Ripple expands RLUSD to 40-plus chains via Wormhole bridge integration

Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin is now live across more than 40 blockchain networks after integrating with cross-chain protocol Wormhole, positioning it to compete directly with USDC and USDT in the multi-chain stablecoin market.

Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin expanded to more than 40 blockchain networks June 4 through a new integration with cross-chain interoperability protocol Wormhole, opening access across Ethereum, Solana, and other major ecosystems.

"Bringing RLUSD to 40-plus chains via Wormhole unlocks liquidity across the fragmented multi-chain environment," Ripple said in a statement. The integration lets users transfer RLUSD between supported networks without relying on centralized exchanges.

The Wormhole integration covers Ethereum, Solana, BNB Chain, Avalanche, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, and more than 30 additional networks, according to Ripple. RLUSD, which launched in December 2024, is backed by US dollar deposits, short-term US Treasuries, and cash equivalents, with monthly attestations from an independent accounting firm. The stablecoin maintains a peg of $1.00, within a deviation of less than 0.01 percent, per on-chain data.

The expansion positions RLUSD to challenge Circle's USDC and Tether's USDT, which together control more than 90 percent of the $230 billion stablecoin market, per DefiLlama data. Ripple's existing payment network, RippleNet, could route RLUSD across borders using XRP as a bridge asset, potentially driving demand for both the stablecoin and XRP.

The integration comes as stablecoin adoption accelerates across DeFi protocols and payment networks. Mastercard announced in May 2026 that it would support RLUSD settlement alongside USDC and other regulated stablecoins for credit card transactions, settling across Ethereum, Solana, Base, and the XRP Ledger. The payment giant's endorsement signals growing institutional acceptance of regulated stablecoins for real-world settlement, with Mastercard EVP of Blockchain and Digital Assets Raj Dhamodharan calling the next phase of stablecoin adoption about "real-world utility, especially in settlement."

Wormhole, which has facilitated more than $45 billion in cross-chain transfers since its 2021 launch, processes messages between blockchains through a network of 19 guardian nodes. The protocol supports 30-plus chains, making it one of the largest interoperability providers by network count. Its integration with RLUSD gives Ripple access to a user base that spans Ethereum's DeFi ecosystem, Solana's high-throughput applications, and emerging L2 networks including Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base.

RLUSD's multi-chain expansion could increase total value locked across Wormhole-connected DeFi protocols, where stablecoins serve as the primary liquidity base for lending, trading, and yield generation. DefiLlama data shows stablecoins account for roughly 60 percent of total value locked across all chains, with USDC and USDT representing the dominant share. RLUSD's entry into this market adds a regulated alternative backed by a company with existing payment infrastructure spanning more than 55 countries.

The stablecoin market has grown to approximately $230 billion in total supply, up from $130 billion two years ago, driven by demand for dollar-denominated digital assets in emerging markets and DeFi applications. Ripple's RLUSD, with its regulatory compliance and RippleNet integration, targets the institutional segment of this market, competing on trust and utility rather than first-mover advantage. Ripple has secured regulatory approvals in New York, Singapore, and Ireland for RLUSD, giving it a compliance edge over unregulated competitors.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.