XRPL EVM Sidechain Launches with Axelar Boost
- Samantha
- Jun 30, 2025
- 2 min read
On June 30, 2025, in tandem with the Ethereum Community Conference (EthCC), the XRP Ledger (XRPL) unveiled its long-anticipated EVM-compatible sidechain, developed by Peersyst with support from Ripple and the broader XRPL community.
Axelar Brings Cross-Chain Capability Day One
From the moment of its mainnet launch, the sidechain has been integrated via Axelar, a leading interoperability network connecting over 80 chains. This includes support for:
Wrapped XRP (eXRP) as the native gas token on the EVM sidechain
Seamless transfers between XRPL mainnet and the EVM sidechain
Broad connectivity to more than 80 blockchains, enabling cross-chain DeFi and real‑world assets (RWAs).
The Squid UI provides a clean interface for cross-chain transfers—no need for juggling multiple bridges or wallets.
EVM + XRP: Unlocking a Hybrid Ecosystem
Key Developer Features:
Full EVM compatibility with tooling like Solidity, MetaMask, and Hardhat
XRP as gas on the sidechain; notably fast (~3–4 s block times) and low-cost (<$0.01 per tx).
Proof-of-Authority consensus supporting >1,000 tx/s capacity
Access to 6 million+ XRPL wallets, deep XRP liquidity, and a validator network of 25+ entities.
Why It Matters:
This hybrid model blends Ethereum’s EVM programmability with the XRPL’s scalability, regulatory compliance, and institutional readiness, making it ideal for developers and enterprise use cases.
Ecosystem & Infrastructure Partners
Already Building:
Strobe: Lending/over-collateralized borrowing
Securd: Passive-income leveraging across positions
Vertex: Capital-efficient derivatives trading
Infrastructure Stack:
Blockscout: EVM-compatible block explorer
Goldsky: High-performance indexing with subgraphs
Band Protocol: Oracles
Grove: RPC endpoints via Pocket Network
Upcoming Integrations:
Wormhole: Another cross-chain bridge covering 35+ ecosystems and 200+ dApps
Voices from the Launch
David Schwartz (CTO, Ripple):“The XRPL EVM Sidechain introduces a flexible environment for developers to deploy EVM‑based applications… without changing the fundamentals of the XRP Ledger itself.”
Georgios Vlachos (Axelar Foundation):“The XRP Ledger EVM Sidechain is positioned to capture [institutional] demand… and Axelar is the secure, institutional-grade connector that will make it possible.”
Ferran Prat (Peersyst):“...it’s Day 1 of a much bigger journey toward interoperability, programmability, and utility at scale”
Institutional adoption: The regulatory clarity and compliance built into XRPL make this appealing to banks and enterprises
Multi-chain strategy: Combined with upcoming Wormhole and Axelar connectivity, XRPL is pivoting to a central role in the multi-chain ecosystem
Developer Roadmap:
Get started: Full docs available on
Developer tools: Integrated support via MetaMask, Hardhat, Truffle
Ecosystem growth: New dApps launching alongside infrastructure scaling
Final Take
The launch of the XRPL EVM Sidechain marks a strategic shift—unlocking Ethereum-level programmability atop the XRPL’s fast, compliant, and liquid layer-1. With Axelar’s cross-chain bridge live from day one and significant ecosystem support in place, this marks Day 1 of XRPL's evolution into a central player in the multi-chain DeFi and RWA landscape.
It's a compelling bridge between worlds—combining the best of both chains and putting XRP at the heart of tomorrow’s interoperable finance.
