RLUSD Enhances XRP Ledger AMMs Through Stable Liquidity and DeFi Expansion

RLUSD and XRP Liquidity Pools

• Automated Market Maker (AMM) Functionality: The RLUSD stablecoin and XRP liquidity pools facilitate automatic equalization of token values, enabling stable and continuous trading without relying on traditional order books. This system allows AMM token holders to gain proportional value from the pool, balancing their exposure to both assets while benefiting from trading activity and market volatility.

• Integration and DeFi Engagement: The integration of RLUSD into the XRP Ledger’s decentralized exchange (DEX) has significantly enhanced decentralized finance (DeFi) engagement and expanded liquidity access within the ecosystem. Ripple's CTO, David Schwartz, elaborated on the workings of AMM liquidity pools in response to user inquiries, highlighting a surge in RLUSD's utilization for decentralized trading.

Mechanism of Liquidity Pools

• Self-Rebalancing Pools: Schwartz explained that the liquidity pools automatically adjust in response to fluctuations in XRP's price. When XRP's price decreases, the pool utilizes RLUSD to acquire more XRP, and conversely, it converts XRP into RLUSD when the price increases. This mechanism ensures value stabilization within the pool while allowing for uninterrupted trading.

• Trading Activation and On-Chain Liquidity: The RLUSD stablecoin became actively tradable on the XRP Ledger’s DEX following the implementation of the clawback amendment in January 2025, which enabled RLUSD to float directly on-chain. This update significantly enhanced trading options and improved liquidity on the ledger.

Token Value Dynamics

• Value Representation and Growth: Each token issued by the AMM pool represents a claim on the combined value of RLUSD and XRP. The constant product formula, which is the product of the amounts of RLUSD and XRP divided by the number of outstanding tokens, is designed to appreciate over time. This indicates that token value increases as trading activity generates fees and rebalancing maintains operational efficiency.

• Exposure to Market Volatility: Holding liquidity pool tokens exposes holders to both RLUSD and XRP, suggesting that they may benefit from XRP's price volatility. Although token values can fluctuate, these changes are generally less extreme compared to holding XRP alone. The model is predicated on the assumption that token holders aim to capitalize on long-term movements in XRP's price.