The XRP Ledger (XRPL) has achieved a significant breakthrough with the mainnet launch of its Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) sidechain—a strategic move to merge XRP’s payment efficiency with Ethereum’s smart contract functionality.
Unlocking New Possibilities for Developers
The XRPL EVM Sidechain enables developers to create and deploy Ethereum-compatible dApps directly within the XRP ecosystem. Key features include:
- Full support for Solidity and Ethereum developer tools.
- Expanded use cases: DeFi, tokenization, and cross-chain payments.
- Access to XRPL’s low-cost, high-speed infrastructure (transactions settle in 3–5 seconds).
👉 Explore how XRP’s EVM sidechain bridges Web3 ecosystems
How the Sidechain Works: Collaboration & Technology
Built through a partnership between Ripple, Peersyst, and Axelar, the sidechain leverages:
- Evmos’ framework for EVM compatibility.
- Axelar’s bridge for secure XRP Ledger interoperability.
- Wrapped XRP (wXRP) as the gas token, enabling seamless asset transfers.
David Schwartz, Ripple’s CTO, emphasized:
"This integration preserves XRPL’s core strengths while unlocking programmable contracts for developers."
Ecosystem Growth & Early Adoption
The sidechain has already attracted DeFi protocols (Band Protocol, Squid) and infrastructure partners (Blockscout, Goldsky). Future integrations include:
- Wormhole for cross-chain connectivity.
- Vertex and Securd for enhanced security.
Ferran Prat (Peersyst CEO) called this launch "Day 1 of a bigger journey," highlighting XRP’s potential in multichain Web3 ecosystems.
FAQ: XRPL EVM Sidechain
Q: Can I use MetaMask on the XRPL EVM Sidechain?
A: Yes! The sidechain supports MetaMask and standard Ethereum wallets.
Q: How does wrapped XRP (wXRP) work?
A: wXRP represents XRP on the EVM sidechain, used for gas fees and smart contract interactions.
Q: What’s the advantage of building on XRPL vs. Ethereum?
A: Lower fees (~$0.0002 per transaction) and faster finality without sacrificing EVM compatibility.
👉 Discover more about XRP’s multichain future