$XRP 1. **Purpose**:

- XRP aims to solve inefficiencies in traditional cross-border payments (e.g., high fees, slow settlement times). It acts as a liquidity tool for financial institutions using Ripple's payment solutions like **RippleNet** and **On-Demand Liquidity (ODL)**.

2. **Technology**:

- Built on the **XRP Ledger (XRPL)**, an open-source blockchain optimized for speed and scalability.

- Transactions settle in **3-5 seconds** with fees as low as **$0.0002 per transaction**.

- Uses a **consensus protocol** (not proof-of-work or proof-of-stake), where validators confirm transactions without mining.

3. **Supply**:

- Total supply is capped at **100 billion XRP**, all pre-mined at launch.

- Ripple holds a significant portion (about 50 billion in escrow) and releases tokens gradually to fund operations and partnerships.