RLUSD (Ripple USD) is a US-dollar stablecoin issued by Ripple's trust company subsidiary and launched in December 2024. It exists natively on the XRP Ledger and on Ethereum as an ERC-20 token. Reserves are dollar deposits, short-term US Treasuries and cash equivalents, with monthly attestations by an independent accountant. On the XRP Ledger, holding RLUSD requires a trust line, which locks a small XRP reserve; on Ethereum it behaves like any ERC-20 dollar token.
Issuer and reserves
RLUSD is issued by Standard Custody & Trust Company, a Ripple subsidiary that operates under a limited-purpose trust charter from the New York Department of Financial Services. Ripple publishes the reserve attestations on its site. The structure resembles PYUSD (Paxos) and USDC (Circle): a regulated US issuer, segregated reserves, redemption at par for approved customers. Retail users usually do not redeem directly; they buy and sell RLUSD on exchanges or swap services.
RLUSD on the XRP Ledger: trust lines and reserves
Tokens on the XRP Ledger are issued currencies. To hold one, your account must open a trust line to the issuer's address, stating that you accept that currency from that issuer. Each trust line is an object you own, and the ledger requires an owner reserve for it. Since December 2024 the base reserve is 1 XRP and each owned object adds 0.2 XRP. So an account holding only XRP needs 1 XRP locked, and an account that also holds RLUSD needs 1.2 XRP.
| Account state | Locked reserve | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New account, XRP only | 1 XRP | Base reserve, cannot be spent |
| + RLUSD trust line | 1.2 XRP | Owner reserve 0.2 XRP per object |
| + two more token trust lines | 1.6 XRP | Each trust line adds 0.2 XRP |
| Trust line removed (zero balance) | back to 1 XRP | The 0.2 XRP becomes spendable again |
The XRP reserve calculator works this out for any number of trust lines, offers and other objects. Wallets such as Xaman show RLUSD in a token list and open the trust line for you when you add it; check that the issuer address matches the one Ripple publishes, because anyone can issue a token with the currency code RLUSD.
RLUSD on Ethereum
The ERC-20 version uses your normal 0x address, gas is paid in ETH, and there is no trust line. Ripple lists the official contract on its RLUSD page; verify it before adding the token manually. Moving RLUSD between the XRP Ledger and Ethereum is not automatic: each version is issued separately, and the bridge between them is a service, not a property of the token.
Destination tags when depositing
Exchanges and swap services receive XRP Ledger payments at shared addresses and identify customers by destination tag. The provider's network list marks RLUSD on the XRP Ledger with a required destination tag, the same as XRP. Copy both the address and the tag from the order page. Without the tag the payment arrives but cannot be matched automatically. The memo and tag checker lists every network that uses such a field.
Swapping RLUSD on KOT.CASH
- Choose RLUSD and the network: XRP Ledger or Ethereum. The quote and minimum appear in the widget.
- On 21.10.2026 the minimum for RLUSD to USDT TRC20 was about 30 RLUSD from either network; XRP Ledger deposits are credited after 1 ledger validation, Ethereum deposits after 6 confirmations.
- For an XRP Ledger deposit send RLUSD with the destination tag shown. Your account still needs its XRP reserve and a little XRP for the fee (a few drops).
- To receive RLUSD on the XRP Ledger, your account must already have the RLUSD trust line, otherwise the payment cannot be delivered.
RLUSD compared with XRP for transfers
On the XRP Ledger both XRP and RLUSD settle in one ledger close, every three to five seconds, and the transaction fee is a few drops of XRP for either. The difference is volatility and setup: XRP needs no trust line and is accepted almost everywhere, while RLUSD keeps a dollar value but requires the trust line on both sides and is listed by fewer exchanges. For paying a supplier in dollars on the XRP Ledger RLUSD avoids price risk during the transfer; for moving value to an exchange that does not list RLUSD, XRP or a swap to USDT is simpler.
Common problems
- Payment failed with a path or trust line error. The receiving account has no RLUSD trust line. Add it first.
- Cannot send the last XRP. The base and owner reserves are locked; delete unused trust lines to free 0.2 XRP each.
- Wrong RLUSD. A token with the same code from another issuer is a different asset with no reserves behind it.
- Sent RLUSD on Ethereum to an XRP Ledger deposit. Different networks; contact the receiver's support with the hash.
FAQ
Who issues RLUSD?
Standard Custody & Trust Company, a Ripple subsidiary regulated by the New York Department of Financial Services.
Which networks is RLUSD on?
The XRP Ledger and Ethereum (ERC-20).
Why do I need XRP to hold RLUSD?
On the XRP Ledger every trust line is an owned object that locks 0.2 XRP on top of the 1 XRP base reserve.
Does an RLUSD deposit need a destination tag?
Yes, when you send to a shared address such as an exchange or a swap order on the XRP Ledger.
Can I swap RLUSD to USDT?
Yes, from RLUSD on the XRP Ledger or Ethereum. The minimum on 21.10.2026 was about 30 RLUSD.