Ripple Expands RLUSD Stablecoin to Ethereum Layer-2 Blockchains

Ripple’s latest announcement signals a deliberate push to embed its stablecoin, RLUSD, within the high-growth Ethereum ecosystem and its scaling solutions. The pilot program, which commenced testing on Monday, specifically targets four layer-2 networks: Optimism, Base, Ink, and Unichain. This expansion is not a full public launch but a controlled pilot, a strategic step Ripple is taking while it navigates the regulatory landscape and prepares for a comprehensive rollout in the coming year.

The choice of these specific networks is significant. Optimism and Base are among the most prominent and widely adopted Ethereum layer-2s, offering substantial user bases and developer activity. By including them, Ripple ensures RLUSD gains exposure to established DeFi and payment environments. The inclusion of Ink and Unichain suggests a broader testing strategy aimed at evaluating performance across a diverse set of layer-2 architectures and communities, which is essential for Ripple’s stated goal of building a “scalable, efficient, and interoperable future.”

Central to this multi-chain pilot is the partnership with Wormhole, a leading cross-chain interoperability protocol. Wormhole’s technology is the conduit that allows the RLUSD stablecoin to move seamlessly between the different blockchains involved in the test. This is a critical technical component, as the stablecoin’s initial issuance was confined to the XRP Ledger and the Ethereum mainnet.

By leveraging Wormhole, Ripple is directly addressing one of the crypto industry’s persistent challenges: fragmentation. The ability for RLUSD to flow freely between the XRP Ledger, Ethereum, and now multiple layer-2s without friction is a major value proposition. It enhances the utility of RLUSD for users and developers who operate across these ecosystems, potentially making it a more attractive stablecoin for cross-chain transactions, payments, and decentralized finance applications.

Ripple’s cautious, pilot-based approach underscores the heightened regulatory scrutiny facing stablecoins. The company explicitly stated that this layer-2 expansion is being conducted while it “awaits regulatory approval for a full rollout next year.” This indicates that the current testing on Optimism, Base, Ink, and Unichain is as much a technical proof-of-concept as it is a strategic maneuver to demonstrate operational readiness and gather data ahead of engaging with regulators.

The initial 2024 launch on the XRP Ledger and Ethereum provided the foundational issuance rails for RLUSD. This new phase on layer-2s is the logical next step to prove scalability—a key concern for any payment-focused stablecoin aiming for mass adoption. By demonstrating that RLUSD can function efficiently on high-throughput, low-cost networks, Ripple is building a stronger case for its stablecoin’s viability in a competitive market dominated by incumbents like USDT and USDC.

Ultimately, this pilot represents a calculated bridge between technological development and regulatory compliance. Success in this testing phase could pave the way for RLUSD to emerge as a notable multi-chain digital dollar alternative, deeply integrated within both the XRP and Ethereum ecosystems, once the necessary regulatory green lights are received.