Something big is happening on XRP Ledger this year, and it’s got little to do with market buzz or old-school speculation. Instead, it’s straight, on-chain growth. In 2025, XRP’s native network leveled up with some serious upgrades, and crypto users everywhere noticed. Daily wallet activations are crossing 3,000, DEX volumes are smashing old records, and the XRPL is seeing traffic it hasn’t handled since bull market blowouts. The recent ripple price movements reflect this growing adoption and network strength.
Let’s break down exactly what’s driving this massive activity spike and why the XRPL is suddenly one of the busiest blockchains around.
1 Million+ New Wallets: Who’s Joining the Wave?
The XRP fam just saw the network cross the 1 million new wallet milestone in 2025, pushing active addresses well above 7 million. That’s nearly a 10% jump year-to-date, a stat that’s “rippling” through crypto Telegrams and Discords. It’s not just retail; it’s businesses, fintech teams, and dev squads stacking XRPL wallets for everything from microtips to global payroll.
Part of this growth comes from infrastructure upgrades. Ripple’s CTO, David Schwartz, personally funded new high-speed validator servers in New York. These servers offer lightning-fast, stable connections with 10GB unmetered bandwidth, improving network reliability and supporting XRPL-connected apps. The community OGs calls this move the “Schwartz power-up”, and it’s helping keep transactions smooth, no matter the load.
On-Chain Volumes Go Parabolic
XRPL on-chain activity is set to “flip the script” this year.
- In July 2025, the ledger processed over 70 million transactions,with the chain racing towards 3.83 billion lifetime transactions.
- Busiest days are seeing 1.5 million transactions, XRPL throughput now matches top chains during peak hours, no cap.
- DEX volumes up 21% MoM, and automated market makers (AMMs) notched 408 million XRP in trades for July, up 17%. Hodlers and market makers alike are vibing with the cheap fees and speed.
Stablecoins are also getting their shine. The BBRL stablecoin broke out with $4.2 million issued, now repping the #2 fiat-backed spot on XRPL’s asset leaderboard.
More Than Payments: Sidechains and DeFi Growth
XRPL’s 2025 upgrade introduced an EVM-compatible sidechain. Builders answered fast, over 1,400 Ethereum-style smart contracts launched in the first week. This is a big win for developers and dApps wanting Ethereum tools but XRPL speed and low fees.
With cross-chain bridges (connecting XRPL to Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, and others) pumping $165 million in value to EVM networks, XRP Ledger now rides the “multi-chain” meta like a pro.
TVL in XRPL DeFi protocols pushed new highs, much of it moving via Axelar and Wormhole bridges. NFT creators, degens, and DAOs are tapping new liquidity sources, swapping wrapped XRP and stablecoins between chains with ease.
User Experience and Security Level Up
Infra didn’t get left behind. Validator count ticked up to 154, more global reach, less centralization FUD. Ledger confirmations come every 3.8 seconds, and transaction success rates still clear 99%+. Median fees? Under $0.0002. As the XRP fam says, “Fees so low they make ETH gas look like a highway robbery.”
Wallet apps like XUMM and Ledger Live are rolling with more seamless account spins and built-in swaps. Whether you’re a new XRP frog or Ripple O.G., jumping into the XRPL pool is now easy-mode.
Why Does This Matter? Real Utility, Not Just “Moonvibes”
XRPL’s 2025 run isn’t just a chart spike, it’s deep, sticky adoption. New users, real DEX volume, DeFi dApps, wrapped assets, and big business onboarding. There’s no “ghost chain” action here, just a chain with legit people, legit projects, and on-chain numbers to back up the talk.
Crypto natives (and true Ripplers) know, it ain’t just about “wen moon” or chasing pumps. More wallets, more volume, more verified transactions means XRPL is claiming a real seat at crypto’s main table. For 2025, the XRPL upgrade brought the goods, and the data shows the Ripple fam is stacking wallets, swapping coins, and growing the ledger every day.
