What is XRP/XRP Ledger?
XRP is one of the oldest cryptocurrencies in the space, focusing on providing a cash alternative to the original, Bitcoin. It differs from Bitcoin in several ways but, similarly to BTC, utilizes a public ledger called XRP Ledger upon which to record transactions.
With XRP Ledger serving as the ledger for transactions, XRP is the system’s native token, while RippleNet is the name given to the network that runs on XRP Ledger. RippleNet is managed by the for-profit company Ripple.
When Was XRP Launched?
The founding principles of XRP and its ecosystem date back to 2004, when RipplePay, a peer-to-peer financial network, was launched.
RipplePay’s model, which focuses on the relationship and trust between network participants, served as the basis for Ripple’s evolution starting in 2012. Its first iteration was called Opencoin, but it has changed names and approaches several times over the following years.
The initial P2P structure derived from RipplePay was modified by the team behind Ripple into a hybrid involving traditional banking concepts with the addition of Ripple Gateways.
Ripple Gateways were businesses of a sufficient size that operated within the network. They played the role of a trusted participant, much in the same way we trust banks and other financial institutions to act as middlemen when making normal fiat transactions.
The implementation of this system made the network very appealing to financial institutions. Essentially, it presented a far more familiar proposition and mode of engagement with the crypto industry.
Who are the Founders of XRP Ledger?
In 2004, Ryan Fugger, a Canadian web developer, launched RipplePay. He handed the reins of the project to the entrepreneur Chris Larsen and Mt. Gox founder Jed McCaleb in 2012.
The pair thus became the founders of Ripple as it is today and began developing the project, taking it through several iterations and systemic shifts. Focusing on the establishment of anInternet of Value, they built a vast network of partnerships in a relatively short time.
McCaleb departed Ripple later in 2013 to work on the Stellar Lumens project. And in 2016, Larsen relinquished his position as CEO of Ripple to Brad Garlinghouse and took up the role of Executive Chairman.
Over 30 companies have invested in Ripple, contributing over $120 million to the project. They include prominent names such as Andreesen Horowitz, Google Ventures, IDG Capital Partners, Standard Chartered, Seagate, Blockchain Capital, Accenture, China Growth Capital, and many more.
How Does XRP Work?
Unlike Bitcoin, XRP’s payment network RippleNet doesn’t use mining to validate and record new transactions or batches of transactions on the public ledger. Rather, it uses trusted validator nodes to reach a consensus and maintain the ledger every few seconds.
Because the ledger doesn’t require mining, the native token XRP was premined in 2013.
How is XRP Secured?
XRP doesn’t use a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism like Bitcoin or a proof-of-stake (PoS) mechanism like many third-generation cryptocurrencies. Instead, it utilizes a mechanism based on theFederated Byzantine Agreement.
The FBA model is based on the Byzantine Agreement, wherein every node on the network is involved with every transaction. Consensus (or Quorum) can be achieved via the agreement of a certain minimum number of them.
In the FBA system, each node can decide whom to trust and be part of their decision-making group. These groups are called Quorum Slices. When overlapping Quorum Slices communicate about transactions, a system-wide agreement is reached.
What Makes XRP Unique?
Through XRP’s Federated consensus mechanism, the XRP Ledger allows all servers in the network to process transactions according to the same rules. Any transaction following those rules is confirmed right away.
This mechanism ensures speed and scalability. Moreover, there cannot be a single point of failure on the network and no single participant can make an immediate decision.
XRP also possesses the advantage of sustainability. Without requiring the vast computing power that proof-of-work blockchains insist upon, XRP fulfills one of the founders’ original visions of reduced environmental impact.
XRP secures batched microtransactions and also settles cross-currency payments atomically. The XRP Ledger can therefore function as a fast, low-fee multi-currency exchange directly on the blockchain.
What is the XRP Ecosystem?
The XRP ecosystem centers around the XRP Ledger. The XRP Ledger is the decentralized public ledger, or blockchain, secured byover 150 validators including universities, exchanges, businesses, and individuals.
RippleNet is the digital payment network that runs on the XRP Ledger. It is developed and marketed by Ripple, which is a for-profit company that runs 6 out of over 35 validators on the Unique Node List.
Finally, XRP itself is the native token of the XRP Ledger meant to settle transactions on the blockchain and bridge different currencies quickly.
What is XRP’s Legal History?
