XRP News Today: Ripple Launches EVM Sidechain on XRP Ledger for Enhanced Interoperability

Ripple Labs has officially launched the XRP Ledger's Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) sidechain on the mainnet, marking a significant development in the XRP ecosystem. This move is aimed at enhancing interoperability and enabling developers to deploy their Ethereum-based decentralized applications (dapps) within the XRP Ledger (XRPL).

The introduction of EVM-compatible smart contracts to the XRPL allows developers to leverage the Ethereum ecosystem while maintaining the advantages of the XRP Ledger. This development is designed to eliminate the trade-off between EVM compatibility and the unique benefits of the XRPL, thereby opening new opportunities for dapps to utilize XRP’s payments infrastructure.

David Schwartz, Ripple's chief technology officer and a co-creator of the XRPL, highlighted the flexibility and efficiency of the new sidechain. "The XRPL EVM Sidechain introduces a flexible environment for developers to deploy EVM-based applications, while maintaining a connection to the XRPL’s efficiency," Schwartz stated. "It extends the capabilities of the ecosystem without changing the fundamentals that make the XRPL reliable."

The sidechain operates as a separate blockchain that runs parallel to the XRP Ledger and is connected through the Axelar bridge, an interoperability protocol. XRP, the native token of the XRPL, will serve as the native gas token for the sidechain. This integration allows developers to build and deploy their EVM-based applications while accessing the XRPL’s extensive network of over 6 million wallet holders.

Future plans include integrating the sidechain with Wormhole, another interoperability protocol, which will further expand the accessibility of the XRP ecosystem to more developers. This development underscores Ripple's commitment to fostering innovation and interoperability within the blockchain space, providing developers with a cost-effective and efficient platform to deploy their applications.