Ripple has taken a major step in expanding the real-world utility of its enterprise-grade stablecoin, Ripple USD (RLUSD), by integrating it into Ripple Payments – its flagship cross-border payments platform.
Ripple expands RLUSD
The move is part of a broader strategy to position RLUSD as the go-to stablecoin for institutional-grade use cases, ranging from international treasury operations to the tokenisation of real-world assets.
Ripple RLUSD
Launched in December 2024, RLUSD has quickly gained traction in the digital asset space, with its market capitalisation approaching $250 million and trading volume nearing $10 billion.
Unlike many stablecoins developed primarily for retail users, RLUSD is designed from the ground up for institutional application, offering a compliance-first framework underpinned by Ripple’s New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS)-regulated trust charter.
This ensures regulatory clarity and positions the asset as a credible bridge between traditional and decentralised finance.
With the integration of RLUSD into Ripple Payments, select enterprise clients – including global money transfer providers BKK Forex and iSend – are already leveraging the stablecoin to streamline their cross-border treasury flows.
The goal is to enhance transaction efficiency, reduce settlement times, and lower costs associated with legacy correspondent banking systems.
Ripple intends to scale RLUSD’s use across its payments ecosystem over time.
RLUSD Use Cases
“Ripple is combining years of institutional payments expertise, a globally connected payout network, and a robust, compliance-forward stablecoin to deliver fast, cost-effective and scalable cross-border payments,” the company said in a statement.
Jack McDonald, Senior Vice President of Stablecoins at Ripple, emphasised RLUSD’s expanding use cases: “In short order, RLUSD is being used for a number of functions, including serving as collateral in both crypto and traditional financial markets.
We’re also working with NGOs to explore stablecoin-based solutions for more efficient philanthropic disbursements.”
RLUSD’s appeal lies in its versatility.
In addition to facilitating instant cross-border payments, the stablecoin offers access to on-demand liquidity, can be integrated with DeFi protocols, and serves as an on-ramp and off-ramp between fiat currencies and the crypto ecosystem.
It is also increasingly being used as collateral for trading tokenised real-world assets, including commodities, securities, and treasuries – an area Ripple sees as a critical growth frontier.
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