XRPL Transactions Skyrocket as Ripple CTO Makes Triumphant Return to Infrastructure

XRP Ledger activity hits fever pitch after Ripple's tech chief rejoins the fray—just as institutional players start sniffing around blockchain rails again.

Infrastructure play or liquidity charade? The CTO's return sparks debate as transaction volumes defy bear market trends.

Meanwhile, TradFi banks still can't decide if they're building private chains or waiting for regulators to hand them a permissioned XRPL fork on a silver platter.

David Schwartz’s Return to XRPL Infrastructure

Schwartz detailed his upcoming XRPL server build in a recent update. The node will be equipped with high-end specs, including an AMD 9950X CPU, 256GB RAM, and NVMe high-speed storage, running on Ubuntu LTE with a 10GB unmetered internet connection. The goal is to provide a reliable public access point for validators and XRPL applications, enhancing network robustness.

“I haven’t run any XRPL infrastructure myself in a few years,” Schwartz stated. He emphasized that this server should not be treated as a critical dependency for the network. Instead, it’s meant to strengthen decentralization and uptime reliability for the broader XRPL ecosystem.

While the build is not tied to Ripple’s operations, Schwartz’s renewed involvement underscores a growing effort within the XRP community to reinforce infrastructure amid expanding user engagement.

XRPL Usage Accelerates Despite Regulatory Clouds

XRPL’s growing transaction volume comes at a time when Ripple continues navigating a complex regulatory environment. Schwartz had previously raised concerns about the slow growth in XRPL’s on-chain usage, attributing much of the hesitation to ongoing regulatory uncertainty.

Despite Ripple’s collaborations with over 300 banks and financial institutions, Schwartz suggested that compliance constraints keep most institutional activity off-chain for now. However, momentum appears to be shifting, especially following Ripple’s partial win against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse revealed earlier this year that the company has filed for a national bank charter in the U.S.. If approved, it WOULD give Ripple the ability to integrate directly into the traditional financial system, bypassing intermediary banks and reducing settlement costs.

This MOVE mirrors Circle’s strategy and could accelerate on-chain adoption of Ripple’s technology by removing longstanding institutional barriers.

XRPL DEX and AMM Growth Fuel Network Strength

Parallel to infrastructure upgrades and regulatory navigation, XRPL’s decentralized exchange (DEX) and automated market Maker (AMM) layers have seen notable growth. According to blockchain analytics firm Dune, XRPL’s DEX volume jumped from 384 million to 465 million XRP in the past 30 days. Meanwhile, AMM volume rose from 350 million to 408 million XRP, reflecting increased liquidity and user activity.

Even more telling is the consistent rise in on-chain user adoption. XRPL now hosts over 7 million total accounts, with more than 1 million new signups in 2025 alone. On average, 3,000 new accounts are created each day, with daily peaks surpassing 20,000 registrations.

However, the number of daily active DEX traders remains relatively modest at around 2,363, suggesting there is still room for user engagement growth despite the infrastructure improvements and price appreciation.

What This Means for XRP and the XRPL Ecosystem

David Schwartz’s return to hands-on infrastructure work could be seen as a sign of renewed community leadership and technical focus. It also sends a strong message about the health and decentralization goals of XRPL as it aims to expand beyond Ripple’s direct influence.

The rising XRPL volumes, growing user base, and ecosystem upgrades indicate that the network is steadily moving into a more mature phase. With Ripple actively pushing for regulatory clarity and banking-level access, and Schwartz supporting from the technical front, the XRP Ledger appears poised for stronger adoption.

Whether this will be enough to maintain XRP’s recent rally remains uncertain, especially in the face of ongoing market volatility. But what’s clear is that momentum is building around XRPL — both in code and community.

As infrastructure decentralizes and user adoption accelerates, Ripple’s long-term vision of a borderless financial network might be inching closer to realization, node by node.