Ripple, a leader in digital asset infrastructure for financial institutions, has announced the global launch of Ripple USD (RLUSD), an enterprise-grade USD-denominated stablecoin. Starting December 17, 2024, RLUSD will be available on leading global exchanges, marking a significant step toward enabling trustworthy, utility-driven, and compliant digital asset solutions.
“As the U.S. moves toward clearer regulations, we expect to see greater adoption of stablecoins like RLUSD, which offer real utility and are backed by years of trust and expertise in the industry,” said Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple.
A Global Rollout Across Leading Platforms
RLUSD will initially be available on Uphold, Bitso, MoonPay, Archax, and CoinMENA, with further listings expected on Bullish, Bitstamp, Mercado Bitcoin, Independent Reserve, Zero Hash, and more in the coming weeks. Each RLUSD token is fully backed by U.S. dollar deposits, U.S. government bonds, and cash equivalents, ensuring stability, liquidity, and reliability. To uphold transparency, Ripple will publish monthly third-party attestations of RLUSD’s reserves, conducted by independent auditors.
Ripple’s decision to launch RLUSD under the NYDFS limited purpose trust company charter reflects its commitment to meeting the highest global regulatory standards.
Driving Adoption and Real-World Use Cases
RLUSD is supported by a growing ecosystem of exchanges, payment providers, and market makers across key regions, including the Americas, Asia-Pacific, UK, and the Middle East. Designed for enterprise-level financial use cases, RLUSD enables institutions to:
- Facilitate instant cross-border payment settlements.
- Access liquidity for remittances and treasury operations.
- Integrate seamlessly with DeFi protocols.
- Bridge traditional fiat currencies and the crypto ecosystem for efficient on- and off-ramping.
- Collateralize tokenized real-world assets like commodities, securities, and treasuries on-chain.
Beginning early next year, Ripple Payments will integrate RLUSD to streamline global payment solutions for enterprise clients. Ripple Payments, which has facilitated over $70 billion in payment volume across 90+ payout markets, continues to drive efficiency and near-global coverage in the payments sector.
RLUSD will operate on both the XRP Ledger and Ethereum blockchains, ensuring flexibility and scalability for a wide range of financial applications.
RLUSD Advisory Board: Guiding Stability and Growth
Ripple has assembled a distinguished advisory board to provide strategic guidance on regulatory, operational, and financial stability. New members include:
- Raghuram Rajan, former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India
- Kenneth Montgomery, former First Vice President and COO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
They join existing members such as:
- Sheila Bair, former Chair of the FDIC
- David Puth, former CENTRE Consortium CEO
- Chris Larsen, Ripple co-founder and Executive Chairman
Raghuram Rajan emphasized RLUSD’s potential: “Stablecoins could become the backbone of private payments, offering a secure and efficient alternative to traditional systems. RLUSD’s focus on compliance and reliability sets a new standard for trust in digital assets.”
Kenneth Montgomery added, “Stablecoins are reshaping the payments landscape by delivering speed, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. I’m excited to support RLUSD as it drives financial inclusion and modernizes global payments.”
Raising the Standard for Stablecoins
By combining regulatory compliance, trust, and innovative functionality, RLUSD sets a new benchmark for stablecoins. Ripple’s NYDFS-approved launch highlights its leadership in creating transparent, secure, and utility-driven digital asset solutions, paving the way for a more inclusive and modern financial ecosystem.
