XRP Ledger Sees 8.9% Increase in Daily Transactions, NFT Activity Surges in Q3

XRP Ledger saw higher user activity in the third quarter as it added 447,200 new addresses, reaching a total of nearly 6.9 million.

According to a new report from Messari, the XRP Ledger (XRPL) recorded a steady increase in network metrics in the third quarter of 2025.

The data shows that network usage and activity have increased across several indicators, amid growing user and developer engagement.

Transactions, Wallets and NFTs on XRP Ledger

Average daily transactions on the XRPL increased 8.9% quarter-over-quarter, from 1.6 million in the second quarter to 1.8 million in the third quarter. Similarly, the average number of daily active sender addresses rose 15.4% from 21,900 to 25,300, while the total number of new addresses rose 46.3% to 447,200. The total number of addresses on the network also grew by 6.1% to 6.9 million.

Messer found that for the fifth consecutive quarter, the number of active recipient addresses exceeded the active sender addresses. However, the average number of daily recipients fell by 30.1% over the same period, from 72,000 to 50,300. The report explained that when recipient addresses exceed sender addresses, it often indicates distribution events such as airdrops, where many previously inactive wallets receive tokens from a smaller group of senders.

Airdrops were a notable factor this quarter. Midnight, a privacy-focused sidechain in the Cardano ecosystem, captured a snapshot of the NIGHT token airdrop in June, with XRPL users holding over $100 worth of XRP. The claim period ran from August 5 to October 4.

NFT activity was another key growth area. Average daily NFT transactions rose 51.1% quarter-over-quarter, from 50,400 to 76,100. The increase was largely driven by a 70.8% increase in average daily NFT coin transactions, which rose from 37,800 to 64,600. Other NFT transaction types remained relatively stable during the quarter.

The debate over the real usefulness of XRP is heating up

XRP Ledger’s native token, Circulating market cap rose 29% to $170.3 billion, outperforming the combined 13.3% increase in market cap that Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana posted over the same period.

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However, the token’s momentum cooled in October as broader market sentiment turned negative following aggressive signals from the US Federal Reserve. XRP fell 12% to around $2.50 last month amid heavy selling pressure.

The recent recession has also fueled the debate over the usefulness of XRP in the real world. Crypto analyst Scott Melker, known as ‘The Wolf of All Streets’, questioned the token’s current role, adding that major financial companies such as SWIFT and Western Union are turning to alternative payment networks. While some community members defended XRP as a “neutral bridge currency” for cross-border transfers, others criticized Melker’s position. Melker acknowledged its technical strengths but remained skeptical about its long-term value.