Ethereum Price Prediction: Ripple Just Picked ETH for $1.3 Billion Stablecoin – Big Partnership Incoming?

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Ahmed Balaha

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Ahmed Balaha

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Aug 2025

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Ahmed Balaha is a journalist and copywriter based in Georgia with a growing focus on blockchain technology, DeFi, AI, privacy, digital assets, and fintech innovation.

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December 16, 2025

Ripple Stablecoin (RLUSD) is expanding to Ethereum in 2026. The decision was made in a press release, and four Ethereum Layer 2 networks were picked.

The stablecoin will be on a “trial” via Optimism, Base (Coinbase’s L2), Ink (Kraken’s L2), and Unichain (Uniswap’s L2), the company said. The integration is set to involve the interoperability protocol Wormhole.

The goal is to iron out any issues before the full public rollout planned for 2026, after final regulatory approvals.

Is This a Step Toward a Bigger Ripple–Ethereum Partnership?

No “big partnership” was explicitly announced beyond the technical integration with Wormhole, however people are speculating now.

This move is overall net positive for the Ethereum ecosystem. RLUSD brings roughly $1.3 billion in existing supply deeper into L2s, where most real DeFi activity happens, including trading, lending, and DEXs.

Alongside USDC and USDT, RLUSD is another highly regulated stablecoin option available for ETH users now. Institutions seeking compliant on-ramps for DeFi, payments, or tokenization will likely flow capital into Ethereum L2s, increasing overall activity and transaction fees.

L2s like Optimism, which Ripple described as a “crucial entry point,” may see rising usage. More transactions mean higher sequencer fees and eventual settlement value flowing back to Ethereum mainnet.

This does not “take” anything from ETH. It is additive volume on Ethereum-aligned chains and actually validates Ethereum’s dominance in DeFi scaling, as even Ripple, historically XRP-focused, is chasing liquidity here.

Ethereum Price Prediction: ETH All Time High Going Into 2026?

December returns have now flipped negative. If December closes in the red, it will be the 9th red month for ETH this year.

The good thing is that downside liquidity has almost been taken out. However, there is still very little buying momentum for Ethereum right now.

From a technical standpoint, ETH price just broke below $3,000. It is not the first time, but it still triggers a warning.

Going into 2026, the ETH chart must hold above $2,800, as it is an important level to keep the structure healthy. A dump below these levels could result in a move toward new lows around $2,500.

Could This Layer 2 Attract XRP Attention Next? Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER)

Bitcoin may be the most secure network in crypto, but speed and usability have always been its weak spots. That is exactly the gap Bitcoin Hyper is trying to close.

Bitcoin Hyper is a new Layer 2 built to bring fast transactions, low fees, and full smart contract functionality to Bitcoin, without compromising its security. It leverages Solana-style high-performance architecture while keeping BTC as the core settlement asset.

At the center of the system is the Hyper Bridge, which allows BTC holders to move funds onto the Hyper network in a trust-minimized way. Once bridged, users receive a 1:1 representation of BTC on the L2 with near-instant finality, opening access to DeFi, staking, payments, meme coins, and NFT activity that simply is not possible on Bitcoin today.

The idea is simple: let Bitcoin do what it does best, security and settlement, while Hyper handles speed and execution. That combination is why many see Bitcoin Hyper as one of the first serious attempts to turn Bitcoin into a full economic layer, not just a store of value.

Early interest has been strong, with Bitcoin Hyper already raising nearly $30M from investors betting that this could be the missing piece for Bitcoin adoption at scale. As more wallets, apps, and platforms integrate the Hyper L2, demand for the $HYPER token could accelerate alongside network usage.

For investors looking at where the next infrastructure rotation might come from, Bitcoin Hyper is positioning itself as the bridge between Bitcoin’s dominance and the fast-moving world of DeFi.