A big shift is happening in healthcare finance. Wellgistics Health has rolled out a blockchain-based payment system for more than 6,500 independent pharmacies across the US. This initiative was launched on August 13, 2025, and is the largest deployment of cryptocurrency payments in the healthcare industry to date.
The new platform uses Ripple’s XRP Ledger, which allows instant and low-cost transactions for pharmacies when purchasing drug supplies. There’s no longer a requirement to wait for days for a traditional wire transfer to clear. Pharmacies can settle payments instantly, which will reduce cashflow challenges for small operators.
Wellgistics is a Nasdaq-listed distributor of prescription drugs and digital routing services. The company partnered with pharmacy software provider RxERP to create the system. The combination of blockchain speed and regulatory compliance will likely set a new standard for how money moves in the US healthcare supply chain.
Blockchain-Based Payments For Pharmacies
Independent pharmacies often struggle with delays when making wholesale drug purchases. Standard bank transfers and credit card transactions can take one to three business days to process, and costs range between $10 and $30 per transaction. Small pharmacy owners can be placed under financial strain with such costs and delays.
Wellgistics’ blockchain platform addresses these challenges by providing real-time settlement on the XRP Ledger. Transactions cost less than $0.0002 each, which is a fraction of traditional payment fees. Pharmacies that are operating on narrow profit margins will find these savings adding up significantly over time.
Brian Norton, CEO of Wellgistics Health, said: “Independent pharmacy owners are far more forward-thinking than many realize. They see the power of blockchain and understand how transformative this will be as it scales across the industry.”
Industry observers have determined that initiatives like these not only reduce costs but also make cryptocurrencies more relevant for businesses. The speculation around the next cryptocurrency to explode this year often dominates news headlines, with Bitcoin Hyper and Maxi Doge currently in the lead as they offer useful features like impressive staking rewards and commendable tokenomics.
Complying With Regulations
One of the main challenges for crypto adoption in healthcare is compliance with strict regulatory frameworks. Financial oversight, patient privacy, and recordkeeping standards must be met for new systems to be accepted in the industry.
Wellgistics has built the XRP-powered payment platform with these requirements in mind. All transactions meet HIPAA privacy protection standards as well as Anti-Money Laundering (AML) requirements. Each payment is permanently recorded on the XRP Ledger, making it traceable for audits and ensuring transparency in the pharmaceutical supply chain.
The security and compliance offered may make blockchain technology more appealing for pharmacies and other healthcare institutions, many of which are hesitant to adopt financial systems that may expose them to legal or regulatory risks.
The program is currently operating in beta, with participating pharmacies undergoing onboarding and training. A full rollout is expected when more pharmacies become familiar with the system and are more comfortable handling blockchain transactions.
Rising Interest In Blockchain In Healthcare Industry
Healthcare has historically been slow to adopt new technologies; however, blockchain has started gaining traction in recent years. Grand View Research valued the global blockchain in the healthcare market at $7.04 billion in 2023, with rapid growth projected to reach $214.86 billion by 2030.
This trend can be seen across several use cases, including secure patient data management, supply chain tracking, digital payments, and decentralized clinical trials. This year has seen many healthcare companies adopting or interacting with cryptocurrencies. Prenetics Global Limited purchased 187 Bitcoin worth $20 million earlier in 2025. Basel Medical Group in Singapore announced its plans to acquire $1 billion in Bitcoin for its reserves.
Wellgistics’ strategy goes beyond pharmacy transactions. The company revealed in May 2025 that it would hold XRP as a treasury asset and secured a $50 million credit line to strengthen its blockchain infrastructure. These steps set the firm up as both a user and investor in blockchain technology.
Despite these initiatives for the future, Wellgistics’ stock performance has struggled. After its debut on Nasdaq earlier this year under the ticker WGRX, the company’s shares have fallen by more than 80%. At the time of writing, they were trading at $0.75. Despite this setback, the launch of the crypto payment system may increase investor confidence.
Wellgistics’ launch of a blockchain-based payment system for 6,500 pharmacies is a milestone for the healthcare and crypto industries. If successful, it could encourage other pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors to adopt similar technologies, which may result in the broader integration of blockchain in healthcare. The company plans to further expand the platform to include pharmaceutical manufacturers and potentially direct-to-patient programs.
