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XRP price near $1.15, RLUSD stablecoin at $1.6 bn, new $280 m Ethereum lending pool opens – see how on‑chain demand could affect XRP usage.
XRP ≈ $1.15 as of today, while Ripple’s dollar‑pegged stablecoin RLUSD has moved most of its $1.6 billion supply onto the XRP Ledger, unlocking a $280 million Ethereum‑based lending pool that lets XRP holders borrow RLUSD [1]. The shift ties XRP’s network fees to a growing stablecoin market, raising questions about future demand for the bridge token.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| XRP price | $1.15 |
| 24‑h change | flat (no notable move) |
| RLUSD market cap | $1.6 bn (up from $132 m a year ago) |
| Catalyst | $280 m Ethereum RLUSD lending pool opens, shifting RLUSD activity to XRP Ledger |
Ripple launched RLUSD in December 2024 as a dollar‑backed stablecoin, initially hosted on Ethereum where transactions incur no XRP fees [1]. Over the past six months, RLUSD activity on the XRP Ledger surged 40‑fold, pushing the share of RLUSD on the ledger above 50 % from just 17 % in April [1]. This migration means every RLUSD transfer now requires a small XRP fee, which is burned, linking stablecoin usage directly to XRP network demand.
The newly announced $280 million lending pool on Ethereum enables XRP holders to borrow RLUSD without moving their XRP off‑chain. While the pool itself resides on Ethereum, any RLUSD borrowed must be settled on the XRP Ledger, generating XRP fee payments and incremental token burns [1]. Although only about 14 million XRP have been burned since 2012—tiny versus the 100‑billion total supply—the cumulative effect could boost on‑chain activity if RLUSD borrowing scales [1].
Despite the uptick in RLUSD‑driven fee demand, XRP’s price has remained flat around $1.15, echoing a pattern where Ripple’s major announcements do not immediately translate into price moves [2]. Historical Swell events have often coincided with short‑term selling pressure on XRP, and the token’s market price appears decoupled from its underlying network utility at present [2].
The opening of a sizable RLUSD lending pool on Ethereum creates a new conduit for XRP holders to engage with Ripple’s stablecoin ecosystem, potentially amplifying on‑chain activity even as the token’s price stays muted. Whether this translates into sustained demand for XRP will depend on the scale of borrowing and any further shifts of RLUSD traffic onto the ledger.
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AI-assisted synthesis by the TrendWatcher Editorial Desk · sourced from 2 outlets · Aug 5, 2026 · How we report
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