Ripple expands RLUSD stablecoin across Africa with payments and exchange partnerships
Ripple Monthly Overview - September 5, 2025
Welcome to the Ripple Overview.
Every month, we dive deep into Ripple, XRP, XRPL, RLUSD and more to bring you the latest on ecosystem developments, updates, metrics, insights and more.
Ripple by the numbers
$XRP: $2.87 (-2.59%)
XRPL TVL: $97.02M (-4.23%)
XRP Holders: 466.9K (+2.22%)
XRPL Unique Active Accounts: 20.52K (-8.27%)
XRP Payment Volume: 507.41K (-4.12%)
These metrics are accurate as of the time of publication. The percentages are based on month-over-month changes, unless noted otherwise.
Ripple Rundown
➡️ What happened: Ripple expanded RLUSD stablecoin access across Africa via partnerships with Chipper Cash, VALR and Yellow Card. The stablecoin is also being used in relief programs for severe weather events, led by Mercy Corps Ventures in Kenya.
➡️ Why it matters: With a $709 million market cap, RLUSD is now powering both institutional payments and innovative climate insurance across Africa.
The partnerships are introducing RLUSD to key African infrastructure: Chipper Cash is facilitating cross-border payments across the continent VALR is operating as the continent's largest crypto exchange; and Yellow Card is providing payment infrastructure across emerging markets in the region.
The expansion of dollar-based payment rails into Africa shows how stablecoins are moving beyond trading into practical applications that address real-world problems. This is especially important in regions where traditional banking is limited, the population is widely underbanked, and local currencies suffer from inflation, instability or both. For instance, countries like Zimbabwe and Sudan experienced staggering inflation rates of 1,091% and 243.7% respectively in 2024, which led to their currencies losing value rapidly, and making everyday transactions and savings increasingly difficult for the local populace.
With RLUSD, businesses and citizens in these nations have a way to spend their money with the security and stability of the US dollar.
Additionally, Ripple’s stablecoin is being used in a drought relief program in Kenya. Led by Mercy Corps Ventures, the program holds RLUSD in smart contracts and automatically releases funding to farmers when satellite data detects drought conditions. The drought insurance pilot in Kenya has so far successfully protected 517 pastoralists using these blockchain-automated payouts.
This program highlights the real-world potential of blockchain technology to provide aid and financial tools in areas affected by climate risks. Smart contracts enable transparent, data-driven aid delivery in areas where there is natural demand for automated blockchain-based financial support.
➡️ The big picture: Stablecoins are achieving product-market fit in emerging markets, where currency instability and banking limitations spur demand for digital dollar-backed infrastructure.
RLUSD’s ability to provide businesses and individuals with US dollar-denominated transactions and storage can make a difference in many emerging economies, where people seek to preserve wealth and conduct cross-border commerce without relying on volatile local currencies.
Interested in learning more on Ripple? Here are some updates that caught our eye:
Ripple is acquiring stablecoin platform Rail for $200M to further expand its stablecoin payments infrastructure
Gemini released an XRP Credit Card that offers instant 4% rewards in XRP for each purchase
Learn how SBI VC Trade, Japan's first licensed Electronic Payment Instruments Exchange provider, will offer RLUSD
Ripple and BAS have a report on best practices for institutional stablecoin custody and security
Follow Ripple and visit their website to explore additional opportunities.
XRP Ledger developments
The biggest developments within the Ripple ecosystem
XRPL has a new Credentials feature that enables onchain identity verification without requiring manual account approvals
XRPL upgraded to version 2.6.0 for new transaction stream enhancements, including nftoken_id and offer_id fields in metadata
XRPL Gamechain, the first dedicated gaming ecosystem built on the XRPL EVM sidechain, is now live on testnet
How Special Purpose Vehicles are serving as transitional bridges for tokenized real-world assets
Explore the three different use cases of Ripple Custody and Payments for financial institutions
Enter the XRPL community
Want to build on the XRP Ledger? Visit the XRPL learning portal for more info on documentation and tools. Or go further down the rabbit hole:
Join Ripple at Real World Asset Summit Brooklyn on September 16-17
Attend XRP Seoul at Korea Blockchain Week
Check out the latest jobs at Ripple or XRP Ledger
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This information is for entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered financial advice, nor should it be used to make investment decisions. Cryptocurrencies are high risk and you should consult a financial professional before making any financial decisions. Make sure you do your own research.