On Monday, Ripple announced plans to set up a new advisory council of researchers to strengthen its presence in academia.
The move falls under Ripple’s University Blockchain Research Initiative, which provides technical resources and financial support for academic research in blockchain technology.
XRP co-creator and Ripple chief technology officer David Schwartz will join the group, which includes academics from Trinity College Dublin, Nanyang Technological University, Hanyang University, and the University of Luxembourg.
“For blockchain to truly evolve, we need a constant exchange of ideas between those building the technology and those studying its future,” Schwartz said in a statement.
“We’re deepening that collaboration, bringing together academic researchers and Ripple engineers to explore new applications for XRP and its native chain that can ultimately move this growing ecosystem forward.”
The move comes amid an American crypto industry boom on the back of President Donald Trump shepherding in more favourable regulations.