What Is RLUSD? Ripple’s Stablecoin Explained
Ripple's dollar stablecoin, explained — how RLUSD stays pegged, where it runs, and how it differs from XRP.
RLUSD is Ripple’s own U.S. dollar stablecoin. A stablecoin is a crypto token designed to hold a steady value — in this case, one RLUSD is intended to always be worth one U.S. dollar. It launched at the end of 2024 and has grown quickly since.
How RLUSD stays at a dollar
RLUSD is fully backed. Ripple holds reserves — U.S. dollar deposits, short-term U.S. government treasuries, and cash equivalents — equal to the number of tokens in circulation. Every RLUSD is meant to be redeemable for a real dollar, which is what keeps its price anchored.
Where it lives
RLUSD is issued on both the XRP Ledger and the Ethereum blockchain, so it can move across two of the most active ecosystems in crypto. On the XRPL, it benefits from the ledger’s fast, cheap settlement.
Why it matters
By 2026, RLUSD had grown into one of the larger regulated stablecoins, crossing roughly 1.6 billion dollars in market value. Ripple positions it as a bank-grade stablecoin aimed at institutions, payments, and settlement.
RLUSD and XRP are not the same thing
It is worth being clear: RLUSD and XRP are different assets with different jobs. XRP is a volatile, market-traded token that can act as a bridge asset. RLUSD is a stable, dollar-pegged token designed not to move in price. Some analysts even debate whether RLUSD’s growth competes with some of XRP’s use cases — a discussion worth following.
Not financial advice. Market data via CoinGecko (2026).