The XRP Ledger Foundation is working to add traditional financial features directly to the XRP Ledger, according to CTO Denis Angell. Speaking at Rare Evo, Angell outlined the foundation's infrastructure roadmap, including several projects designed to expand the network's financial capabilities beyond basic payments.
New Financial Tools Being Developed
Angell emphasized that the foundation is "writing TradFi primitives into the XRP Ledger." The network is not designed to support general-purpose smart contracts, but developers can propose changes that validators vote on.
A Lending Protocol is among the upcoming features already on the network awaiting activation. According to Angell, it will allow users to earn yield on their assets, addressing a gap in the current network. The Single Asset Vault is another key development, which functions similarly to a traditional mutual fund. Users can deposit assets into a pool for investment, with returns flowing back into the pool and withdrawals available on demand.
Payments and AI Integration
The foundation is also developing token payment channels, expanding beyond XRP to support other tokens. These channels will enable new payment authorization and completion methods. Angell noted that such channels could be useful for AI agents, allowing them to execute and complete payments autonomously.
Foundation Infrastructure Expansion
The XRP Ledger Foundation is taking on expanded responsibilities for network infrastructure. It plans to distribute the xrpld software and host related files, while also improving monitoring systems to collect validator logs during network issues. The foundation is evaluating whether to increase its direct involvement in infrastructure management, including operating its own servers and data centers.
XRPL validator Vet characterized Angell's comments as significant developments regarding the XRP Ledger and fintech applications, noting that foundation committees are in development to support technical and ecosystem work.
