Ripple's Stablecoin RLUSD Surges Past Zcash, Securing 104th Place in Global Crypto Rankings

Ripple USD (RLUSD) has surpassed Zcash (ZEC) in market capitalization, securing 104th place on the global crypto leaderboard. RLUSD's market cap has reached $602.6 million, with a steady growth in adoption rate and daily trading volume topping $35.8 million. This rise is notable, as RLUSD is a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar, and its growth is largely due to consistent adoption and trading activity.

Ripple USD (RLUSD), Ripple's dollar-pegged stablecoin, has officially overtaken Zcash (ZEC) in market capitalization, securing 104th place on the global crypto leaderboard. RLUSD's market cap has reached $602.6 million, with a steady growth in adoption rate and daily trading volume topping $35.8 million. This rise is notable, as RLUSD is a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar, and its growth is largely due to consistent adoption and trading activity [2].

The stablecoin's growth has been relatively under the radar, but it is now almost as big as PayPal USD and First Digital USD, suggesting that Ripple's stablecoin experiment is becoming more than just a backend utility—it is really taking off [2]. This steady growth aligns with broader geopolitical and monetary shifts, such as the de-dollarization efforts by BRICS nations, where RLUSD is being leveraged as a sovereign tool to maintain dollar dominance [3].

Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin operates on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), which offers compliance-friendly design, low transaction costs, and near-instant settlement times. This infrastructure is already embedded in the back-end operations of major institutions like Bank of America and BNY Mellon, as well as fintech platforms like OpenPayd and River [3]. The institutional adoption of RLUSD is a strategic move that positions it as a critical component of modern digital payment systems.

The rise of RLUSD signals a transformation in the utility of the native token, XRP. XRP is no longer just a speculative asset but is now integral to a liquidity infrastructure that supports institutional financial activity. As RLUSD transactions increase, so does the demand for XRP, reinforcing its role as the "engine" that powers the stablecoin’s operations [3].

This development also comes amid a major regulatory shift. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reportedly withdrew its legal action against Ripple as of August 2025, potentially marking the end of a years-long legal battle. This resolution could further bolster confidence in the XRP ecosystem and RLUSD’s growing adoption across both institutional and retail markets [3].

The convergence of institutional adoption, regulatory clarity, and strategic infrastructure development may position XRP as a key asset in the next phase of global digital payments. For now, the $600 million milestone for RLUSD underscores a turning point in Ripple’s vision—one that is being realized not through noise or hype, but through careful, behind-the-scenes execution [3].

References:
[1] Ripple’s RLUSD Has Quietly Crossed $600M Market Cap (https://coinmarketcap.com/community/articles/689078dea62400030f072317/)
[2] Ripple USD (RLUSD) dethrones Zcash (ZEC) in market capitalization (https://u.today/ripple-usd-stablecoin-rlusd-dethrones-zcash-in-major-top-100-push)
[3] Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin hits $600M market cap via institutional adoption (https://www.ainvest.com/news/xrp-news-today-ripple-rlusd-hits-600m-cap-xrp-ledger-gains-institutional-traction-2508/)