Ripple USD (RLUSD) is a stablecoin designed to provide efficient, low-cost solutions for cross-border payments and DeFi, backed by U.S. dollar reserves.

 are the key to solving major financial challenges such as cross-border payments, and may soon replace many traditional fiat uses. 

 (RLUSD) aims to play a central role in this shift, offering stability and efficiency for global transactions and 

 (DeFi). This article will dive into what Ripple USD is, how it works, its main features, use cases and its potential impact on the broader stablecoin market.

Ripple USD is a stablecoin from Ripple Network, designed to maintain a 1:1 peg with the U.S. dollar for stability. This stability is achieved through a collateralization mechanism supported by U.S. dollar deposits, short-term government treasuries, and other cash-equivalent assets, offering a secure and reliable digital currency.

Ripple USD is designed to provide a reliable digital currency for everyday use and to solve several challenges in the crypto and financial worlds:

Ripple introduced RLUSD in June 2024 primarily to streamline cross-border transactions for institutional players. The stablecoin has been in beta testing since August on XRP Ledger and the Ethereum blockchain, and achieved a significant milestone in December 2024 when it received approval from the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS). This regulatory nod highlights RLUSD's commitment to meeting stringent standards, strengthening its credibility and earning trust from users and investors alike.

With the NYDFS approval in place, RLUSD is set to launch on both the XRP Ledger (XRPL) and Ethereum’s blockchain. Ripple will follow up with listings on exchanges including Uphold, Bitstamp, Bitso, MoonPay, Independent Reserve, CoinMENA and Bullish, with plans to expand its presence across other platforms and DeFi protocols in the future. Given Ripple's strong reputation for collaborating with financial institutions, RLUSD is poised to give established stablecoins like 

The Ripple USD (RLUSD) stablecoin is built for efficient and reliable cross-border transactions. Each RLUSD is fully backed by U.S. dollar deposits, short-term U.S. Treasuries and cash equivalents, ensuring it maintains a 1:1 peg to the U.S. dollar. This backing provides the stability users need for secure and predictable transactions.

RLUSD will run on the XRP Ledger and Ethereum blockchains as an 

 token to maximize compatibility with a wide range of wallets and DeFi applications. Transactions are processed via Ripple’s decentralized network, which uses a unique 

 to achieve near-instant settlement times — typically within three to six seconds. Unlike traditional blockchain systems, this process doesn’t rely on energy-intensive mining, making it faster and more eco-friendly.

 integration adds another layer of functionality, enabling RLUSD to power automated financial operations. This opens the door to innovative DeFi products and services, from lending and borrowing to yield farming. Currently in beta testing with enterprise partners, RLUSD is undergoing rigorous testing to meet high standards of security and efficiency before its official launch.

Ripple emphasizes transparency, with third-party audits of RLUSD’s reserve assets and regular progress updates. This commitment positions RLUSD as a trustworthy and versatile player in the growing stablecoin market.

Ripple USD (RLUSD) offers strong liquidity for key trading pairs on select 

 (CEXs). This feature ensures that users can buy and sell RLUSD with ease without causing major price fluctuations, resulting in a smooth and efficient trading experience.

RLUSD is issued on both the XRP Ledger and Ethereum blockchain, giving it broad compatibility across multiple ecosystems. This dual issuance ensures that RLUSD can easily be integrated into various platforms and applications, increasing its accessibility and usability across different networks.

With RLUSD, transactions can be settled almost instantly and at minimal cost, no matter where you are in the world. It reduces fees and speeds up cross-border payments and makes the process faster and more cost-effective by cutting out traditional banking intermediaries.

Integrating RLUSD into smart contracts enables automated financial operations, which are more efficient and accessible. This enhanced accessibility empowers users to easily buy, on-ramp, trade and engage in other activities within the DeFi ecosystem. RLUSD thus simplifies financial transaction management to create a more user-friendly DeFi experience.

, a trusted platform for securely managing digital assets, is already widely used by financial institutions and innovators. It combines institutional-grade security with 24/7 real-time execution, ensuring assets are safe while also easily accessible for fast transactions. Ripple Custody’s advanced governance framework streamlines operations, integrates seamlessly into existing technology systems and offers valuable additional services.

