California-based fintech firm Ripple Labs has recently announced that its University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI), since its inception in 2018, has supported more than 45 university partnerships across 20 countries, and funded over 1,000 research projects.

Launched in June 2018, the University Blockchain Research Initiative aims to accelerate academic research, technical development, and innovation in the realms of blockchain, cryptography, fintech, and digital assets.

The initiative, which initially committed more than $50 million in funding, provides financial and technical resources to research institutions and universities worldwide, fostering the development of curricula, collaborative industry research, and the exploration of blockchain technology applications.

Since its launch, UBRI has reportedly facilitated the introduction or expansion of up to 345 courses, underlining its far-reaching impact. The initiative began with 17 universities in 2018 and expanded rapidly, adding 11 more institutions in early 2019, including prestigious names such as Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Kansas, the National University of Singapore, and Cornell University.

Despite facing litigation from the United States Securities and exchange commission (SEC) in December 2020, Ripple Labs continued to expand the UBRI program, forging new collaborations and solidifying its commitment to the academic community.

Last month, $XRP’s price bucked a bearish trend in the wider cryptocurrency sector as  Ripple’s Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty explained that the most recent ruling in the case left him feeling more confident than ever about Ripple’s chances of winning. Ripple is a major player in the XRP space.

As CryptoGlobe reported the XRP Ledger, a decentralized, open-source blockchain platform designed for fast and efficient cross-border transactions, has recently surpassed the 79 million ledger milestone as its adoption grows.

Image Credit

Featured Image via Pixabay