Ripple has announced a strategic shift for the XRP Ledger (XRPL) ecosystem, moving from a centrally-funded model to a more distributed and community-driven approach set to fully unfold in 2026. The company revealed the changes on February 26, positioning the coming year as a pivotal transition point for how builders access capital and support on the XRPL.
Since 2017, Ripple has deployed over $550 million into XRPL initiatives, including non-equity grants, builder incentives, and strategic partnerships. This investment has fueled growth across payments, DeFi, tokenization, AI, gaming, and enterprise finance. However, the focus is now expanding beyond Ripple-backed initiatives to create multiple, independent funding pathways.
The new model introduces several key programs. The FinTech Builder Program is designed for startups building institutional-grade financial products like stablecoin payment systems and credit platforms on XRPL. It offers support from product creation to launch, including help with XRPL infrastructure integration and real-world financial partnerships.
A major governance milestone is the development of XAO DAO, a hybrid decentralized autonomous organization for the XRPL ecosystem. It will empower the community to issue microgrants, propose concepts, and prioritize projects, making decision-making more inclusive and reducing dependency on a single funding source.
The ecosystem's global footprint is also expanding. XRPL Commons continues to operate independently, while a new regional entity, XRP Asia, is being developed to serve the APAC builder community. On the academic front, the University Digital Asset Xcelerator (UDAX) is expanding from UC Berkeley to include Fundação Getulio Vargas in Brazil and the University of Oxford.
Venture capital participation signals growing institutional confidence. Firms like Pantera, Dragonfly, Franklin Templeton, a100x Ventures, and Tenity are now mentoring and investing in XRPL projects, providing founders access to global capital networks beyond traditional grants.
To streamline access, Ripple announced a new dedicated XRPL funding hub will soon launch, serving as a single entry point for builders to discover grants, accelerators, and support programs across the entire ecosystem.