Designed for efficiency, Ripple Custody automates manual tasks and simplifies back-office operations, making asset management smoother and faster. The platform also supports flexible deployment options — Software as a service (SaaS), customer-hosted or hybrid models — so organizations can customize it to their needs. Whether for tokenization, stablecoin issuance or overall asset management, Ripple Custody is a key tool for building a strong digital asset strategy.

Ripple Custody plays an essential role in managing the security and integrity of Ripple USD (RLUSD). It ensures the underlying assets — such as U.S. dollar deposits, short-term Treasury bonds and other cash equivalents — are securely held and transparently managed, providing the stability needed for RLUSD to function effectively.

Ripple USD is designed to streamline various financial applications within the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Following are some of the key use cases for RLUSD.

Ripple USD has received final approval from NYDFS and is expected to launch soon. Initially planned for a Dec 4, 2024 release, the launch was delayed due to regulatory processes, but is now anticipated to occur before the end of 2024, as 

Ripple USD is a stablecoin designed to offer a reliable, low-cost solution for cross-border payments and DeFi. Backed by U.S. dollar reserves, it ensures stability while offering quick transactions and broad blockchain compatibility. With regulatory approval and strong institutional backing, RLUSD is positioned to challenge established stablecoins. However, its success will depend upon widespread adoption and effective integration into Ripple's ecosystem, making it a promising yet competitive investment.

Intermediate

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Ripple USD (RLUSD): A Stablecoin Built for Payments

In this tutorial, we’ll explore how you can complete a series of tasks in Suilend for Bybit Web3 Airdrop Arcade.

Task: Complete Suilend Bybit Wallet Check-In for Bybit Web3 Airdrop Arcade

button in the top right corner of the page, and connect your 

: Stake at least 10 SUI to deposit sSUI in Suilend, click on 

 to confirm the transaction request in your Bybit Wallet.

: Once the deposit is completed, you’ll receive a confirmation message. 

10 SUI is now staked as sSUI via Suilend. Please navigate back to the Bybit Web3 Airdrop Arcade campaign page to check your completion status and earn your reward.

Beginner

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How to Complete Suilend Tasks for Bybit Web3 Airdrop Arcade

Smart contract platforms serve as decentralized frameworks that enable self-executing contracts, with terms directly embedded in code

Smart contract platforms serve as decentralized frameworks that enable self-executing contracts, with terms directly embedded in code. This functionality is crucial for the operation of numerous on-chain applications, including 

, facilitating transactions without intermediaries. The landscape is divided into Layer 1 (L1) and Layer 2 (L2) networks.

L1 blockchains, such as Ethereum and Solana, provide the foundational infrastructure for 

 (DApps), while L2 networks like Arbitrum and Optimism enhance the capabilities of L1s by improving scalability and efficiency. 

Heading into 2025, Ethereum remains the dominant L1, holding a 70% share of total TVL within DeFi. However, the market is evolving, with new entrants like 

The competitive L2 space is also transforming, with 

 leading the pack, boasting a market cap exceeding $5 billion. Newcomers such as 

 are reshaping the landscape, demonstrating a trend toward diversification and innovation in blockchain technology.

Several emerging platforms are redefining the smart contract landscape through unique technological innovations and community engagement. 

, derived from Meta's Diem project, utilizes the Move programming language to enhance security and scalability. With over 200 projects in its ecosystem, Aptos has seen a 13.5x increase in TVL, reflecting strong growth.

Sui, which shares a similar heritage, focuses on scalability through its object-centric model and unique consensus mechanism that allow for individual transaction confirmation. This innovative approach has led to a remarkable 14.9x increase in TVL, signaling Sui’s potential as a formidable player in the market.

 introduces a modular blockchain architecture that bridges Move and 

 (EVM) ecosystems, aiming to enhance DeFi 

 and NFTs. Launched in late 2024, Movement emphasizes community building through hackathons and developer engagement, while its unique features appeal to a diverse user base.

 technologies with Telegram's vast user base, and 

, an L1 solution designed for high throughput and low latency. Finally, Berachain introduces a Proof-of-Liquidity consensus mechanism that focuses on aligning liquidity and security within its DeFi-centric ecosystem.

