March 22, 2026 ChainGPT

Ripple Research: XRP Still Central to Payments Despite RLUSD Launch

Ripple Research: XRP Still Central to Payments Despite RLUSD Launch
Ripple is making it clear: even as its ecosystem grows and adds new tools—like the recently launched RLUSD stablecoin—XRP remains central to the platform’s roadmap. A new research paper published by Ripple addresses growing questions about XRP’s future role. As developers and projects expand across the Ripple network, some observers wondered whether stablecoins and new services might sideline XRP. Ripple’s analysis pushes back on that idea, outlining how XRP will continue to function as a core building block for the network. Key takeaways from the research: - XRP will remain integral to Ripple’s payment infrastructure, powering cross-border payment rails and underpinning the company’s long-term strategy. - The token serves as a liquidity bridge, helping to enable faster, cheaper, and more efficient international transfers than traditional rails. - Ripple highlights XRP’s role in reducing settlement delays, enhancing security, and facilitating seamless value exchange across the ecosystem. The RLUSD stablecoin’s debut had generated some speculation that it could compete with XRP. Ripple’s findings, however, emphasize that introducing stablecoins does not equate to abandoning XRP; rather, these assets are complementary pieces of a broader payments stack. Market sentiment around XRP has been active. Crypto commentator Dark Defender recently tweeted a bullish long-term target of $18 for XRP (a technical-wave-based prediction), while price-forecasting site CoinCodex projects a range of long-term prices—$1.79 by the end of 2026, $5.97 by 2030, $9.02 by 2040, and $15.07 by 2050. These estimates are speculative and should not be taken as investment advice. Bottom line: as Ripple broadens its suite of products, the company’s own research positions XRP as a continuing cornerstone of its cross-border payments strategy—not an afterthought. Expect further developments as Ripple integrates new tools while keeping XRP at the heart of its payment infrastructure. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news