XRP vs. RLUSD Debate Heats Up As Ripple Unlocks 1 Billion XRP Tokens

The XRP vs. RLUSD debate has gained center stage as Ripple has sent out another 1 billion XRP tokens using its monthly escrow feature. According to blockchain data, the unlock occurred in two separate deals, with each transaction worth $626.43 million. Meanwhile, a major portion of the unlock was relocked.

Ripple Exec Explains How RLUSD Adoption Drives XRP Demand

With RLUSD building momentum, Jack McDonald, Ripple’s Senior Vice President of Stablecoins, reported that the demand for the XRP Ledger (XRPL) has grown. He said that the Ripple native token is still necessary for the transactions involving the RLUSD stablecoin because the network charges fees in XRP.

“Every single time we mint or use RLUSD on the XRP Ledger is positive for XRP,” McDonald said on the XRP vs. RLUSD debate. He added that “every mint, every movement, every deployment of RLUSD” on the network requires XRP as its gas token.

Ripple’s @_JackMcDonald_ makes one thing clear:
RLUSD adoption doesn't come at the expense of XRP.

Every RLUSD transaction on the XRPL creates demand for XRP as the network's native gas token.

The growth of one can strengthen the utility of the other. https://t.co/J0z12SKaDz pic.twitter.com/PlxuhmjKPN

— Xaif Crypto (@Xaif_Crypto) November 1, 2026

Additionally, McDonald noted that RLUSD is more widely used in practice on XRPL compared to other networks that have it, such as Ethereum. He said the development of Ripple’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) bank charter and Moody’s investment-grade rating for RLUSD are among the areas that have garnered institutional interest. He also mentioned BNY Mellon and Cross River as some of the institutions he spoke about.

Ripple Releases 1 Billion Tokens In November Escrow Unlock

Ripple’s escrow released two separate amounts of 500 million XRP on the 1st of November, according to the Whale Alert data. The two comprise the planned monthly unlock of tokens.

At the time, Ripple put 55 billion XRP tokens into escrow to ensure a more predictable distribution. That’s continued with releases each month but the entire unlocked sum doesn’t necessarily get to the market.

In the past, Ripple has also shifted a significant percentage back to escrow. Some 700 million tokens have been relocked after the November unlock. Meanwhile, the rest might be kept for further use in the operations, liquidity and ecosystem projects.

The unlock comes after a hectic October for Ripple and the XRPL ecosystem. During the month, it witnessed events like the Swell gathering and the XRP Seoul event, and other ecosystem announcements.