Ripple has formally recommended that the XRP Ledger community withdraw the longstanding XChainBridge amendment, known as XLS-38, along with a related technical fix. The proposal stems from a reassessment showing that the feature’s main intended purpose is already met by an existing external solution and that broader demand has not materialized.

Original Purpose of XLS-38

XLS-38 was designed to introduce a native interchain bridge framework to the XRP Ledger. It would have enabled asset transfers between the mainnet and connected sidechains through a network of witness servers that observe and attest to cross-chain activity. The system targeted exclusive sidechains, including private and permissioned networks as well as experimental chains. A key early goal was to serve as the bridge linking the XRP Ledger with the XRPL EVM Sidechain.

The amendment defined mechanisms for locking assets on one chain and issuing corresponding representations on another, supported by specific transaction types and ledger objects. Development of the specification advanced to a final status, yet activation never occurred because the feature remained subject to ongoing community evaluation.

Shift to Axelar Integration

In June 2024 Ripple selected the Axelar network as the bridge solution for the XRPL EVM Sidechain. Axelar provides interoperability across more than 50 blockchain networks and operates with a set of over 75 validators. The company stated that this integration fully addresses, and in its view improves upon, the primary use case that originally motivated XLS-38.

With Axelar handling transfers of the sidechain’s native gas token and other fungible assets, the need for a parallel native bridge diminished. Ripple noted that consolidating on a single, battle-tested external protocol simplifies the user experience compared with maintaining two separate bridging paths.

Limited Demand and Code Maintenance Costs

Beyond the EVM Sidechain, Ripple reported insufficient developer interest in the private and experimental sidechain scenarios that XLS-38 was intended to support. Reviews found few concrete projects actively relying on the pending amendment.

Keeping the unused implementation inside the xrpld software creates ongoing maintenance obligations and can confuse new contributors. Withdrawing the feature would allow removal of more than 10,000 lines of code, shrinking the surface area that must be reviewed and secured.

Consensus Process Required

Ripple operates only one validator on the XRP Ledger and therefore cannot remove the amendment on its own. Any withdrawal must follow the network’s established amendment process, which requires broad support among validators. The company indicated it plans to open a pull request marking the feature as obsolete so that nodes upgrading to the corresponding software version automatically cease voting in favor of activation.

The recommendation remains open to revision. If developers present substantial real-world use cases that demonstrate clear community value, Ripple stated it would reassess its position.

For projects already building on the XRPL EVM Sidechain, the change carries no operational impact. The Axelar bridge continues to provide the connection to the mainnet and is expected to receive ongoing support and improvements.