As the landscape of smart contract platforms continues to evolve, several challenges must be addressed. Security vulnerabilities remain a significant concern, as smart contracts are prone to bugs that can be exploited. Continuous auditing and robust security practices are essential to mitigating these risks.

Market saturation poses another challenge, as the influx of new platforms intensifies competition for developers and users. To stand out, new entrants are forming strategic partnerships and focusing on niche markets to differentiate themselves from established players. 

Centralization is also a critical issue, and governance structures and validator reliance must be scrutinized in order to ensure long-term viability.

Looking ahead, the outlook for smart contract platforms remains promising. Innovations in modular architectures and interoperability are improving user experience within web3, while increasing institutional interest could bring additional resources and innovation to the space. As the ecosystem continues to mature, these platforms are likely to play a pivotal role in redefining interactions with digital assets, driving demand within DeFi and beyond.

Advanced

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Smart Contract Platforms Report: Up-and-Coming Challengers to Ethereum and Solana

PAAL AI (PAAL) is an AI-focused Ethereum-based crypto project offering custom virtual assistants, AI trading, content creation, audits, and more.

 (AI) and machine learning (ML) are undoubtedly the hottest current topics in the world of crypto, and in the entire business world, for that matter. Riding the wave of wild AI enthusiasm, AI-focused blockchain projects and coins are experiencing unprecedented growth. Projects like Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (FET), 

 (AGIX), all focused on the AI sphere and its use cases, have been receiving massive attention from users and industry observers.

Another high-profile AI-oriented crypto project, Paal AI (PAAL), has also benefited from the niche's surging popularity. As of late December 2024, the project has grown to occupy one of the top spots in the crypto market's category of AI agents.

While the majority of other AI-focused blockchain projects specialize in one or two specialized applications of the technology, Paal AI has taken a more comprehensive approach. The platform offers a wide variety of AI products and services, including task automation through AI bots and agents, AI-driven content creation, crypto trading supported by AI algorithms, automated 

 audits and AI model training using outsourced GPU processing power. 

At the platform's core is a service that allows users to create intelligent AI bots and agents to automate various complex tasks and business processes. However, a quick glance at the platform's overall product line clearly demonstrates that Paal AI aims to leverage AI technology for many different things, all at the junction of AI and blockchain technologies.

 (DApp) that offers crypto users a variety of AI-powered products and services, with the core product being an easy-to-use functionality to create custom AI virtual assistants.

 In addition to this service, the platform features various other products supported by AI algorithms, including AI-driven content creation using images and video, crypto trading automation, cryptocurrency market insights, automated smart contract audits and even AI model training via GPU power rentals.

The platform's diverse product line also includes the user-friendly Paal AI Web Widget, which can be integrated into any website. It offers a chatbot that delivers information and insights on the crypto market, and even conducts general online searches.

Another key product devised by the project is Paal as a Service (PaaS), a customized way to address the AI needs of various industry sectors, including online betting, trading, digital collectibles and more.

The Paal AI platform was launched on Ethereum in June 2023. The project's only publicly identified co-founder is mononymously known as 

. As of December 2024, Paal AI is among the top five leading crypto projects in the AI agents niche, with a market cap exceeding $280 million.

Paal AI Studio is a web application that provides a user-friendly interface for interacting with its diverse range of AI tools. It has four primary modes: MyPaal, Explore, Creative Lab and Agents.

The first mode, MyPaal, allows you to create AI bots with personalized knowledge bases and traits. Bots created via this mode can be used for custom applications and business processes requiring specific domain knowledge.

The second mode, the aptly named Explore, lets you browse through and select pre-built AI solutions that fit specific business needs. You can choose a suitable solution and use it out of the box, or configure it to better suit your specific task automation requirements.

Creative Lab mode provides AI tools to help you create content using images and video. This capability may be useful for creators whose content requirements involve rich media beyond textual information.

The last mode, Agents, lets you easily create and deploy 

 for various task automation and workflow optimization purposes.

MyPaalBot is an AI service that lets you create your personalized bot to carry out various tasks, including delivering information on the crypto market, trading automation and more. You can create your own personalized bot through the Paal AI Studio interface, and customize it for specific domains and tasks.

