- Evernorth will merge with Armada Acquisition Corp II to raise over $1 billion for buying XRP on the open market.
- The deal is backed by Ripple, co-founder Chris Larsen, Pantera Capital, and Kraken, and it is expected to close in Q1 2026.
An XRP-oriented, publicly traded company will enter the market with significant support from Ripple and other major cryptocurrency investors. Evernorth intends to raise more than $1 billion by way of a merger with special purpose acquisition company Armada Acquisition Corp II.
It is a deal supported by Ripple, co-founder Chris Larsen, Pantera Capital, and Kraken. The first quarter of 2026 is anticipated to be the time of closing. The net proceeds, greater than the $1 billion, will be used to buy XRP in the market.
The strategy of the company was stated by Asheesh Birla, ex-Ripple executive and CEO of Evernorth. The company will be pursuing both the traditional finance yield and decentralized finance opportunities. This dual approach aims to generate shareholder returns while expanding XRP utility and adoption.
Strategic Independence with Ripple Advisory
Evernorth will operate under independent governance separate from Ripple. Nonetheless, strategic advice will be provided to the company by some of the Ripple executives. Brad Garlinghouse, the CEO, Stuart Alderoty, the Chief Legal Officer, and David Schwartz, the outgoing CTO, will act as advisors.
Garlinghouse focused on compatibility between the missions of the companies. Ripple has marketed XRP as an effective payment settlement in the world. Evernorth builds upon this outlook by adding more use cases and presence in the XRP ecosystem.
XRP community – I promised I’d have an update on my next adventure soon right? Well here’s the start: I’ll be a strategic advisor to @evernorthxrp, helmed by my friend @ashgoblue.
Evernorth was founded as a regulated, scalable investment vehicle to tap into opportunities for… https://t.co/nxHzATwcIK
— David 'JoelKatz' Schwartz (@JoelKatz) October 20, 2025
With such a structure, Evernorth obtains operational independence with the advantage of Ripple expertise and market position. This structure will deal with any possible issues with centralized control and will also take advantage of the developed relationships in the cryptocurrency realm.
Ecosystem Development Beyond Treasury Holdings
The mandate of Evernorth is not to merely have XRP as a reserve asset. The company will actively engage in the development of the XRP ledger and ecosystem development. One area of focus for the firm is the Validator operations.
On the XRP Ledger, the company will participate in decentralized finance. Market development efforts involve offering liquidity to the projects and applications that promote the use of XRP. This is a practical strategy, making Evernorth an investor and a member of the ecosystem.
According to company statements, the strategy serves as a catalyst for XRP Ledger institutionalization. The infrastructure development and professional participation in the market are needed to make the adoption on a long-term basis. Evernorth is seeking to fill this position as it develops its treasury position. The $1 billion treasury would establish Evernorth as the largest publicly traded XRP holder.
