XRP News Today: Ripple SpurRLUSD Expansion to Layer-2s With Wormhole Integration

Ripple Expands RLUSD Stablecoin to Ethereum Layer-2 Networks

Ripple is moving to expand its $1.3 billion stablecoin, RLUSD, onto Ethereum layer-2 (L2) blockchains in a major step toward a multichain strategy. The company has announced a test phase of RLUSD on networks including Optimism, Coinbase's Base, Kraken's Ink, and Uniswap's Unichain according to CoinDesk. The expansion is being facilitated by Wormhole's Native Token Transfer (NTT) standard, which allows for natively cross-chain movement without the need for wrapping or synthetic assets as reported by Decrypt.

The move aims to position RLUSD as a key asset in the growing DeFi space, leveraging the speed and lower costs of layer-2 networks. Ripple's senior vice president Jack McDonald emphasized that stablecoins are a gateway for both DeFi and institutional adoption. The integration also aligns with Ripple's broader vision of embedding its U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin deeper into the multichain ecosystem according to CoinNotag.

Regulatory approval from the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) is a prerequisite for a public rollout in 2026 as reported by Cryptopolitan. The stablecoin already operates under a New York trust charter and recently received conditional approval for a federal trust bank charter from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). This dual oversight is expected to enhance RLUSD's credibility and utility in both traditional and digital finance.

Strategic Multichain Integration

Ripple's multichain approach underscores the company's belief in the future of cross-chain interoperability. According to CoinDesk, by testing RLUSD on Optimism and other layer-2 solutions, Ripple aims to expand the token's utility in DeFi protocols, payment systems, and institutional use cases. The firm's integration with Wormhole's NTT standard ensures that RLUSD can move natively across different blockchains while maintaining liquidity and regulatory compliance as detailed by Decrypt.

Optimism is being positioned as a crucial entry point for this expansion. The network forms the backbone of the OP Stack, which supports a broader Superchain of layer-2 networks. According to CoinNotag, this interconnected framework could allow RLUSD to reach a wider range of DeFi participants and reduce on-chain costs for users. Ripple described the move as a way to "set the definitive standard where compliance and on-chain efficiency converge" as reported by CoinNotag.

Market and Regulatory Context

The RLUSD stablecoin is already one of the fastest-growing stablecoins, with a market capitalization of $1.3 billion according to Cryptopolitan. It has seen strong trading activity, with $32 million in trading volume over the past day, largely driven by platforms like Bullish, Kraken, and Bitstamp as reported by The Block. The expansion to layer-2 networks is expected to further boost RLUSD's adoption, especially in consumer-facing services such as swaps, checkouts, and institutional transfers according to CoinDesk.

From a regulatory standpoint, Ripple's conditional federal trust bank charter is a significant milestone. According to The Block, this approval makes RLUSD the first stablecoin to be under both state and federal oversight. The dual regulatory structure is a differentiator in a market where compliance is increasingly critical for institutional adoption according to CoinNotag. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse described the approval as "a massive step forward" for the company's stablecoin ambitions as reported by Cryptopolitan.

What This Means for Investors

For investors, the RLUSD expansion represents a broader shift toward multichain interoperability in the crypto space. The move could enhance the token's appeal to institutional investors and DeFi participants by providing greater liquidity and reduced friction in cross-chain transactions according to CoinNotag. The integration with Wormhole's NTT standard also aligns RLUSD with emerging standards in multichain asset management, potentially attracting more institutional and retail users as detailed by Decrypt.

The XRP ecosystem is also expected to benefit indirectly from RLUSD's growth. Ripple's Ethereum-compatible network has seen limited trading volume so far, but according to Cryptopolitan, the expansion of RLUSD could drive more activity by connecting to DeFi protocols and institutional use cases. Additionally, the use of RLUSD in cross-chain applications may increase XRP's utility, particularly as a gas token for smart contracts and atomic swaps as reported by The Block.