XRP trades around $2.00 as of writing, down 11.72% over the last 30 days and 1.07% in the past 7 days. Price action remains subdued, yet strategic developments around the asset continue to accelerate. At the Solana Breakpoint event in Abu Dhabi, Ripple delivered a clear message on XRP’s future direction, placing distribution and usage at the center of its roadmap. RippleX Executive Shares the Stage in Abu Dhabi Luke Judges, Head of Partner Success at RippleX , appeared on stage alongside Vibhu, a Solana Foundation product marketer known for his past criticism of XRP. The setting itself drew attention. Judges introduced RippleX as the unit responsible for supporting the XRP Ledger and XRP adoption. He stressed that Ripple did not attend the event to unveil a product launch. Instead, the focus centered on supporting ecosystem builders across chai XRP and Wrapped XRP Head to Solana Judges confirmed that XRP and wrapped XRP will enter the Solana ecosystem through Hex Trust and LayerZero. This move enables XRP exposure within Solana’s decentralized finance landscape. XRP will integrate into decentralized exchanges, lending protocols, yield platforms, and perpetual markets. What changes when XRP enters Solana DeFi? Access expands to tens of millions of Solana wallets, and liquidity no longer remains confined to a single network. Why Solana Fits Ripple’s Strategy Judges outlined three drivers behind the choice of Solana: new users, new demand, and market depth. Solana’s large and active wallet base provides immediate reach. Deep liquidity across its DeFi venues supports efficient trading and capital movement. Judges compared asset distribution to global currency access, stating that assets fail to scale when access remains limited. The message underscored Ripple’s view that isolation restricts growth. Vibhu acknowledged a change in outlook during the discussion. He explained that deeper exposure to XRP and its community reshaped his view on bringing the asset into Solana DeFi. He referenced opportunities around XRP-based yield, lending, and broader utility within Solana’s ecosystem. The exchange highlighted how cross-chain collaboration continues to reshape long-held narratives within crypto communities. How wXRP Supports Cross-Chain Use Wrapped XRP will function as a 1:1 representation of native XRP, with custody and issuance handled by Hex Trust. LayerZero’s infrastructure will support cross-chain movement, allowing wXRP to operate across multiple networks without relying on unregulated bridges. This structure allows institutions and users to maintain exposure to XRP while engaging in on-chain activity beyond the XRP Ledger . Judges noted that liquidity fragmentation limits asset efficiency. By embedding XRP across chains, Ripple aims to remove those barriers. The approach aligns with broader efforts to connect XRP with RLUSD and other on-chain assets across supported networks. RippleX Head of Engineering J. Ayo Akinyele has described Ripple’s long-term focus on a multichain future. He emphasized that crypto activity naturally spreads across networks rather than concentrating on a single chain. In this framework, the XRP Ledger continues to serve as a stable and predictable base layer. That foundation supports security and trust while enabling activity to extend outward. XRP Utility Takes Center Stage Judges closed the session with a clear statement: Ripple does not want XRP used only for trading. The company wants XRP used everywhere. The Solana integration represents one step in a broader distribution strategy that includes LayerZero, Wormhole, and Axelar. As XRP’s price remains range-bound, Ripple’s roadmap points toward expanding real-world and on-chain usage across ecosystems.
