BlockchainImpact

Survey Note: Detailed Analysis of XRP, XLM, and HBAR Use Cases and Real-World Impact
This survey note provides an in-depth exploration of the biggest use cases for Ripple (XRP), Stellar Lumens (XLM), and Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR), along with the real-world problems they address. Drawing from recent data and official sources, we aim to offer a comprehensive overview for readers interested in understanding these cryptocurrencies' practical applications as of March 12, 2025.
Ripple (XRP): Cross-Border Payments and Financial Efficiency
Overview and Biggest Use Case
Ripple, launched in 2012 with its native token XRP, is predominantly recognized for its role in cross-border payments. The RippleNet platform, built on the XRP Ledger, facilitates fast and low-cost international money transfers, addressing the inefficiencies of traditional banking systems. Research suggests that its primary use case is enabling financial institutions to process transactions in seconds at a fraction of the cost, with transaction fees significantly lower than those of conventional banks.
Real-World Problem Solved
The traditional banking system for international transfers is often slow, taking days to settle, and expensive, with high intermediary fees. Ripple solves this by leveraging its consensus protocol, which settles transactions in 3-5 seconds, as noted on Ripple Official Website. This efficiency is particularly beneficial for remittances, where speed and cost are critical for users, especially in developing countries.
Detailed Implementation and Partnerships
Ripple's technology, RippleNet, connects banks and payment providers globally, reducing the need for multiple intermediaries. Notable partnerships include American Express, Santander, and Standard Bank, which have integrated Ripple for cross-border payment solutions. Recent developments, such as the ongoing SEC legal battle, have been widely covered, with updates indicating potential regulatory shifts that could impact adoption (XRP News Today). Despite these challenges, Ripple's focus remains on enhancing global payment infrastructure, with projections suggesting increased institutional adoption in 2025 (Forbes Crypto Market Data).
Supporting Data
Transaction speed: 4 seconds per transaction, as per TRASTRA Crypto Card.

Scalability: Handles 1,500 transactions per second, making it suitable for high-volume payment corridors.
Stellar Lumens (XLM): Cross-Border Payments with Financial Inclusion
Overview and Biggest Use Case
Stellar Lumens (XLM), launched in 2014 by Jed McCaleb and Joyce Kim, shares similarities with Ripple in focusing on cross-border payments but distinguishes itself through a strong emphasis on financial inclusion. It seems likely that its biggest use case is facilitating fast, low-cost transactions for underbanked populations and smaller entities, particularly in emerging markets, leveraging its decentralized and open network.
Real-World Problem Solved
The evidence leans toward Stellar addressing the problem of limited access to efficient financial services in regions where traditional banking is either scarce or prohibitively expensive. By providing a platform that supports near-instantaneous transactions (average ledger closing time of 5.8 seconds, as per Stellar Official Website), Stellar enables individuals and small businesses to send and receive money across borders affordably, with transaction fees as low as 0.00001 XLM (What Is Stellar Lumens).
Detailed Implementation and Projects
Stellar's network is supported by the nonprofit Stellar Development Foundation, which retains a significant portion of XLM tokens to promote growth. Key projects include partnerships with IBM for cross-border payments, Coins.ph for remittances to the Philippines, and Flutterwave for money transfers in Africa (Stellar Lumens Guide). These initiatives demonstrate its focus on serving emerging markets, with recent integrations like MoneyGram enabling cash deposit/withdrawal from digital assets (Stellar Case Studies).
Supporting Data
Network reach: Supports over 180 countries and over 20 digital assets via anchor services, enhancing global access (Stellar Official Website).

Grants issued: 480+ grants from September 2023 to August 2024, indicating active ecosystem development.
Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR): Enterprise-Grade Blockchain for Scalability
Overview and Biggest Use Case
Hedera Hashgraph, with its native token HBAR, is a public distributed ledger platform utilizing the Hashgraph consensus mechanism, launched to offer a faster and more efficient alternative to traditional blockchains. The evidence leans toward its biggest use case being a scalable and efficient blockchain platform for enterprise applications, particularly in sectors requiring high transaction throughput and low latency, such as supply chain management and financial settlements.
Real-World Problem Solved
Hedera addresses the scalability and efficiency issues plaguing many blockchains, such as slow transaction speeds and high energy consumption. With a capacity of 10,000 transactions per second and finality in under 3 seconds, as per Hedera Official Website, it solves the problem of making blockchain technology practical for large-scale, real-time applications, which is crucial for industries like pharmaceuticals (tracking drug supply chains) and carbon markets (ensuring transparency in credit tracking).
Detailed Implementation and Partnerships
Hedera's Hashgraph consensus, developed by Dr. Leemon Baird, achieves high throughput through its gossip-about-gossip protocol and virtual voting, ensuring security and efficiency. Notable partnerships include Google, IBM, and Tata Communications, which are exploring use cases like secure user authentication and transaction logs (Hedera Ecosystem). Projects like The Coupon Bureau's coupon tracking system and Acoer's drug supply chain ledger exemplify its enterprise focus (Investing in Hedera Hashgraph).
Supporting Data
Transaction cost: Ranges from $0.0001 to $0.01 USD, supporting micropayments and predictable fees for developers (Hedera Fees).

Environmental impact: Proven carbon-negative, using less energy than a Visa transaction, as per a University College London study (Hedera Sustainability).
Comparative Analysis and Unexpected Insights
While Ripple and Stellar both focus on cross-border payments, an unexpected detail is their differing target audiences: Ripple leans toward large financial institutions, while Stellar prioritizes individual users and emerging markets, potentially offering more flexibility for smaller transactions. Hedera, on the other hand, stands out with its enterprise-grade capabilities, which may surprise readers familiar with consumer-focused blockchains, given its focus on high-performance, B2B applications.
The following table summarizes the key use cases and problems solved:
Cryptocurrency

Biggest Use Case

Real-World Problem Solved

Notable Partnerships/Projects

Ripple (XRP)

Cross-border payments

Slow and expensive international transfers

American Express, Santander, Standard Bank

Stellar Lumens (XLM)

Cross-border payments, financial inclusion

Limited financial access in emerging markets

Coins.ph, Flutterwave, IBM

Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR)

Enterprise blockchain platform

Scalability and efficiency in blockchain applications

Google, IBM, Tata Communications, The Coupon Bureau
This analysis, based on data up to March 12, 2025, highlights the distinct roles each cryptocurrency plays in addressing global financial and technological challenges, offering insights for investors, developers, and users alike.
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