Background: The XRP Ledger is a blockchain platform associated with the cross-border payment company Ripple. It plans to launch an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) sidechain in Q2 this year, aiming to integrate Ethereum smart contracts into its ecosystem.

Key Event: Ripple's Chief Technology Officer David Schwartz announced the sidechain's release schedule at the Apex 2025 event held in Singapore. The sidechain is co-developed by Ripple and Peersyst, utilizing the evmOS software stack. It is currently live on the testnet and is expected to launch on the mainnet in Q2 after further testing and collaboration with validators.

Technical Details: The sidechain will combine the XRP Ledger's low-cost transaction capabilities with Ethereum's smart contract functionality. It will connect to the XRPL mainnet via the Axelar bridge and use wrapped XRP as the native gas token. Although the XRP Ledger already supports native smart contracts, it does not currently support an EVM environment. The Flare Network also offers EVM-based smart contract capabilities.

Potential Impact: The launch of this sidechain is expected to enhance the XRP Ledger's smart contract ecosystem, improving its compatibility and interoperability with the Ethereum ecosystem.

The XRP Ledger, a blockchain associated with cross-border payments firm Ripple, plans to launch an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) sidechain in the second quarter of this year, aiming to integrate Ethereum smart contracts into its ecosystem.Ripple's Chief Technology Officer, David Schwartz, announced the sidechain launch timeline at the ongoing Apex 2025 event in Singapore, according to Peersyst, one of the project's core developers.The sidechain, a parallel-running blockchain, will integrate the XRP Ledger's low-cost transaction capabilities with Ethereum's smart contract functionality. It is being developed by contributors Ripple and Peersyst, leveraging evmOS' software stack.It is currently live on testnet, serving as a precursor to a mainnet launch expected to follow after further testing and validator partnerships in the second quarter.While the XRP Ledger already supports native smart contracts, the network does not currently support the EVM, a computing environment commonly used by Ethereum developers to write applications. Flare Network, which integrates with XRPL, also separately provides smart contract functionality using an EVM-compatible layer.The sidechain is set to connect to the XRPL mainnet via a bridge, utilizing Axelar as the exclusive bridge for transferring assets such as wrapped XRP, which will serve as the native gas token.

XRP Ledger Plans to Launch Ethereum-Compatible Sidechain in Q2