Ripple’s RLUSD is also expected to benefit from the protocol’s launch.
Ripple engineer Edward Hennis has provided key details about the upcoming XRP Ledger (XRPL) lending protocol. As part of the details, he mentioned how the protocol could provide XRP holders with institutional-grade yield even as Ripple looks to onboard institutions onto the XRPL.
XRPL Lending Protocol To Give XRP Holders Institutional Grade Yield
In an X post, the Ripple engineer stated that the upcoming XRPL Lending Protocol will unlock productive on-ledger lending for institutions and create a pathway for XRP holders to earn institutional-grade yield. This came as he explained that the protocol is a new protocol-native system for fixed-term, fixed-rate, and underwritten credit.
Hennis went further to explain how the protocol differs from the native crypto lending protocols. He noted that crypto lending typically relies on pooled collateral and volatile rates, both of which are difficult for institutions.
However, with the XRP Ledger, each loan sits in its own Single Asset Vault (SAV). This segregated pool holds only one asset, such as XRP or RLUSD, thereby isolating risk to that specific credit facility. The pool admin, which serves as the underwriter and operator, manages the vault, and third-party platforms can build UIs on top.
Meanwhile, the Ripple engineer highlighted the use cases of this lending protocol, stating that market makers can borrow XRP or RLUSD for inventory and arbitrage. Furthermore, payment service providers can borrow RLUSD to pre-fund instant merchant payouts, while fintech lenders can access short-duration working capital.
For XRP holders, this provides an opportunity to lend to institutional credit facilities to generate yield, rather than have their coins sit idle. Providing a timeline on when the protocol could launch, Hennis stated that the relevant amendments are expected to enter validator voting in late January, a move that he remarked marks a major step toward activating protocol-native credit markets on XRPL.
A “Liquidity Pump” For The XRPL
In an X post, XRPL validator Vet described the upcoming Lending Protocol as a “liquidity pump” to the network. He remarked that this will enable sophisticated DeFi strategies, including cross-border corridor funding, payout liquidity smoothing, and inventory financing.
Vet added that this is “clearly a huge liquidity unlook tool,” one that he noted is crucial for institutions such as digital asset treasuries like Ripple-backed Evernorth and payment service providers. The XRP Ledger also indicated that retail investors should be able to participate in the protocol and will only be unable to hold assets that have holder restrictions.
This move is expected to boost XRP and RLUSD’s utility. It also comes as Ripple recently reiterated plans to enhance the utility of these assets, following its announcement to begin testing RLUSD on Ethereum layer-2 networks, including Coinbase’s Base.
It is also worth mentioning that XRP recently launched on Solana through Hex Trust’s wrapped XRP (wXRP).
