective.”
Ripple distributed $1.5 million in renewed university scholarships using its dollar-backed stablecoin RLUSD. Funding partners Bitso and Engiven helped universities securely manage digital assets and ensure all transfers remained compliant and transparent, while providing hands-on experience.
The renewed partnership includes the University of Michigan, the University of Wyoming, Duke University, the University of São Paulo and UC Berkeley. These universities will continue exploring blockchain and fintech innovations, building on global studies that UBRI has already supported at Stanford University and Imperial College London.
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