XRP’s move to integrate USDC has sparked debate once again. While it may sound like a step forward, experts are calling it a desperate move to cover up for the failed launch of Ripple’s native RLUSD, one that puts XRP years behind a quiet but powerful leader: Stellar.
Meanwhile, the real action is already happening on the Stellar network. Could XRP be too late to catch up?
Let’s break it down.
According to insights from the Stellar Expert community, XRP’s rollout of its native RLUSD stablecoin didn’t gain the traction Ripple had hoped for. With fewer than 50,000 trustlines and virtually no real-world use, RLUSD struggled to take off.
This lack of momentum is making Ripple turn to Circle’s USDC as a backup strategy.
Meanwhile, Stellar was the one that added support for USDC back in 2021, and since then, it has quietly built real-world momentum. The numbers speak for themselves: over 1.5 million trustlines, thousands of active wallets, and daily usage by merchants across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
These aren’t just test environments — they’re being used daily for real payments and transactions.
According to critics, Ripple is now trying to roll out USDC on the XRP Ledger, but this doesn’t guarantee any real benefit for the XRP token itself. In fact, by making USDC multichain, XRP may lose its unique edge, making it harder to build real utility or demand.
Experts say that you can copy a feature, but not the years of infrastructure, adoption, and partnerships that Stellar has already built.
Beyond stablecoins, Stellar is also making headway with smart contracts through Soroban, has both USDC and PYUSD integrated, and is working with major players like Franklin Templeton and WisdomTree. It even powers UN-backed humanitarian corridors and real-world payment systems.
In short, USDC on Stellar isn’t just an idea—it’s a working system. Meanwhile, USDC on XRP feels more like a headline grab than a breakthrough.
Ripple is integrating USDC on the XRP Ledger, reportedly because its native RLUSD stablecoin has struggled with low adoption (fewer than 50,000 trustlines) and minimal real-world use.
Critics argue that making USDC multichain might not directly benefit the XRP token and could diminish its unique edge, potentially making it harder for XRP to build demand.
Stellar’s USDC and PYUSD integrations are used daily by thousands of wallets and merchants across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, powering UN-backed humanitarian corridors and payment systems.
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