XRP Ledger Soars in 2025 With ETFs, EVM Sidechain, and Global Events

This year, XRP has gone from a position of regulatory uncertainty to one of institutional and technical legitimacy. This combination of factors has led the ecosystem to have one of its busiest years, hosting events worldwide. 

Since Ripple settled its battle with the SEC, XRP’s non-security status has eliminated the primary legal overhang stifling US adoption. Since then, its market performance has increased, and Ripple has found a way to capitalize on the benefits.

This year, the XRP Ledger (XRPL) calendar has been packed. Since January, the ecosystem has hosted 19 events across the globe, ranging from meetups in Greece and summits in Seoul, to bootcamps in Paris and workshops in Germany. 

One thing you know about the XRP community anywhere in the world – they show up in force!

Huge congrats to the @XRPSEOUL team on their first event, and we at @Ripple are absolutely looking forward to the next! https://t.co/g2w0zcHnqv

The enthusiasm with which the community has been organizing these events closely matches the particular level of success the ecosystem has seen this year. 

The resolution of Ripple’s 2020 legal battle with the SEC earlier this year primarily opened the door for significant institutional capital access and accelerated network development. The removal of this regulatory tension immediately paved the way for the launch of institutional products. 

The filing and subsequent launch of spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) from prominent asset managers like REX-Osprey and Grayscale Investments have introduced significant institutional liquidity and mainstream acceptance.

This development formally classified XRP as a recognized asset class alongside other established cryptocurrencies.

Meanwhile, the blockchain itself has also made significant technological advancements.

In the first half of 2025, XRP Ledger successfully launched its Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) sidechain.

This technical milestone significantly enhanced the XRPL’s utility, combining the XRPL’s speed, efficiency, and low transaction costs with the versatility and network effect of the broader Ethereum DeFi and dApp community.

The need for smart contracts on XRP is cristal clear. Almost 1.4k smart contracts deployed on Mainnet in only 1 week