XRP Ecosystem Expands Beyond Trading with New Features and Infrastructure

XRP remains one of the most closely watched digital assets in 2026 as its ecosystem expands beyond cryptocurrency trading.

The XRP Ledger (XRPL) continues to introduce features designed for regulated financial applications and faster digital-asset settlement, but understanding these developments requires distinguishing between XRP, XRPL, and Ripple.

XRP is the native digital asset of the XRP Ledger, while XRPL is the underlying open-source blockchain. Ripple is a separate technology company that develops payment, stablecoin, and digital-asset infrastructure using blockchain technology.

Ripple reported 37.66 billion XRP under its control, including 31.28 billion held in on-ledger escrow. Around 62 billion XRP had been distributed.