KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Several central banks, including Bhutan and Palau, have tested Ripple’s technology for CBDC development and settlement research.
- None have publicly confirmed using the XRP token for actual cross-border settlement.
- Most experiments occur on private or permissioned networks, not the public XRP Ledger.
Several central banks have explored Ripple’s technology in private trials, but clear proof of them using the XRP token for settlement is still limited.
As more countries test central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), attention has turned to Ripple and its XRP token. Some central banks are already experimenting with Ripple’s technology to improve settlement speed and reduce cross-border costs.
However, public evidence that they are using the XRP token itself for settlement remains scarce.
Direct Evidence From Pilots And Trials
A few central banks have confirmed pilots using Ripple’s technology. Bhutan’s Royal Monetary Authority partnered with Ripple in 2021 to test a digital ngultrum, and Palau announced a similar collaboration in 2023.
In Europe, reports in mid-2025 mentioned experimental projects using Ripple-based systems for tokenized settlements in closed environments. These pilots focus on CBDC infrastructure and liquidity testing, not necessarily the XRP token on the public ledger.
So far, no central bank has confirmed actual settlement using XRP, suggesting most testing happens on private or permissioned networks.
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Why Central Banks Might Explore XRP For Settlement
XRP offers instant settlement, low fees, and strong liquidity features, making it appealing for testing faster cross-border payments. It can act as a bridge between different currencies or CBDCs, reducing the need for banks to hold large reserves in foreign accounts.
Ripple’s focus on enterprise and stablecoin solutions, such as RLUSD, supports this concept of connected payment corridors. Still, central banks usually test these systems privately first.
While XRP’s technical design fits many settlement needs, the lack of public confirmation suggests regulators are moving carefully before wider adoption.
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Challenges And What Could Show Real Adoption
Most central banks prefer private ledgers that meet strict security and compliance standards. Regulation also limits public token use in official settlements. Real adoption would become clear only if a central bank runs a live pilot on the public XRP Ledger, names XRP in official documents, or publishes audited transaction results showing token-based settlement activity.
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Conclusion
Ripple’s technology appears in several central-bank projects, but proof of XRP being used for real settlement is missing. Future public pilots or disclosures could reveal how close adoption truly is.
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