MyPaal can interact with users such as online community members, automate processes and integrate into platforms like Telegram and the Paal AI Web Widget. Bots created with MyPaalBot can engage in discussions with you, just like the ubiquitously popular 

. However, the difference between Paal-based bots and ChatGPT is that you can customize the former for specific domains, including cryptocurrency and trading, while the latter is simply a general-purpose chat bot, albeit a powerful one.

PaalX is the platform's solution for AI-powered crypto trading. It offers models, automated trading strategies and tools to help traders at all experience levels. Using PaalX, you can place manual orders, set up AI agents to execute automatic trades, track specific tokens using AI-based tracking tools, analyze the crypto market and access trading alerts.

In addition to its trading tools, PaalX offers access to a knowledge base and an FAQ section, as well as the opportunity to engage with other platform users via Telegram.

PaalX's user-friendly interface allows you to specify your manual order configuration in great detail, with options to set key parameters, such as trade sizes based on the percentage of available balance, the percentage of gain to close an order for take-profit and stop-loss levels based on token price fluctuations, and maximum tolerable 

If you'd like to automate your trading, PaalX lets you easily set up an AI agent, specify basic parameters — and then sit back and let your AI trading assistant execute your prespecified strategies.

Ask.Paal is an AI chatbot that delivers market insights, in addition to real-time analytics for cryptocurrency and blockchain projects and assets. You can ask it anything related to the crypto market or blockchain industry, or browse the featured projects listed on its interface for more in-depth information.

Ask.Paal offers the user a choice between different large language models (LLMs), such as PaalGPT, IBM

 and others. You can experiment with different LLMs to select the one that provides the most robust crypto research and fits your preferences in terms of its conversational style and knowledge.

There are also plugins available for Ask.Paal to extend its base functionality. Some of the more interesting plug-ins include Narratives Plugin, a tool to explore or create community-validated narratives about the crypto market or hot crypto trends; Voice Output, which allows Ask.Paal to respond to your queries in voice rather than text; and Image Search, which delivers infographics and visuals related to specific crypto projects or assets.

Audit.Paal is a solution to help you audit specific tokens and smart contracts for research and fraud detection purposes. Your personal AI agent scans the projects and assets you specify to identify issues like potential honeypots, 

 prevalent in the cryptocurrency world. For each token you query, Audit.Paal provides comprehensive analytics related to token permissions and potential vulnerabilities. You can also access your audit history and pending audits for efficient audit management.

As of December 2024, Audit.Paal is capable of scanning and analyzing assets on Ethereum, 

. Paal AI also provides an API to help developers integrate Audit.Paal into their platforms.

Deploy.paal is a service that lets AI model developers rent GPU processing capacity from the Paal AI platform on a flexible, per-use basis to train AI models and run AI algorithms. Training and running AI models often requires significant processing power, especially considering the ever-increasing user demands on AI-supported functionality. The amount of data typically used for model training and inferences is substantial. At the same time, hardware processing capacity is quickly becoming a scarce resource.

Using Deploy.paal, developers can access significant GPU capacity on a flexible and affordable basis to train and run their AI models. The platform offers two primary machine instances via the cloud to run GPU-intensive tasks: g4dn.xlarge and g4dn.2xlarge. One hour of processing by these machines costs $0.07 and $0.10, respectively. Developers pay only for the amount of time they utilize these resources; there are no lock-in contracts or initial setup fees, making Deploy.paal a convenient and cost-effective way to train and run AI algorithms.

Deploy.paal users can also scale their machines up and down anytime, depending on their current capacity requirements. Overall, Deploy.paal is probably among the most flexible GPU renting services in the 

 (NFT) collections for its user community. In August 2023, during the platform's first months of operation, Paal AI released the free Beta Bots collection, consisting of 213 NFTs, each dedicated to a step or milestone in the evolution of AI. Initially, the NFTs were distributed to community members for free, though they’ve since become available for purchase on the secondary market through 

The second collection, PaalX Bots, was released in March 2024 and consists of 1,000 items, each one opening access to a range of benefits and perks on the platform. PaalX Bots NFT holders can enjoy various benefits, such as trading on PaalX with no transaction fees, earning a share of trading volume revenues and accessing advanced trading options. NFTs from this collection are also available on the secondary market through OpenSea.

