The XRP Ledger is set to launch an Ethereum Virtual Machine-compatible sidechain in the second quarter of 2025, as announced by Ripple CTO David Schwartz at the Apex 2025 event. This strategic move aims to integrate Ethereum's smart contract capabilities into the XRPL ecosystem, allowing developers to utilize Ethereum tools such as Solidity and MetaMask. The sidechain, developed in collaboration with Peersyst Technology, will use wrapped XRP (wXRP) as its native gas token. The new sidechain will operate on a Proof-of-Authority consensus mechanism, targeting over 1,000 transactions per second with transaction costs below $0.01. The Axelar network will facilitate asset transfers between the XRPL mainnet and the sidechain. A security audit conducted by Informal Systems in February 2025 addressed a critical issue, ensuring the network's integrity. This initiative aims to attract developers from the EVM ecosystem and broaden the application environment of the XRPL.