Webus, a Chinese AI-driven mobility company, wants to make chauffeur payments frictionless with a $300M XRP reserve. Markets? Unimpressed—for now.

Webus Rolls Out $300M XRP Treasury Plan

Chinese AI-powered mobility giant Webus International Limited just lobbed a bold pitch into the crypto world: it’s aiming to raise up to $300 million to build a dedicated XRP reserve to support its expanding borderless payments ambitions. At the same time, the company is also renewing its partnership with Tongcheng Travel Holdings Ltd., a leading Chinese tourism firm.

JUST IN: Webus International Limited to buy up to $300 Million worth of $XRP to establish strategic reserve, develop infrastructure and accelerate global expansion initiatives. pic.twitter.com/WmHOw931GR

— Whale Insider (@WhaleInsider) May 29, 2025

In a May 29 announcement, Webus revealed it will pursue a non-equity financing route to fund the war chest—think bank loans, shareholder guarantees, institutional credit lines, and some of its own reserves.

CEO Nan Zheng said of the move, “These strategic developments have the potential to create a powerful synergy between our domestic and international operations. Our partnership with Tongcheng strengthens our China network infrastructure, while the integration of an XRP blockchain integration has the potential to revolutionize how we handle cross-border payments Cross-Border Payments Cross-border payments refer to transactions involving individuals, companies, banks or settlement institutions operating in at least two different countries.The concept of cross-border payment is not new however, despite its rise in importance in the 21st century.New technology and the growth of blockchain has brought the term cross-border payment into our daily conversations.Cross-border payments are an essential term that refers to any transaction involving private individuals’ companies, bank Cross-border payments refer to transactions involving individuals, companies, banks or settlement institutions operating in at least two different countries.The concept of cross-border payment is not new however, despite its rise in importance in the 21st century.New technology and the growth of blockchain has brought the term cross-border payment into our daily conversations.Cross-border payments are an essential term that refers to any transaction involving private individuals’ companies, bank Read this Term for both partners and travelers worldwide.”

In short: Webus wants XRP to be the grease in its global wheels—cutting out currency-conversion headaches and enabling instant chauffeur payments, refunds, and cross-border settlements for its AI-driven travel services.

Why XRP? It’s About Speed, Costs—and Corporate Trendsetting

So why XRP? It boils down to the low-fee settlement layer, rapid transaction times, and seamless integration with the Ledger—all key for powering international services without the typical FX friction.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!! 💥

Webus International is set to scoop up $300 MILLION in XRP to build a strategic reserve, power blockchain infrastructure & EXPLODE onto the global stage! #XRP pic.twitter.com/toje73DppC

— Levi | Crypto Crusaders (@LeviRietveld) May 29, 2025

Zheng positioned it as a natural fit, “Internationally, our potential XRP implementation can eliminate traditional payment friction, allowing instant settlement with chauffeurs and service providers worldwide while providing immediate refunds when needed. Together, these initiatives can create a truly borderless travel experience for our customers.”

The initiative is part of a wider three-pronged strategy:

• Building the reserve
• Developing proprietary blockchain Blockchain Blockchain comprises a digital network of blocks with a comprehensive ledger of transactions made in a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin or other altcoins.One of the signature features of blockchain is that it is maintained across more than one computer. The ledger can be public or private (permissioned). In this sense, blockchain is immune to the manipulation of data, making it not only open but verifiable. Because a blockchain is stored across a network of computers, it is very difficult to tamp Blockchain comprises a digital network of blocks with a comprehensive ledger of transactions made in a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin or other altcoins.One of the signature features of blockchain is that it is maintained across more than one computer. The ledger can be public or private (permissioned). In this sense, blockchain is immune to the manipulation of data, making it not only open but verifiable. Because a blockchain is stored across a network of computers, it is very difficult to tamp Read this Term infrastructure (wallets, Web3 loyalty tokens, on-chain booking records)
• Accelerating global expansion of Webus’s mobility platform

And while XRP-based treasuries remain rare (Bitcoin still dominates the corporate treasury scene), Webus’s move signals rising institutional curiosity. In fact, this announcement comes after VivoPower International revealed its own $121M treasury plans—a trend worth watching.

Market Reaction: XRP Stays… Yawn… Flat

Here’s the kicker: despite the headline-grabbing $300M bid, XRP’s price barely moved.

Crypto markets didn’t exactly throw a ticker-tape parade for Webus. But that’s not entirely surprising: the plan remains non-binding and is contingent on due diligence and final documentation. Nothing has been purchased yet, and no timeline for closing the financing has been disclosed.

Still, institutional interest is percolating. XRP has notched recent wins, including a CME futures listing, and the first ETF from Volatility Shares. Multiple spot ETF applications are also pending with the SEC.

Translation: even if markets aren’t pumping on this news, institutional validation of XRP is creeping forward.

Will Corporates Warm Up to XRP Treasuries?

Corporate adoption of XRP as a treasury asset remains nascent—this is no MicroStrategy Bitcoin repeat (yet). But Webus’s move, combined with VivoPower’s, suggests that XRP’s utility-driven thesis (cheap cross-border payments) is resonating in certain verticals.

And Webus isn’t exactly a crypto-native firm—this is an AI-powered mobility player looking to integrate blockchain to solve real-world payment problems across its chauffeur networks and Tongcheng partnership.

If this bet pays off, expect more non-crypto firms to explore XRP or similar tokens for niche treasury and operational use cases.

For now, XRP holders may have to settle for potential, not pumps. But in an increasingly multi-chain, multi-asset world, watching which corporates back which tokens could soon matter more than watching price charts alone.