Ripple Pursuing More Developers Through Creation of Ethereum Sidechain, Announces CTO
The launch of the XRPL EVM Sidechain on the XRP Ledger has opened up a world of possibilities for developers, enabling Ethereum-compatible smart contracts to be built on XRPL's fast, low-cost infrastructure. This strategic move aims to attract Ethereum-based projects by offering a capital-efficient migration path, supported by a $1 billion XRP grant program for developers and startups.
The XRPL EVM Sidechain, which debuted in June, allows the creation of applications similar to Ethereum while using XRP as its native token. It is designed to support smart contracts and lower the barrier for Ethereum developers to join the XRP Ledger ecosystem. With transaction fees as low as $0.0001, 4-second finality, and over 1,000 transactions per second, the sidechain offers an attractive alternative for developers seeking a more efficient platform.
However, early deployment metrics show that real-world traction remains limited. As of early August 2025, the sidechain hosts only a handful of decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and launchpads, with a total value locked (TVL) of roughly $100,000 and extremely low daily trading volumes around $3,200. The most popular application on the XRPL EVM sidechain is Moai Finance, with $54 in trading volume over the past day.
Despite these early challenges, Ripple remains optimistic about the potential of the XRPL EVM Sidechain. The company is actively encouraging developers to use the sidechain through grants, community funding, and driving institutional adoption. Ripple CTO David Schwartz believes that more experimentation within the XRP Ledger's ecosystem could attract fresh talent. He stated that if one understands Solidity and building on the EVM platform, they are welcome on the XRPL EVM Sidechain.
Schwartz also values the focus on experimentation, although he considers a lot of Ethereum-based applications as "just garbage." He thinks that the XRPL EVM Sidechain could potentially lead to more experimentation on the XRP Ledger, which could help to attract more developers and users.
Complementary developments in the XRP Ledger ecosystem, like native Automated Market Makers (AMMs) offering liquidity incentives and stablecoin trading, combined with growing regulatory clarity after Ripple’s SEC settlement, could support future expansion of developer activity and DeFi experimentation on the XRPL EVM sidechain. The sidechain's integration with Ethereum tooling (OpenZeppelin, Hardhat) and XRP's deep liquidity and payment network set an attractive foundation for future growth.
In summary, the XRPL EVM Sidechain has meaningfully expanded the potential for developer experimentation by combining Ethereum compatibility with XRPL’s performance advantages and strong incentives. However, its actual impact on developer activity and ecosystem maturity is still emerging and has yet to realize its full promise.
- The XRPL EVM Sidechain, having native integration with Ethereum smart contracts, allows developers to build Ethereum-compatible cryptocurrency applications on the XRP Ledger.
- With a $1 billion grant program, Ripple is aiming to attract Ethereum-based projects to the XRPL EVM Sidechain, providing a capital-efficient migration path for decentralized finance (DeFi) initiatives.
- Despite the sidechain's low transaction fees, fast transaction finality, and high transaction capacity, real-world traction remains limited, with only a few decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and launchpads currently active.
- Ripple CTO David Schwartz emphasizes the importance of encouraging experimentation on the XRPL EVM Sidechain, welcoming developers familiar with Ethereum's Solidity language and EVM platform to join the ecosystem.
- Schwartz posits that the sidechain could attract more developers and users by promoting a more experimental and innovative ecosystem, though he considers some Ethereum applications as redundant or inefficient.
- Complementary developments, such as native Automated Market Makers (AMMs) and stablecoin trading, combined with growing regulatory clarity, could bolster DeFi experimentation and developer activity on the XRPL EVM sidechain.
- Integration with Ethereum tooling like OpenZeppelin and Hardhat, as well as XRP's deep liquidity and payment network, creates an attractive foundation for future growth and expansion of the sidechain's capabilities.
- The XRPL EVM Sidechain has broadened the potential for decentralized and innovative finance projects by combining the effectiveness of the XRP Ledger with the extensibility of Ethereum, but the full extent of its impact remains to be seen.
- As the sidechain continues to evolve, it is expected that it will attract more talented developers and users, potentially fostering the growth of various digital assets and DeFi services within its decentralized exchange (DEX) and launchpad ecosystem.
