Uphold Ignites XRP and RLUSD Buzz for Major 2025 Launch on January 1

• Uphold, the Web3 financial platform has sparked significant reactions across the crypto community with its announcement of substantial initiatives set to launch on January 1, 2025.
• Uphold will integrate RLUSD into its innovative Rewards Center program starting in January 2025 so that users can earn rewards for buying and holding RLUSD.

Uphold, a versatile trading platform for various assets, has recently revealed an exciting development regarding RLUSD, Ripple’s USD-backed stablecoin, which is set to launch on January 1, 2025. On December 28, Uphold shared a post on their official X account featuring the caption “1.1.25, RLUSD,” accompanied by Ripple’s logo, sparking considerable speculation within the cryptocurrency community about the platform’s plans for the upcoming year involving RLUSD and XRP.

One user on X suggested that RLUSD could potentially replace USDT as the new standard for stablecoins, claiming that USDT is on unstable footing. Another commenter highlighted the expected advantages of Uphold’s Rewards Center, noting that users will be able to earn 5% on RLUSD starting January 1, emphasizing that Uphold is more than just a digital asset exchange; it’s evolving into a neobank.

What to Expect from Uphold and RLUSD in 2025

Ripple officially unveiled the RLUSD stablecoin on December 17. Fully backed by USD deposits, government bonds, and other cash equivalents. In January 2025, RLUSD will become part of Uphold’s Rewards Center, allowing users to be rewarded for holding the stablecoin.

Uphold users can earn rewards for buying and holding RLUSD. Later on, RLUSD stored on Uphold will be eligible for several privileges from the platform’s Reward Center. 

The move also comes at a time of growing scrutiny of stablecoins like Tether (USDT). This stablecoin has faced questions regarding its reserve transparency, with some experts suggesting that USDT has created a bubble that threatens the stability of Bitcoin. RLUSD’s regulatory compliance and frequent audits make it a strong competitor in the market.

Ripple has taken steps to ensure the availability and liquidity of RLUSD by teaming up with a range of global exchanges. RLUSD is now listed on platforms such as Bitso, Uphold, CoinMENA, MoonPay, Archax, and recently, Singapore’s Independent Reserve. This development is particularly significant, as it makes Independent Reserve the first exchange in the city-state to offer a stablecoin.

The first token unlock event of 2025 is set for January 1st, an event that will capture the market’s attention. Ripple has a total of 55 billion XRP tokens locked in an escrow account, roughly 55% of the overall XRP supply. Each month, 1 billion tokens are released to ensure liquidity for exchanges and partners, keeping them out of direct market transactions to minimize pricing impacts.

Additional bullish factors for XRP include the approval of XRP ETFs, the potential impact of an incoming Trump administration, and the possibility of an impending resolution to the SEC lawsuit. As of now, XRP is trading at approximately $2.07, reflecting a 5.18% decline in the past 24 hours.