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Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has confirmed that integration discussions are underway between the Cardano development team and Ripple USD (RLUSD), a stablecoin project that may soon join the Cardano ecosystem. However, the future of RLUSD’s path depends heavily on the outcome of Ripple’s potential acquisition of Circle, the firm behind the USDC stablecoin.
In a recent livestream, Hoskinson revealed that early conversations with the RLUSD team began last year. Since then, progress has been steady, with both sides exploring the technical and strategic feasibility of integrating RLUSD into the Cardano blockchain. While no final agreement has been reached, the discussions reflect Cardano’s continued focus on expanding its ecosystem and playing a key role in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space.
RLUSD Strategy Could Shift with Circle Acquisition
One major factor currently shaping RLUSD’s development is the rumored $11 billion acquisition of Circle by Ripple. If this deal materializes, RLUSD—currently a Ripple-supported stablecoin—might merge with Circle’s existing offerings. Such a merger would necessitate a significant reassessment of RLUSD’s roadmap, including its integration process with Cardano.
Hoskinson acknowledged this uncertainty, explaining that the integration timeline and method for RLUSD could shift dramatically if the acquisition proceeds. “There’s a lot of speculation around Circle’s future,” he said. “If RLUSD ends up becoming part of Circle, we’ll have to revisit the entire listing and development strategy.”
Cardano’s Offer to Support RLUSD Integration
Despite the uncertainty, the Cardano team has extended an open offer to assist the RLUSD developers in integrating the stablecoin into Cardano—free of charge. Hoskinson emphasized that Cardano is actively investing in tools and infrastructure that make it easier for stablecoins and DeFi projects to onboard.
He also highlighted the importance of XRP DeFi to the broader crypto ecosystem, noting that stablecoins like RLUSD are critical for building liquidity, enabling decentralized trading, and supporting real-world financial applications on-chain.
“The RLUSD team has shown interest,” said Hoskinson, “but there are still technical and strategic decisions that need to be made. These include whether to use a direct issuance model or route RLUSD through a layer-zero protocol, which is becoming more common in today’s multi-chain world.”
Cardano Expands XRP Support Through Lace Wallet
As part of its broader effort to collaborate with the Ripple ecosystem, Cardano has already made progress integrating XRP into its infrastructure. In April, the team reveal that users would soon be able to store, send, and receive XRP using Cardano’s Lace Wallet, a non-custodial Web3 wallet designed for seamless multi-chain support.
This move follows a recent thaw in relations between Cardano and Ripple communities, which have historically had some disagreements. In a YouTube AMA, Hoskinson confirmed that those tensions have cooled, paving the way for a more collaborative approach moving forward.
Building Bridges Between Blockchain Ecosystems
Looking beyond RLUSD, Hoskinson has also outlined Cardano’s long-term vision of bridging major blockchain ecosystems like Bitcoin and XRP. During a May 9 interview with eToro analyst Sam North, he pointed out that both the Bitcoin network and XRP Ledger lack advanced smart contract capabilities.
To address this, Cardano is developing the Midnight blockchain, a privacy-focused sidechain that could act as a secure and scalable bridge between these networks. According to Hoskinson, such an approach would enable DeFi applications on Bitcoin and XRP while simultaneously boosting Cardano’s total value locked (TVL).
“If we can bring Bitcoin and XRP into the Cardano ecosystem with robust smart contract functionality,” said Hoskinson, “we’re looking at a TVL projection that could rival or even surpass Ethereum and Solana.”
What This Means for Cardano’s Future
If RLUSD does integrate successfully, Cardano would add another major stablecoin to its growing portfolio of assets, further solidifying its position in the DeFi landscape. Meanwhile, the Lace Wallet’s multi-asset support and the development of cross-chain bridges signal that Cardano is positioning itself as a central hub for interoperable finance.
While much depends on the outcome of Ripple’s rumored acquisition of Circle, Cardano appears committed to keeping its platform open to collaboration. With stablecoin adoption rising and demand for secure, decentralized infrastructure increasing, the network’s emphasis on privacy, scalability, and technical innovation may help it attract more partners and users alike.
As the crypto world watches Ripple, Circle, and RLUSD closely, Cardano’s proactive approach may pay off—potentially making it a core part of the next generation of digital finance.
