What is changing
Ripple and Coinbase announced on 28 October that Ripple USD is available through Coinbase Prime, Coinbase Exchange and the Coinbase retail app. Customers can convert supported US-dollar balances and stablecoins into RLUSD on a one-to-one basis. Deposits and withdrawals are supported on the XRP Ledger, Base and Ethereum, while Coinbase Global Exchange access and the use of RLUSD as collateral are planned to follow. Ripple said it will provide liquidity on Base.
Why distribution matters
The arrangement places issuance, exchange access, custody and institutional prime services around the same dollar-denominated token. Ripple says RLUSD is redeemable for US dollars and backed by dollar deposits, short-term US Treasuries and other cash equivalents; it reported market capitalisation above $2.4 billion. For businesses, broader venue and network availability may reduce operational friction, but it does not remove network, counterparty, redemption or jurisdictional risk. Treasury teams should also distinguish between a token’s reserve design and the protections attached to a bank deposit.
What it means for merchants
Before accepting or holding RLUSD, merchants should choose a supported network deliberately, test withdrawal and redemption paths, document custody controls, and confirm accounting, tax and regulatory treatment in every operating market.
Read the original announcement
Ripple · 28 Oct 2026This brief summarizes the linked primary source. Claims and reported figures have not been independently audited by Payment Guide.