$XRP not only a digital asset, but also the core platform of a global payment ecosystem developed by Ripple, with XRP Ledger (XRPL) technology playing a central role.
1. Technology platform and historical formation
XRPL was launched in June 2012 by David Schwartz, Jed McCaleb, and Arthur Britto. The initial development company was OpenCoin, later renamed Ripple Labs (2013) and Ripple (2015). XRPL uses a unique consensus mechanism (not PoW/PoS), enabling transaction processing in 3–5 seconds at very low cost. The total supply of XRP is pre-mined at 100 billion tokens, of which 80 billion were transferred to Ripple Labs to develop the ecosystem.
2. Usage objectives and scalability
As an open-source blockchain, XRPL is designed for cross-border payments and the development of central bank digital currencies (CBDC), operating on a Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT) mechanism – ensuring high speed and efficiency.
3. Significant updates
• AMM (XLS-30d): Improving liquidity for DEX (9/2023).
• Liquidity Hub: Liquidity management platform for businesses (4/2023).
• EVM-compatible XRPL Sidechain: Mainnet development from Devnet (started 2022).
• CBDC cooperation: With countries like Bhutan, Palau, Montenegro, Colombia, and Hong Kong.
• XRPL v2.0.0 (1/2024): Adds sidechain bridge, DID, security patches.
4. Legal context and expansion strategy
Ripple faced a lawsuit from the SEC (2020), however, the ruling in July 2023 determined that XRP is not a security when traded on exchanges. Ripple continues to expand globally, particularly in Africa through Onafriq and launched Ripple Payments for businesses.
5. Management and distribution of tokens
Ripple Labs locked 55/80 billion XRP in escrow, released according to a fixed monthly schedule. Unused tokens will be re-locked to maintain transparent supply control.
6. Market situation (18/5/2025)
• Price: 2.40 USD
• Market Cap: 140.5 billion USD
• 24h Trading: 2.47 billion USD
• Recent peak: 3.39 USD (early 2025)
• Policy: XRP is included in the U.S. national strategic reserve portfolio as stated by President Trump (3/2025).
7. Application ecosystem
• RippleNet: Global payment network – fast, transparent, low cost.
• Ripple Payments: Transactions using stablecoins and crypto without requiring asset custody.
• On-Demand Liquidity (ODL): XRP serves as an instant liquidity bridge.
• Major partners: American Express, Bank of America, Santander, AWS…
8. Industry competition
• SWIFT: Only supports transaction messages, does not process payments like Ripple.
• Stellar (XLM): Aimed at financial inclusion, using the FBA protocol.
• XinFin (XDC): Hybrid blockchain, optimized for trade financing.
• BRICS Pay: Payment system for BRICS countries, reducing dependence on USD.
Conclusion
XRP and XRPL are gradually reshaping the global payment infrastructure with high speed, low cost, and broad integration capabilities. With support from Ripple and major partners, XRP is considered a solid platform for the future of decentralized finance.
Note: The information is for reference only and is not investment advice. Please consider carefully and consult experts before making financial decisions.