The platform's native cryptocurrency, PAAL, is an 

 token issued on the Ethereum blockchain. PAAL mainly provides access to AI products, agents and various functions on the platform. It can also be used to unlock special features or qualify for reward distributions.

The PAAL token is supply-capped, with a total and maximum supply specified at 1 billion.

Another key functionality of the PAAL token is 

. PAAL stakers can earn competitive APY rates by locking their funds in the platform's staking pools.

As of the time of this writing (Dec 26, 2024), you can select three staking periods — 14, 28 and 56 days, with the longer commitment periods offering higher APY rates. Currently, the platform offers APYs of 3%, 10% and 15% for 14-, 28- and 56-day staking periods, respectively.

The project funnels any token buybacks of PAAL into its staking pools to boost reward rates and earnings for stakers.

The PAAL token is available on Bybit's Spot market as a 

As of Dec 26, 2024, the PAAL token is trading at $0.3385, or 60.7% lower than its ATH of $0.8598 on Mar 10, 2024, and 737,122% higher than its ATL of $0.00004587 on Jul 24, 2023.

Long-term price forecasts for PAAL are bullish. DigitalCoinPrice 

 $0.81 in 2025 and $2.32 in 2030, while CoinCodex 

 that the token will trade at $1.507 in 2025 and $1.319 in 2030.

You might consider investing in the PAAL token based on the following factors:

Naturally, before investing in PAAL or any other cryptocurrency, you’re encouraged to do your own 

AI and ML technologies are currently fueling massive growth in the cryptocurrency industry. A cursory look at crypto market data reveals that AI-linked coins are currently among the most popular assets, attracting investors who aren't shy of risk in search of high rewards. Since its launch in mid-2023, Paal AI has steadily gained its footing among the top crypto projects dedicated to the AI agents subsector. As we move into 2025, the platform's comprehensive set of AI products and services will be its key differentiation point, potentially helping it cement its place among the most popular AI cryptocurrencies.

The PAAL token is currently off the head-spinning heights it climbed to earlier in 2024, a development that’s quite characteristic of many other AI cryptos. While this indicates that the wild, unbridled enthusiasm for these assets is receding, overall interest in these cryptocurrencies will likely remain strong, albeit at more realistic and objectively justified levels. 

With interest in AI — particularly AI agents — expected to thrive in the years to come, Paal AI has every chance to solidify its already respectable market position.

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PAAL AI (PAAL): Customizable Virtual Assistants Tailored for Your Needs

web3

Altcoins

Livepeer token is a staking token in the Livepeer Network, a decentralized video streaming and transcoding platform that aims to reduce helps reduce costs for video broadcasters. 

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Today, video streaming is more popular than ever. For companies, this has led to escalating costs in streaming quality video, as streaming requires 

 to create a high-quality video viewing experience for all viewers. Video broadcasters have to grapple with high transcoding costs that are only increasing with the advent of 4K videos and VR streaming. That's where Livepeer comes in.

Livepeer aims to make video streaming more decentralized, which helps reduce costs. The Livepeer token (LPT) is an important part of that process, as it helps power the network.

Founded in 2017 by Doug Petkanics and Eric Tang, 

 is a decentralized video streaming and transcoding platform that allows anyone to launch their live video or on-demand video services at a reasonable cost.

 As a chain-agnostic platform, Livepeer can be employed on any 

The network is designed to be easily scalable and support a large number of users. One of Livepeer’s key benefits is that it helps reduce the costs of streaming video as it allows anyone to contribute their computer resources, such as CPU, GPU and internet bandwidth for transcoding.

The Livepeer network is powered by the LPT token, which incentivizes users to run nodes on the network to help power it and make it more decentralized.

Livepeer has a two-layer consensus mechanism. The first layer, where transactions are made, is based on the 

 network, and the second is based on the 

The two main actors on the network are orchestrators and delegators. Orchestrators run nodes on the network to transcode and distribute video streams. They can also choose to concurrently mine for ETH while performing transcoding. Delegators stake tokens on orchestrators to help secure the network.

Orchestrators receive rewards in newly minted LPT, as well as ETH fees from the network. A share of the LPT rewards and ETH fees are also paid to delegators who have staked LPT tokens on the orchestrators.

