$XRP

Bitcoin operates through the collaboration of computers, each acting as a node in the peer-to-peer bitcoin network. Each node maintains an independent copy of a distributed public ledger of transactions, called the blockchain, without central supervision. Transactions are validated using cryptography, making it virtually impossible for one person to spend another person's bitcoin, as long as the owner of the bitcoin keeps certain sensitive data secret.[7]: ch. 5 

Consensus among the nodes on the content of the blockchain is achieved through a computationally intensive process based on proof of work, known as mining.