Ripple, Visa, and DeFi growth: Is XRPL becoming the next base layer?

The payments market remains the largest avenue for blockchains to expand the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector. The underlying logic is that stablecoin utility tends to work best when users move funds frequently through low-friction transactions. Payments naturally support this environment through continuous settlement, liquidity movement, and real-world demand for value transfer.

Payments as the entry point for stablecoin adoption

In this framework, payments are not only a DeFi use case; they are described as the foundational layer that can help stablecoins and blockchain networks reach mainstream utility.

Ripple expands treasury infrastructure with a multi-rail approach

Ripple’s recent partnerships and product direction reflect this strategy. The article notes that Ripple’s acquisition of GTreasury last year broadened its reach into corporate treasury management, an area where large companies oversee cross-border payments. The stated goal is to embed blockchain into the same treasury workflow.

It also highlights that XRP is not the only payment rail. Traditional routing options remain relevant, including SWIFT, which the article describes as connecting 11,500+ banks through global banking networks.

Fast forward to the present: Ripple has launched a new Treasury Management System designed to bring together SWIFT, XRP, and other third-party providers to improve payment coordination for corporate treasurers. The article says the system is intended to give companies a single view of payments and liquidity, while allowing them to select settlement rails based on speed, cost, and efficiency.

Visa stablecoin-linked cards scale merchant-based usage

The article links Ripple’s move to a broader shift in how stablecoin usage is expanding. It points to Visa’s expansion of a stablecoin-linked credit card program in partnership with Bridge, scaling from an initial rollout in 18 countries to plans covering 100+ countries.

These cards enable users to spend stablecoin balances directly at Visa’s global merchant network, which the article says already supports over 175 million merchants worldwide. With this merchant base in place, the article argues that stablecoin flows are entering a new utility phase driven by credit card networks.

RLUSD growth supports XRPL liquidity momentum

The article also cites performance data for Ripple’s native stablecoin, RLUSD. According to DeFiLlama, RLUSD’s market cap was up nearly 13% year-to-date as of press time. It further states that RLUSD accounts for around 24% of XRPL’s stablecoin market share, and that RLUSD rose nearly 7% this month alone.

Implications for TradFi-to-DeFi integration

Taken together, the developments described in the article suggest a move away from rails competing in isolation toward a multi-rail environment. In this view, SWIFT, stablecoins such as RLUSD, and blockchain networks such as XRPL can operate side by side depending on liquidity needs, cost, and speed.

Summary

Payments are presented as the core entry point for DeFi adoption, with stablecoins increasingly flowing through existing infrastructure such as card networks, banks, and treasury systems. Ripple is positioned as a multi-rail hub where SWIFT, XRP/XRPL, and stablecoins like RLUSD can coexist.