USDC on XRP: A Strategic Trap? Why Stellar Has Already Secured Dominance

Ripple’s XRP just got USDC support—but is it too little, too late? Stellar’s been quietly eating its lunch for years.

Here’s why the ‘banker’s blockchain’ already won.

The USDC Play: Desperation or Strategy?

XRP’s new USDC integration feels reactive—like a hedge fund scrambling to buy Bitcoin at ATH. Meanwhile, Stellar’s been processing cross-border USDC settlements since 2021.

Liquidity Wars: Stellar’s Silent Takeover

Stellar’s corridors now handle 3x the stablecoin volume of RippleNet. Banks don’t care about decentralization—they want rails that work. Guess which chain gets daily Fedwire tests?

The Cynical Take

Watching XRP chase stablecoins is like watching a fax machine company pivot to ‘blockchain.’ Innovate or evaporate.

XRP’s MOVE to integrate USDC has sparked debate once again. While it may sound like a step forward, experts are calling it a desperate move to cover up for the failed launch of Ripple’s native RLUSD, one that puts XRP years behind a quiet but powerful leader: Stellar.

Meanwhile, the real action is already happening on the stellar network. Could XRP be too late to catch up?

Let’s break it down.

Stellar Is Already Years Ahead

According to insights from the Stellar Expert community, XRP’s rollout of its native RLUSD stablecoin didn’t gain the traction Ripple had hoped for. With fewer than 50,000 trustlines and virtually no real-world use, RLUSD struggled to take off. 

USDC on XRP Is a Trap — the Real Liquidity Is Already on XLM

XRP’s RLUSD rollout flopped — so now they’re leaning on Circle.
Meanwhile, Stellar is already years ahead.

Let me explainpic.twitter.com/cXL3lJg7Wd

This lack of momentum is making Ripple turn to Circle’s USDC as a backup strategy.

Meanwhile, Stellar was the one that added support for USDC back in 2021, and since then, it has quietly built real-world momentum. The numbers speak for themselves: over 1.5 million trustlines, thousands of active wallets, and daily usage by merchants across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

These aren’t just test environments — they’re being used daily for real payments and transactions.

Ripple Shifts to USDC—Not Help XRP

According to critics, Ripple is now trying to roll out USDC on the XRP Ledger, but this doesn’t guarantee any real benefit for the XRP token itself. In fact, by making USDC multichain, XRP may lose its unique edge, making it harder to build real utility or demand.

Experts say that you can copy a feature, but not the years of infrastructure, adoption, and partnerships that Stellar has already built.

Stellar’s Strong Position

Beyond stablecoins, Stellar is also making headway with smart contracts through Soroban, has both USDC and PYUSD integrated, and is working with major players like Franklin Templeton and WisdomTree. It even powers UN-backed humanitarian corridors and real-world payment systems.

In short, USDC on Stellar isn’t just an idea—it’s a working system. Meanwhile, USDC on XRP feels more like a headline grab than a breakthrough.