XRP Just Went Live on Solana for the First Time as Ripple CEO Says Demand ‘Keeps Growing’

This one is a big deal for the XRP community. For the first time ever, XRP is now usable inside Solana’s DeFi ecosystem, and the implications here could be massive.

Wrapped XRP, or wXRP, just went live on the Solana blockchain through a partnership between regulated custodian Hex Trust and cross-chain protocol LayerZero. That means XRP holders can now trade, earn yield, and provide liquidity on Solana without ever selling a single token.

Ripple’s developer arm, RippleX, confirmed the launch and pointed to surging cross-chain demand as the driving force behind the move.

🚀 wXRP is now live on @solana, enabled by @Hex_Trust and @LayerZero_Core.

Growing demand for $XRP is driving liquidity cross-chain—opening new paths across ecosystems and expanding the overall market. https://t.co/AiExVF5nvX

— RippleX (@RippleXDev) April 17, 2026

So how does it work? Each wXRP token is backed 1:1 by native XRP held in segregated custody accounts at Hex Trust. Authorized users send their XRP to Hex Trust for minting, and from there wXRP can be issued on Solana and selected EVM networks. It’s redeemable at any time.

The token is already available on some of Solana’s biggest platforms, including Jupiter, Phantom, Meteora, and Titan Exchange.

MoneyCheck laid out the strategic significance of the move:

The initiative marks a meaningful shift in XRP’s market positioning, from a payments-focused asset confined primarily to the XRP Ledger to a cross-chain DeFi instrument.

Hex Trust issues the wrapped tokens while maintaining custody of native XRP backing. LayerZero provides the cross-chain technical framework enabling asset movement between networks. This integration allows traders and institutions to deploy XRP-denominated capital across Solana’s active lending protocols and liquidity pools.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse didn’t waste any time weighing in. He called the Solana integration proof that XRP’s reach is accelerating.

Demand for XRP keeps growing. More access, more ecosystems, more utility. https://t.co/zEqt5C3mmJ

— Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) April 17, 2026

The numbers back up that confidence. Seven U.S. spot XRP ETFs now hold $1.53 billion in assets under management with 773 million XRP tokens in custody. JPMorgan projects $4 to $8.4 billion in first-year ETF inflows. ARK Invest allocated nearly 20% of its CoinDesk 20 ETF to XRP.

NewsBTC added context on what this means for the broader ecosystem:

The Solana deployment represents one phase of a wider distribution strategy. Hex Trust previously disclosed plans to extend wrapped XRP to Ethereum, Optimism, and HyperEVM networks. The integration enables XRP holders to access Solana-based decentralized finance applications without converting their holdings.

With over $100 million in total value locked at launch, the initial liquidity is designed to support stable trading activity from day one. XRP price climbed approximately 5% following the announcement, briefly touching $1.50 before settling near $1.48.

This is what real adoption looks like. Not promises. Not roadmaps. XRP is now live on one of the fastest blockchains in crypto, backed by institutional-grade custody, and it’s just the first stop. Ethereum and Optimism are next.

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