XRP Ledger’s EVM Sidechain Goes Live—Now Ethereum and XRP Can Finally Play Nice

Ripple just dropped the ultimate interoperability flex.

The XRP Ledger's new EVM-compatible sidechain is live—bridging two of crypto's most stubbornly segregated ecosystems. Ethereum devs can now deploy smart contracts directly onto XRP's rails, while XRP holders gain access to DeFi's candy store. No more choosing sides.

How it works:

- EVM sidechain runs parallel to XRPL's core ledger

- Uses XRP as the native gas token (take that, ETH maximalists)

- Full cross-chain asset transfers in 3-4 seconds

Wall Street analysts are already calling it "the blockchain equivalent of the Reuben sandwich—messy but oddly satisfying." TradFi banks, meanwhile, will probably spend $20M studying it before building their own broken version.

One thing's clear: the great chain migration of 2025 just got its first real infrastructure. Will this finally be the year cross-chain goes mainstream? Or just another bullet point for enterprise sales decks?

XRPL EVM Sidechain benefits

The launch of the XRPL EVM sidechain is a stepping stone toward a larger vision for XRP’s role in a multichain world.

Ferran Prat, CEO and Founder of Peersyst, said:

“With the launch of XRPL EVM, we’re unlocking a new era for XRP — one where it can FLOW seamlessly across the multichain world. This isn’t the finish line; it’s Day 1 of a much bigger journey toward interoperability, programmability, and utility at scale.”

For developers, the new sidechain eliminates the need to choose between Ethereum compatibility and the unique features of the XRP Ledger. Now, they can leverage the best of both networks.

The XRPL EVM sidechain provides Ethereum’s compatibility with tools like Solidity, MetaMask, and Hardhat, along with the speed and cost efficiency of XRP’s native infrastructure.

The sidechain supports fast, low-cost transactions via a Proof of Authority consensus mechanism, delivering up to 1000 transactions per second (TPS). With this, developers can build scalable, real-time applications that tap into XRP’s liquidity, which is already supported by over 6 million wallets.

David Schwartz, Ripple’s CTO, said:

“The XRPL EVM Sidechain introduces a flexible environment for developers to deploy EVM-based applications, while maintaining a connection to the XRPL’s efficiency. It extends the capabilities of the ecosystem without changing the fundamentals that make the XRPL reliable.”

Several DeFi projects, including Band Protocol, Grove, and Squid, have already shown interest in the XRPL EVM sidechain. Ripple hinted that protocols like Strobe, Securd, and Vertex would also join the network soon.