XRP Ledger (XRPL) is a decentralized, open-source blockchain developed by Ripple Labs, aimed at providing fast and low-cost international transactions. Built for payments, XRPL supports global payments, tokenization, and decentralized finance (DeFi) solutions. Its unique consensus algorithm allows for quick and secure validation of transactions without needing mining, unlike traditional blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
The Bull Thesis
Aims to replace SWIFT as the payment standard between institutions.
Not decentralized is actually an advantage. XRP token never had an ICO and most of it is held by management. This results in a motivated management team that can execute more efficiently than a decentralized entity.
The Bear Thesis
XRP is not decentralized.
XRP is enabling existing centralized banks to transact more efficiently rather than the defi goal of making people bankless.
Components of the Ecosystem
Component
Top 3 Tokens
Wallet
Xumm Wallet, Exodus Wallet, Trust Wallet
Decentralized Exchanges (DEX)
Sologenic, GateHub, Bitrue
Lending & Borrowing Platforms
RippleNet (partnerships), Flare Finance, Kava
Oracle
Chainlink, Band Protocol, Flare
Bridges
Allbridge, Multichain, Flare Bridge
Stablecoins
USDC, EURS, USDX
Decentralized Identity (DID)
GlobaliD, Civic, SelfKey
DAOs
XRP DAO (upcoming), Flare DAO, Ripple DAO
Data Storage Solutions
Arweave, Filecoin, Storj
NFT Marketplaces
OnXRP, Sologenic, XRP Cafe
Layer 2 Solutions
Flare Networks, Hooks (upcoming), Evernode
Explorers
XRPScan, Bithomp, XRPLExplorer
Properties Compared to Competitors
Property
XRP Ledger
Ethereum
Bitcoin
Solana
Consensus Mechanism
Ripple Consensus Algo
Proof of Stake (PoS)
Proof of Work (PoW)
Proof of History (PoH)
Transaction Speed
1,500 TPS
15-30 TPS
7 TPS
50,000 TPS
Finality Time
3-5 seconds
6-12 minutes
60 minutes
~1 second
Language Support
C++, JavaScript
Solidity, Vyper
No smart contracts
Rust, C, C++
Energy Efficiency
0.0079 kWh/transaction
~0.01 kWh/transaction
707 kWh/transaction
0.00051 kWh/transaction
Performance Compared to Competitors
Metric
XRP Ledger
Ethereum
Bitcoin
Solana
Transaction Fees (USD)
$0.0004
$0.50 – $30
$1 – $10
<$0.01
Total Value Locked (TVL)
$100M+
$20B+
N/A
$400M+
Transaction Volume
~$1B/day
$10B+/day
$7B/day
$500M+/day
Active Addresses
1.3 million
300 million
45 million
30 million
Number of Smart Contracts Deployed
0
1 million+
0
30,000+
Hash Rate
N/A
N/A
440 EH/s
N/A
Staking Participation
N/A
~30%
N/A
75%
Tokenomics
Total Supply: 100 billion XRP
Current Circulating Supply: ~53 billion XRP
Emission Rate: No mining; pre-mined with periodic sales by Ripple Labs
Token Utility: XRP is primarily used for cross-border payments, as a bridge currency for fiat and crypto, and transaction fees on the XRPL network. Additionally, XRP can be used in various decentralized finance (DeFi) applications and NFT marketplaces on the XRPL.
Main Investors
Investor
Token Holdings
Percentage of Total Supply
Ripple Labs
~6.4 billion XRP
~6.4%
Chris Larsen (Founder)
~5 billion XRP
~5%
Jed McCaleb (Co-Founder)
~3.4 billion XRP
~3.4%
Founders and History
Founders: XRP was created by Chris Larsen, Jed McCaleb, and Arthur Britto in 2012. Ripple Labs, the company behind XRP, was initially named OpenCoin.
History: XRP Ledger was launched in 2012 with the goal of improving cross-border transactions through a decentralized payment network. Ripple Labs developed XRP as an alternative to the traditional banking system, which is slow and expensive. Ripple’s partnerships with major financial institutions have helped position XRP as a leader in the blockchain payments sector.
Invest Alpha 