- Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin gained regulatory approval in Dubai, boosting institutional confidence and fueling short-term XRP price momentum.
- However, XRP Ledger activity has dropped to its lowest level since October, signaling a decline in retail engagement despite the positive headlines.
XRP has once again attracted significant attention from both investors and market pundits alike. This surge in interest is due to its regulatory win. However, the reason for this surge in interest isn’t what many might assume; it’s due to Ripple’s regulatory win for its RLUSD in Dubai.
The financial Service Authority gave Ripple’s RLUSD a green light marking a huge milestone for the ecosystem. This is a huge step towards massive institutional adoption.
However, the step foward comes at atime when on-chain data shows a sharp decline in XRP Ledger activity—raising questions about long-term market participation.
Dubai Approval Spurs XRP Optimism
Ripple’s U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin, RLUSD, received official approval from the DFSA for use within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The stablecoin, designed for institutional utility rather than retail speculation, is backed by liquid reserves and supervised by both the DFSA and the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS).
Ripple USD is now a recognized crypto token under the DFSA’s regime in Dubai. RLUSD is:
Enterprise-grade
Another milestone as we expand our footprint in the DIFC and across the UAE.
https://t.co/uvNcpRZDRG
— Ripple (@Ripple) June 3, 2025
Ripple called the approval a “strategic leap” in expanding its regulatory footprint, signaling further institutional adoption of its blockchain solutions. This move arrives at a time when the company continues to fight regulatory challenges in the United States, most notably the long-running SEC lawsuit.
Institutional Support Drives Price Action
On the back of the Dubai approval, XRP saw a modest price rally, climbing to $2.24. However as of the time of press, XRP has shed almost 3% in the past 24 hours, with its price stopping at $2.20.
More importantly, major institutional endorsements continue to build momentum around XRP as a viable asset for value transfer and settlement.
NASDAQ-listed VivoPower revealed a $121 million XRP-based treasury strategy, while China’s Webus International committed $300 million toward XRP reserves. In Europe, DZ Bank, one of Germany’s largest asset managers with over €350 billion under management, integrated Ripple’s custody platform.
“These are not speculative plays—institutions are investing in infrastructure,” a Ripple advisor noted.
XRP Ledger Activity Plunges
Despite the bullish narrative, XRP Ledger metrics tell a different story. Data from XRPScan shows that payments on the ledger have plummeted to just over 320,000 transactions, the lowest since October.
Active wallet addresses have also declined below 10,000, with a sharp drop in XRP burned through transaction fees—an indicator of network usage.
Compared to the strong performance seen in Q1, where ledger activity rose 36% quarter-over-quarter, the latest figures suggest a cooling in retail and developer engagement. Analysts believe the drop may reflect a growing institutional focus, where fewer but larger transactions dominate activity.
Market Outlook Remains Mixed
While XRP has posted gains from $1.60 to $2.60 in recent weeks, it still lags behind broader crypto trends. Bitcoin, for instance, has surged past $110,000, while XRP remains well below its January high of $3.40. Analysts are split on XRP’s next move, some foresee a climb back to $3, driven by new liquidity from Dubai and other regulatory wins. Others remain cautious, pointing to weakening on-chain fundamentals.
The post XRP Price Eyes $3 After Dubai Approves RLUSD, but Ledger Hits 8-Month Low appeared first on ETHNews.
