Ripple has launched a permissioned decentralized exchange (DEX) feature on the XRP Ledger (XRPL).

The network aims to bridge the long-standing gap between institutional compliance and decentralized finance.

Ripple Unveils Permissioned DEX as XRPL Pushes for Institutional DeFi Relevance

The feature earned high praise from Yoshitaka Kitao, CEO of Japan’s SBI Group, a strong XRP advocate, particularly within the Japanese banking sector.

Ripple’s Permissioned DEX enables regulated institutions to trade or move value on XRPL’s native decentralized exchange. Meanwhile, it meets key compliance requirements like KYC and AML, which have historically kept banks and fintechs on the sidelines.

“Earlier this year, we outlined a vision for institutional DeFi on the XRP Ledger, one built on compliance-first infrastructure, real-world utility, and open access. The launch of a Permissioned DEX (decentralized exchange) is another significant step in that journey,” Ripple said in a blog post.

Ripple’s Permissioned DEX: What Users Need to Know

Traditional XRPL DEX order books are open to all participants. However, the new feature introduces permissioned domains, delivering controlled environments that allow only listed accounts with verified credentials to interact.

Accordingly, institutions can set up custom trading environments for permissionless assets like XRP or stablecoins. Notably, this is without deploying custom smart contracts or fragmenting liquidity across platforms.

Each permissioned DEX lives within its own domain and contains isolated order books. This means trades can only be executed between credentialed participants.

The proposal leverages two technical standards under review on XRPL: verifiable credentials and permissioned domains. Together, the standards support compliance-enforcing markets.

“Institutions can now create permissioned order books tied to verified credentials, ensuring that only authorized participants can interact with specific markets. This means any fintech or financial institution can start utilizing the XRPL DEX immediately, with compliance built in from day one,” Ripple emphasized.

A Compliance-First Pitch—But Where’s the Demand?

Despite Ripple’s institutional vision, activity on the XRPL DEX remains strikingly low. According to data on DefiLlama, 24-hour volume sits under $50,000, and total value locked (TVL) on XRPL is below $60 million.

For comparison, smaller Ethereum Layer-2 DEXs like Base routinely clear millions per day, DefiLlama data shows.

Yet Ripple’s new DEX functionality is clearly geared toward unlocking real-world use cases such as:

• Stablecoin/Fiat FX Swaps across jurisdictions
• Cross-border payroll payouts in local currency
• B2B stablecoin payments and treasury conversions
• Corporate crypto-to-fiat management

Ripple’s Institutional Gamble

The XRP Ledger is one of the oldest blockchains with built-in DEX functionality, operating since 2012. However, its limited traction in DeFi circles has raised questions about relevance.

The latest feature alludes to Ripple hoping that compliance-by-design innovations like the Permissioned DEX will attract institutions wary of the regulatory ambiguity in other ecosystems.

“A permissioned DEX solves this problem directly…without compromising on decentralization, cost efficiencies, or user control,” Ripple noted.

Will institutional flows materialize? Will the next wave of DeFi be permissioned? Time will tell.

“The next big wave in DeFi adoption will require us all to think proactively about how to engage on the topics of regulation and compliance. Permissioned DeFi may be one answer, but it’s not the end of the story,” Architect founder and CEO Brett Harrison foretold.