Dai vs Ripple USD โ side-by-side comparison of supply, chains, backing, and peg data.
Over the last 30 days DAI supply moved -1.6% and RLUSD +2.2% โ RLUSD grew faster. Both held within about 4 bps of target across the same window.
| Metric | DAI | RLUSD |
|---|---|---|
| USD circulation value | $4.79B | $1.58B |
| Rank (by USD value) | #4 | #12 |
| Peg | USD | USD |
| Mechanism | crypto-backed | fiat-backed |
| Backing | Overcollateralized crypto CDP | Cash & deposits (Ripple) |
| Chains deployed | 49 | 2 |
| Primary chain | Ethereum | XRPL |
| Issuer | Sky (formerly MakerDAO) | Ripple |
| CoinGecko | View โ | View โ |
Both track USD, so they compete for the same use cases. DAI holds overcollateralized crypto cdp; RLUSD holds cash & deposits (ripple). DAI ranks #4 by USD value and RLUSD ranks #12.
DAI is larger, with $4.79B in circulation vs $1.58B for RLUSD. That's roughly 3.0ร the size.
Neither is inherently safer. Safety turns on reserve composition, issuer transparency, redemption rights and regulatory oversight โ none of which this page audits. DAI uses a crypto-backed model; RLUSD uses a fiat-backed one. Read each issuer's most recent reserve attestation before choosing.
Yes. DAI and RLUSD both trade on major centralized and decentralized exchanges. Since both track USD, the exchange rate is typically very close to 1:1. Direct swap protocols on Ethereum, Solana, and other chains offer the tightest spreads.
The right choice depends on your use case. Consider: which chain do you need? DAI is available on 49 chains and RLUSD on 2. What backing do you prefer? What's your integration surface (exchanges, DeFi protocols, payment providers)? Both have deep liquidity, so market cap alone shouldn't decide it.