At EthCC in Cannes, France, the Axelar Foundation, in collaboration with Ripple, Peersyst, and the broader XRP Ledger (XRPL) ecosystem, announced that cross-chain connectivity for the XRPL EVM Sidechain and the XRP Ledger mainnet is now live via Axelar. Axelar, an interoperability protocol connecting over 80 blockchains, serves as the initial cross-chain connector facilitating the transfer of assets such as wrapped XRP, which functions as the native gas token on the new XRPL EVM Sidechain.
The XRPL EVM Sidechain, designed for speed and security, is connected to the XRPL through Axelar’s infrastructure. Additionally, Squid has been integrated as the cross-chain transfer user interface application for both the XRPL and the EVM sidechain, enhancing XRPL’s multi-chain capabilities.
Developers utilizing the XRPL EVM Sidechain can leverage the XRPL’s established features, which include over 6 million XRPL wallet holders, rapid block times, low transaction costs, XRP as the native gas token, a robust validator network, and a focus on regulatory compliance. This integration enables developers to build, port, and deploy EVM-compatible decentralized applications (dApps) while accessing XRPL’s existing liquidity and operational history spanning over a decade.
The XRPL EVM Sidechain has already attracted various projects across the DeFi sector, which are developing novel, cross-chain applications. These applications allow XRPL users to interact with their protocols directly from the Mainnet without requiring a separate EVM sidechain wallet. Initial application partners include Strobe, a money market protocol supporting DeFi lending and overcollateralized borrowing on XRPL; Securd, a lending protocol providing secure, passive income; and Vertex, a derivatives trading platform. Blockchain tooling and indexing platforms such as Blockscout, which provides the EVM block explorer, and Goldsky, offering high-performance custom indexing, are also integrated.
Regarded for its reliability, speed, and cost-efficiency, the XRP Ledger provides a foundation for the institutional tokenization of stablecoins and other real-world assets (RWAs).
David Schwartz, CTO at Ripple and co-creator of the XRP Ledger, stated, “The XRPL EVM Sidechain introduces a new option for developers who want to build with EVM-compatible tools while leveraging XRP and the broader XRPL ecosystem. Axelar’s crosschain infrastructure helps make that possible, supporting greater interoperability without changing the fundamentals of the XRP Ledger itself.”
Georgios Vlachos, director at Axelar Foundation and co-founder of the Axelar protocol, commented on the development: “We are seeing tremendous interest in interoperability from institutions that are already on a path to bringing dollar stablecoins into a new financial ecosystem that is global and blockchain-based. XRPL’s institutional-grade infrastructure provides an ideal starting point for this wave of new, dollarized financial products to reach the world.”
Developers interested in building on the platform can access documentation at docs.xrplevm.org and docs.axelar.dev. Users can utilize Squid for cross-chain transfers between the XRPL and the EVM sidechain.
