Ripple increases RLUSD supply following new issuance

Ripple has issued an additional $20 million of its stablecoin RLUSD, bringing the total circulating supply to $1,53 billion as of 20 February 2026.

The move is part of the company’s broader strategy to strengthen its position in the regulated stablecoin segment—a market currently dominated by Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC).

Concentrated market with strong leaders

The stablecoin sector remains highly concentrated. USDT controls approximately $183 billion, while USDC holds around $74 billion. RLUSD has now reached $1,53 billion.

New: @Ripple mints $20M $RLUSD, bringing total supply to 1.53B as it targets regulated stablecoin market dominated by $USDT ($183B) and $USDC ($74B). pic.twitter.com/BkT5CVCJhP

— CoinDesk (@CoinDesk) February 20, 2026

Although significantly smaller than the market leaders, RLUSD is showing rapid expansion. Over the past year, its supply has increased approximately tenfold, surpassing $1,2 billion on the Ethereum network alone earlier this month, prior to the latest issuance.

The distribution of RLUSD shows a clear focus on Ethereum, which holds about 77% of the total supply. The remaining approximately 23% is located on the XRP Ledger.

This structure suggests that ETH remains the primary liquidity hub, while the XRP Ledger plays a strategic role in Ripple’s ecosystem and its integration with corporate solutions.

Focus on institutional participants

Unlike USDT and USDC, which have a strong presence among retail investors and in spot trading, Ripple positions RLUSD as an infrastructure tool for regulated financial institutions.

The target audience includes banks, custodians, cross-border payment providers, and large trading firms. The strategy appears aimed less at retail trading and more toward settlement flows and tokenized assets.

Regulatory context

The expansion of RLUSD coincides with Ripple’s regulatory positioning. The company received an e-money license in the UK in early 2026, bolstering its image as a compliance-oriented entity.

In an environment of increased stablecoin oversight, Ripple seems to be betting on a long-term strategy, building trust among traditional financial institutions rather than competing directly in the retail-dominated segment.

The question remains whether regulated financial participants will shift substantial liquidity to new, compliance-oriented infrastructures like RLUSD, or continue to rely on established market leaders.

XRP price

Meanwhile, XRP is trading around $1,43, recording an increase of 1,63% over the last hour, 2,51% on a daily basis, and 1,89% over the past seven days.

Market capitalization and short-term momentum indicate stabilization following previous volatility, placing the asset in a moderately upward short-term trend.

The expansion of RLUSD could further bolster interest in the Ripple ecosystem, especially if institutional demand begins to materialize in larger volumes.