The XRP Ledger (XRPL) Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) sidechain is set to launch on its mainnet in the second quarter of 2025

This marks a significant milestone for Ripple’s decentralized Layer 1 blockchain.

The XRP Ledger (XRPL) Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) sidechain is set to launch on its mainnet in the second quarter of 2025. This marks a significant milestone for Ripple’s decentralized Layer 1 blockchain.

XRPL EVM Mainnet Launch at Apex 2025 in Singapore

Ripple executives, including Chief Technology Officer David Schwartz and Head of Product Management Jaazi Cooper, made the announcement during the Apex 2025 conference in Singapore.

The one and only @JoelKatz and Ripple’s @jazzicoop announced the XRPL EVM is going live Q2 at Apex featuring some DeFi apps like @StrobeFinance 🧪@vertex_protocol,, @SecurdLabs and @squidrouter building on it 👏🏻https://t.co/77bj37o4zG#XRPEVM #Apex2025

— Crypto News Updates (@cryptonewsupdates_) August 27, 2025

The XRPL supports native smart contracts but currently lacks EVM compatibility, which is an initiative that aims to make it easier for developers to port over decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts from the Ethereum blockchain.

The XRPL EVM sidechain, which is being developed in collaboration with Peersyst Technology, Cosmos, Common Prefix, Axelar, and Commons, aims to bridge this gap.

“EVM compatibility means integrating Ethereum’s rich development ecosystem with XRPL’s distinct features, such as its high transaction speed and efficiency, to expand the capabilities and reach of XRPL, rather than solely extolling Ethereum’s strengths,” Peersyst Technology wrote.

The XRPL EVM is powered by XRP as its native token and integrates smoothly with the XRPL mainnet via the Axelar bridge. Additionally, the sidechain boasts high-speed transactions at significantly lower costs, promoting both efficiency and scalability.

The upcoming mainnet launch follows a successful testnet that went live earlier this year and has already demonstrated substantial activity.

According to the XRPL EVM explorer, the testnet records over 280,000 transactions per day.

Moreover, Peersyst Technology highlighted the impressive progress the testnet made within just two months in a recent post on X (formerly Twitter).

The blockchain development company noted an unprecedented participation of 87 new entities, most of which have no prior involvement with XRP, contributing to the ecosystem through infrastructure development, application creation, and demand generation.

“XRPL EVM has become the most effective tool to onboard talent and projects into the XRP ecosystem. When mainnet goes live, all of it becomes part of the XRP ecosystem – possibly the biggest onboarding in XRP history,” the post read.

The integration of EVM compatibility could expand the XRPL’s utility, attracting developers and users from the Ethereum ecosystem while enhancing the platform’s DeFi offerings. This development represents a critical step in Ripple’s ongoing efforts to strengthen XRPL’s position in the competitive blockchain space.