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Wellgistics Health is launching a payment system based on the XRP Ledger for thousands of pharmacies throughout the United States, representing one of the initial large-scale blockchain implementations in the healthcare industry.
Key Takeaways:
- Wellgistics is deploying an XRP Ledger payment system to more than 6,500 pharmacies and 200 manufacturers in the U.S.
- The platform facilitates immediate, low-cost settlements while adhering to HIPAA and AML compliance requirements.
- Despite its blockchain initiatives, Wellgistics’ shares have decreased by over 80% since its IPO in February.
The Nasdaq-listed distributor (WGRX) stated that the platform will enable independent pharmacies to pay for drug inventory and transfer funds instantly, avoiding the banking delays and high credit card fees that frequently burden small businesses.
The rollout integrates with RxERP, a serialized pharmaceutical e-commerce and enterprise planning solution, providing real-time tracking, reduced costs, and direct settlement between pharmacies and distributors.
Wellgistics Becomes First Healthcare Firm to Launch XRP Ledger Payments
Wellgistics, which has a network of over 6,500 pharmacies and 200 manufacturers, is among the pioneering healthcare companies to implement a payment solution on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), the open-source blockchain backed by Ripple Labs.
Pharmacies can now sign up for the beta version of the program.
CEO Brian Norton mentioned that the feedback from pharmacy owners has exceeded expectations, indicating that they are “more forward-thinking on blockchain than many in the industry assume.”
While the company has not revealed whether pharmacies will need to hold XRP directly or utilize fiat-to-XRP conversion for settlements, the system is structured to comply with stringent standards, including HIPAA and anti-money laundering regulations.
The company intends to broaden the initiative beyond pharmacy payments to encompass manufacturers and eventually test direct-to-patient programs, allowing medications to be shipped directly from drugmakers to patients under physician oversight.
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Wellgistics Heath is aiming to utilize XRP for payments in a $1.4 trillion pharmaceutical trade market. https://t.co/zXROACmD8B pic.twitter.com/QHhRnCOxHX
— bill morgan (@Belisarius2020) August 16, 2025
The rollout builds on Wellgistics’ announcement on May 8 that it would employ XRP as both a payment rail and a treasury reserve asset, supported by a $50 million equity line of credit.
Management has indicated that the strategy is focused on creating programmable liquidity and on-demand infrastructure across its healthcare network.
Founded in 2016, Wellgistics was acquired by Danam Health in 2024 before being spun off through an IPO in February 2025.
Currently, it offers wholesale distribution, prescription routing, and AI-driven hub services to pharmacies nationwide.
Despite its blockchain aspirations, the company’s stock has faced challenges since its market entry. Shares have declined by more than 80% since February, closing at $0.62 on Tuesday before rising to $0.65 in after-hours trading, giving Wellgistics a market capitalization of approximately $47 million.
XRP Ledger Rolls Out New Upgrade Amid Rising Interest
As reported, RippleX, the development division of Ripple, has launched version 2.5.0 of the XRP Ledger, introducing various protocol enhancements aimed at bolstering network functionality and security.
RippleX engineer Mayukha Vadari has described the upgrade as “possibly the best single lineup of amendments” ever released, bringing significant advancements to token management and transaction processing.
The XLS-85 amendment enhances the escrow system by permitting third-party issued tokens, including stablecoins, and introduces multi-purpose tokens designed for institutional use.
The new update follows a spike in user activity on the XRP Ledger, with the number of daily active addresses increasing from an average of 35,000 to over 295,000.
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