Ripple Labs Drops $200K Grants to Fuel Japan’s Web3 Revolution, Is XRP Ready To Take Over?

In partnership with Web3 Salon, Ripple Labs has introduced a new effort that offers up to $200,000 in grant financing for Japanese Web3 startups building on the XRP Ledger. Secret Notes Blockchain payments firm Ripple Labs Inc. XRP $2.26 24h volatility: 0.4% Market cap: $133.18 B Vol. 24h: $2.48 B has actually formed a strategic partnership with Web3 Salon to release a brand-new funding effort. Web3 Salon is a project supported by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). The Ripple Labs Web3 Hair salon Offer The recently launched program is developed to supply approximately $200,000 in grant financing for Japanese Web3 start-ups developing on the XRP Journal (XRPL). This effort lines up with Ripple Labs’ ongoing commitment of 1 billion XRP to support blockchain innovation across Asia. Its goal is to accelerate the financial, technical, and business growth of blockchain developers in the region. This funding initiative between Ripple Labs and Web3 Salon targets early-stage startups working with XRPL. Each participating project must work around Decentralized Finance (DeFi), digital payments, and tokenization, as these are the main focus areas. Each project can receive up to $200,000 over the next year. Ripple has intentionally enhanced blockchain technology innovation in Japan and South Korea. Ultimately, this led the digital payment company to launch an initiative called the XRPL Japan and Korea Fund in June 2024. At the time, this effort gave credence to Ripple’s commitment to expanding its influence in the Asia-Pacific region. The fund focuses on supporting various projects, ranging from corporate partnerships, developer grants, start-up investments, to community development. Emi Yoshikawa, Vice President of Strategic Efforts, Ripple, highlighted the significance of this move, stating that “The launch of this fund is a testimony to Ripple’s strong belief in the capacity of Japan and Korea as critical local hubs for blockchain development.” Beyond the financial contribution this Ripple and Web3 Salon partnership brings to developers, it also provides them with unrestricted access to the San Francisco-based company’s global network of partners. Ripple’s Mega Footprint in Japan Ripple has established a strong presence in Japan through key collaborations and partnerships. Nine years ago, Japanese financial giant SBI Holdings partnered with Ripple Labs to create a joint venture aimed at promoting blockchain technology. More recently, in July 2024, the Tokyo-based company launched NFT services on the XRP Ledger. This offered users the ability to collect the NFTs nicknamed “Myaku N!” on the EXPO2025 Digital Wallet. The wallet was used at an exposition held in Osaka/Kansai. In September 2024, Ripple announced a partnership with Futureverse, an AI and metaverse company. This partnership specifically involved Ripple Custody, aiming to ensure the safety and security of Futureverse’s digital assets. Jeffrey McDonald, Chief Customer Officer at Futureverse, explained that their integration with Ripple Custody was driven by Ripple’s robust security features, which provide strong security for their clients’ digital assets. Around the same time, Ripple’s University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI) welcomed Yonsei University in Korea as its 58th global partner. This move demonstrates Ripple’s commitment to expanding its efforts in promoting academic excellence and advancing research in blockchain technology.