​Ethereum-based smart contracts are coming to Ripple (here’s what that means).

Ooooft!! This story has a loooot of jargon.

But the concepts in here are important (and not that complex) - so let's break ‘em down.

“Ripple Launches Test Phase For Ethereum Based Smart Contracts On The XRPL.”

( that’s the article title. DENSE, right?).

Here’s what’s going on:

The 'XRP Ledger' (XRPL) is a blockchain created by the company, Ripple -but anyone can build on top of it, similar to how people build games on Ethereum, or (to add a Web2 context) apps on the iPhone.

You may’ve heard about Ripple's token, XRP, which helps people transfer currencies - both crypto and fiat - quickly and cheaply.

Ripple has had its controversies, but we’re not here to talk about that.

So far, developers haven’t been able to execute Ethereum smart contracts on XRPL.

( They're the programs that run complex transactions on a blockchain).

For example: send a player an NFT if they beat a level in a game, or loan someone 3 ETH and charge them interest each month.

Previously, trying to run these Ethereum smart contracts on XRP would have been like trying to put gas in an electric car (i.e. literally no gas tank).

But, the big brains at Ripple may have just come up with a solution.

They’ve created a ‘sidechain’ that is compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) using a ‘bridge.'

Yikes! What does that even mean?

Basically, they’ve created a way for developers, who choose to build on Ethereum, to get their creations to work on the XRPL blockchain.

The same way a developer will want to get their apps to work on Android and iPhones alike - so they can reach a broader audience.

And the benefits are solid: XRPL is fast, cheap and ecologically friendly (compared to other 'Layer 1' blockchains).

...guess you can put gas in a Tesla after all.