Livepeer has moved beyond simply providing decentralized video transcoding and distribution services. The company now has Livepeer Studio, which acts as a bridge between its decentralized transcoding service and web2 video apps. Livepeer Studio focuses on 

 video projects, which let you livestream a video, store your favorite video in a decentralized network and even mint a video 

The video NFT capability was given an upgrade in December 2022 with the introduction of Long Take NFT Publisher, which lets you upload and share video content of up to 10GB on 

LPT is the native cryptocurrency of Livepeer. As a staking token on the second layer of the consensus mechanism, it rewards users who contribute their computing resources to power and secure the network. It is not, however, a medium of exchange in the network, which is a role fulfilled by ETH instead in the first consensus layer. 

As mentioned earlier, orchestrators and delegators are rewarded with newly minted LPT for their contributions to the network. 

LPT is minted in “rounds” and distributed to orchestrators and delegators in proportion to the amount they’ve staked. One round equals 5,760 Ethereum blocks. A new round of LPT is minted every time a user broadcasts a video on the network. LPT is inflationary, and the amount of new Livepeer tokens minted in each round is determined by the inflation rate, which the Livepeer protocol sets.

. This means that for every video broadcast on the network, 0.0326% of the total supply of LPT is minted and distributed to nodes. The inflation rate adjusts according to the amount of LPT staked from the total circulating supply.

As the network grows, the inflation rate will increase by 0.00005% for every round until the total amount of LPT staked reaches 50%. Once it hits that threshold, the inflation rate will be reduced by 0.00005% for every round.

To earn LPT rewards from the network, you’ll first need some LPT tokens for staking. All you need to do is buy Livepeer tokens and hold them in your crypto wallet. LPT is an 

, so it can be stored in any Ethereum-compatible wallet, such as MetaMask or MyEtherWallet. 

Although Livepeer (LPT) is still in its early stages, it has a lot of promise, especially as it continues with its development efforts. Investors' confidence in the token is evident from its price history, with a peak of close to $100 during the latest crypto bull run. Though LPT has since dropped to about $6 with the crypto market crash in early 2022, as the platform grows and matures the price of LPT will likely rise again. 

Many experts understand the benefits that Livepeer can bring to the video broadcasting industry. Price Prediction is 

, expecting it to reach $12.39 in 2025 and surge to $78.87 by 2030, an over 1200% increase from its price of $5.94 (as of Sep 13, 2023). DigitalCoinPrice shares a 

, anticipating LPT’s price to rise to $21.52 in 2025 and hit $61.90 by 2030.

With its expected steep climb, many have been wondering if Livepeer might reach $1,000. While not out of the question, based on its historical peak and projected 2030 value this milestone would likely take a long time.

While there’s no guarantee that the price of Livepeer will return to its peak or even exceed it, LPT looks to be a good investment.

There are a few reasons why. First, current video infrastructure is centralized and controlled by a few large companies. This results in high fees, slow speeds and poor quality.

Livepeer is building a scalable, decentralized video infrastructure that will be faster, cheaper and more reliable, which will make it easier for individuals and businesses to create and stream videos. 

Additionally, Livepeer is chain-agnostic, and has partnered with major blockchains like 

Livepeer continues to research and innovate, as exemplified by its latest product launch in December 2022, the Long Take NFT Publisher. This innovative solution emerged from recognition of the file size limitations imposed by current 

. Long Take NFT Publisher empowers any user to upload videos as large as 10GB in any NFT marketplace, addressing a crucial need in our increasingly video-centric environment.

While we hold a favorable stance on this token, our perspective shouldn’t be taken as financial advice. It’s always crucial to 

 before investing in cryptocurrencies, which tend to be volatile in nature.

Livepeer's decentralized network enables you to provide reliable, affordable video streaming and processing services. LPT is the key to unlocking the power of the network and, with it, the potential to revolutionize the video transcoding process. The Livepeer team also aims to expand its services out of video infrastructure, which underlines the potential of the protocol to become a prominent player in the video broadcasting industry.

What Is Livepeer Token (LPT): Making Video Services Decentralized

Grab Up to 5,000 USDT in Rewards

Grab Up to 5,000 USDT in Rewards