Foreign media reports that with the increased trading activity of XRP Ledger (XRPL), the practical uses of XRP have once again become a focus of discussion. A working paper from Hong Kong, dated June 2026, uses it as a case study to discuss the function of digital tokens in payments and tokenized economies, rather than just focusing on price performance.
The study included XRP case studies.
This working paper from a Hong Kong-based monetary and financial research institution places XRP within the broader discussion of blockchain economics. The paper mentions that XRP is used to illustrate how tokens can participate in the operation of digital platforms, particularly in reducing costs in cross-border settlement and payment scenarios.
Foreign media outlets believe that while such research does not equate to actual adoption, it demonstrates the growing academic focus on the functionality of digital tokens. The research perspective is shifting more towards network applications and economic activities themselves, rather than simply discussing price fluctuations.
XRPL trading and ETF inflows are rising.
The article states that institutions are still focusing on faster, lower-cost cross-border settlement infrastructure. Transactions on XRPL typically complete within 3 to 5 seconds, with a single transaction fee of approximately 0.0002.
As usage increases, on-chain activity for XRPL is also rising. Some days have seen 2.7 million to 3 million transactions. Meanwhile, the spot XRP ETF has seen a net inflow of over $1 billion since its launch, with institutional holdings estimated at approximately 927 million XRP.
RLUSD and RWA expansion
Besides payments, stablecoins and the tokenization of real-world assets within the XRPL ecosystem are also considered supporting factors. The article mentions that Ripple USD (RLUSD) has already generated billions of dollars in monthly transfers on the XRPL network.
Meanwhile, tokenized real-world assets on XRPL reached $2.25 billion in the first quarter of 2026, a 124% increase in a single quarter. Despite price pressure, network transaction volume still grew by 35%, indicating that on-chain activity did not weaken in tandem.
Foreign media believe that this divergence between price and usage reflects that the market's long-term assessment of XRP is shifting more towards actual economic activity, rather than just short-term sentiment or conceptual hype.
