XRP Ledger Sees 430% Growth in Payments, Fuels DeFi Rise

XRP Ledger activity is experiencing impressive momentum, as it continues to cement its position within the digital payments and decentralized finance (DeFi) space. Over the past two years, transaction volume on the network has exploded by 430%, underscoring XRPL’s effectiveness as a low-cost, high-throughput settlement protocol.

According to data from Dune Analytics, XRP Ledger now processes over 8 million payment transactions each week. Payments account for approximately two-thirds of all activity on the ledger, highlighting the platform’s growing relevance in real-world use cases like tokenization and stablecoin settlements.

XRPL’s speed, cost-efficiency, and native support for asset tokenization make it a prime candidate for enterprise-grade blockchain solutions. Further cementing that role is the integration of several prominent stablecoins such as Ripple’s RLUSD and Circle’s USDC, along with EURØP, USDB, and XSGD. These additions have significantly expanded XRPL’s capabilities in cross-border and domestic payments.

The network’s adoption is not limited to retail transactions. Institutional interest has picked up as well. Organizations like the European Central Bank have shown interest in exploring XRPL for distributed ledger-based financial flow solutions, showcasing its adaptability to regulated environments.

XRPL Expands in DeFi and Tokenization

Parallel to its success in payments, XRPL is building out a robust DeFi infrastructure. As cited by DeFiLlama, the network now boasts a total value locked (TVL) approaching $60 million. While that may be modest compared to platforms like Ethereum, the trajectory points to growing utility and recognition.

Panos Mekras, co-founder of Anodos Finance, noted that “the XRP Ledger pioneered features we now take for granted,” referring to early adoption of tokenized assets, DEX functionalities, burning tokens, and DeFi mechanics long before other blockchains rose to prominence. Mekras advocates for wider awareness of XRPL’s foundational contributions to decentralized finance.

Unlike many DeFi platforms that rely heavily on smart contracts, XRPL boasts a native decentralized exchange powered by a built-in order book. With features like auto-bridging and on-chain liquidity pools, the exchange operates without the need for external protocols, offering users a seamless trading experience. Despite these advantages, current daily active traders on XRPL stand at around 2,300 — far behind Uniswap’s roughly 10,000 daily users.

However, things are poised to change as XRPL rolls out significant upgrades. Among the most notable enhancements is a sidechain compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), opening the doors to Ethereum-native DApps and cross-chain operability. This, along with features like batch payment processing, trustless token escrows, and permissioned decentralized exchanges, positions XRPL for future growth in DeFi markets.

To expand XRPL’s interoperability, the platform has also partnered with Wormhole, enabling cross-chain functionality that connects XRPL to multiple blockchains. This strategic move aligns with Ripple’s ambition of refining XRPL into a versatile network for assets and liquidity movement.

Related: Expert Advice: Sell XRP If You’re Confused

All signs point to a strengthened ecosystem that reflects the evolving role of XRP and XRPL. As more stablecoins join the network and institutional applications increase, XRP Ledger could emerge as a key infrastructure layer in the future of finance — merging decentralized applications with regulated payment channels.