RLUSD Expands to 20 Million Merchants, Aims to Compete with USDC

Web3 payment platform Aeon has announced a strategic partnership with Ripple to integrate the XRP token and RLUSD stablecoin into its digital payment ecosystem. Through AEON Pay — a mini app available on Telegram and integrated with wallets like Bitget Wallet and TokenPocket — users can now make seamless RLUSD transactions for everyday purchases.

According to the official release, AEON Pay currently supports offline payments at over 20 million merchants across Southeast Asia, including more than 10,000 popular consumer brands such as UNIQLO, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, and Starbucks. After this initial phase, Aeon plans to expand its reach to other emerging markets like Africa and Latin America.

The addition of RLUSD to everyday payment channels marks a significant milestone in Ripple’s broader strategy. The stablecoin is attracting growing interest from financial institutions and developers alike. According to Aeon, RLUSD is “built on trust, liquidity, and regulatory compliance,” making it an ideal digital dollar solution for enterprises and financial entities looking for secure and scalable options.

Previously, RLUSD had already been integrated into Ripple’s cross-border payment system, Ripple Payments, and listed on Kraken. Major platforms like Alchemy have also partnered with Ripple to adopt RLUSD into their fiat on-ramp infrastructure. Exchanges such as Bitget have further contributed to the stablecoin’s growing momentum.

Although still in its early stages, RLUSD is showing significant potential in the competitive stablecoin space. As of June 2025, RLUSD’s market capitalization has reached nearly $429 million, ranking it as the 14th-largest stablecoin globally. Meanwhile, top competitor USDC maintains a dominant presence with over $55 billion in circulation and has been integrated into major platforms like Shopify, enabling global merchant adoption.

The Aeon-Ripple partnership illustrates RLUSD’s push toward real-world utility beyond traditional remittances — a move that may help it carve out a distinct place in the evolving stablecoin market.