XRP News: XRPL Set to Get First Prediction Market, Challenging Polymarket and Kalshi

The XRP Ledger (XRPL) is set to see the launch of its first prediction market platform, Axiom. The platform will notably provide additional utility for XRP and Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, which users will use to trade on these prediction markets.

Axiom Protocol To Launch First Prediction Market On XRP Ledger

In an X post, Axiom revealed that it was launching its prediction market on the XRPL, enabling XRP and RLUSD holders to trade on real markets. The beta platform will go live on January 19.

Axiom noted that it has no plans to launch a new token, as users will trade using XRP or RLUSD. The platform also stated that it plans to provide the “cleanest way” for these token holders to finally put money behind the ideas they have argued about for a decade.

This move comes as prediction markets continue to intertwine with the crypto ecosystem. Notably, Polymarket is on the Ethereum layer-2 network. Meanwhile, Kalshi launched its tokenized platform on Solana in December last year.

Axiom’s announcement has already drawn significant attention in the XRP community. XRPL validator Vet welcomed the idea of a prediction market on the network and commended the team for not launching a token “that does nothing” but gets in the way of using the platform.

Community member Crypto ERI also commented on the announcement, predicting that it will be the “biggest thing in 2026 for XRPL.” The announcement undoubtedly marks a positive development for XRP and RLUSD’s adoption and comes just a day after Ripple partnered with LMAX, a move that could also boost the adoption of these tokens.

How The Prediction Market Will Work

Axiom’s prediction market will launch on XRPL’s EVM Sidechain and will leverage fast settlement, native XRP liquidity, and smart contract capabilities. Axelar and SquidRouter will handle bridging and other infrastructure complexity.

Traders will be able to derive yield from real economic activity, while there will be penalty and reward mechanisms that incentivize honest governance. Axiom’s Marketing Lead, Pepe, highlighted that one of the features, which is the ability to share performance cards tied to XRPL projects, shows stats, PnL, and more.

Axiom’s Lead Shen noted that there was a clear gap in the XRP ecosystem, with no access to prediction markets despite being one of the most predictive communities in crypto. Shen added that the protocol creates something that XRP holders actually want to use.