A low point in XRP’s history came in December 2020, when the US Securities and Exchange Commission initiated legal proceedings against Ripple, its CEO Brad Garlinghouse, and the co-founder Chris Larsen.
The suit claimed that XRP was a security and not a commodity. That’s because XRP was generated and distributed by Ripple in a centralized manner and wasn’t being adopted by financial institutions for its advertised use cases.
The SEC also said that Ripple executives had sold 14.6 XRP for over $1.38 billion to both fund company operations and enrich themselves.
A few months later, SEC Commissioner Hester M. Pierce published the Token Safe Harbor Proposal 2.0. It was intended to “provide Initial Development Teams with a three-year time period… exempt from the registration provisions of the federal securities laws so long as certain conditions are met.”
Pierce was discovered byThe Intercept to have been salaried by the Mercatus Center, an institution routinely cited in hearings by lawmakers seeking to undo regulations on business interests.
The legal battle between the SEC and Ripple continues to rumble on.
Controversies
In May 2018, aclass action complaint alleged that Ripple led a scheme to “raise hundreds of millions of dollars through unregistered sales of its XRP tokens… creating billions of coins ‘out of thin air’ and profiting by selling them to the public.”
Meanwhile, there were concerns about Jed McCaleb's holdings following his departure from Ripple in 2013. At the time, he owned 6.5 billion XRP. McCaleb and Ripple reached a formal agreement to settle this issue. The agreement was later revised in 2016 following a lawsuit.
In 2014, Ripple introduced a feature allowing the freeze or confiscation of all non-XRP currencies from users deemed to violate the anti-money laundering rules. This measure gave the power of censorship over user balances to all the Ripple Gateways.
A year later, in 2015, Ripple was fined $700,000 by US Regulators for not complying with the Bank Secrecy Acts. This led to Ripple agreeing to introduce Know Your Customer (KYC) checks on future XRP investors.
How Much XRP Is In Circulation?
In 2013, the entire supply of 100 billion XRP was premined and 80 billion of this was gifted to Ripple. According to them, 55 billion XRP were locked into a series of escrows using the XRP Ledger. As of April 2022, approximately 45 billion XRP remains in escrow.
There can never be more than this original 100 billion XRP in circulation. Moreover, the network’s consensus enforces transaction processing rules that control the release of Ripple’s XRP from escrow.
How Do You Buy XRP?
You can purchase XRP in peer-to-peer transactions. It is available on many major cryptocurrency exchanges, although during periods of controversy it was delisted by several top exchanges, including Coinbase.
A successful conclusion to the ongoing SEC lawsuit may see XRP relisted on top exchanges. Positive news from the case has led several exchanges to change their stance on offering the token.
Is It Possible to Buy XRP Instantly?
It may appear possible to buy XRP instantly on centralized exchanges, but an exchange account isn’t really a wallet. Instead, it is simply a reflection of fund balances that notionally display the results of the user’s trades. The actual funds have not moved - the user is simply entitled to a small amount of the XRP held by the exchange’s wallet.
However, purchases that involve the XRP being sent directly to the user’s wallet are almost instant. XRP Ledger’s trusted validator nodes reach a consensus and update the blockchain every three to five seconds. This is how long it will take for the individual wallet to reflect the transaction.
This practically instant settlement system puts traditional financial infrastructure to shame and is one of the main reasons why XRP has seen so much adoption by financial corporations.
While these financial service providers, especially credit card companies, advertise instant transactions, these transactions are onlyreflectedinstantly. However, they take days to actually settle. XRP, on the other hand, provides true instant settlement.
That said, some service providers that accept fiat and send XRP to user wallets may not facilitate transactions instantly. This may be due to waiting for fiat payments to settle, batch processing, or AML (Anti Money Laundering) regulations, among other reasons.
How Do You Store XRP?
XRP, like most other cryptocurrencies, can be stored in wallets.
There are several common types of wallets:
- Cold wallet.Cold wallets keep private keys offline and safely out of the reach of hackers and other bad actors. These can come in several forms, from electronic devices not connected to the internet to a paper or other physical copy of the private key.
- Hot wallet.Unlike cold wallets, these connect to the internet. They can come in the form of desktop clients or online/web wallets that store credentials with the online wallet provider rather than the user’s hardware.
- Exchange wallet.These are forms of online or web wallets, but may differ slightly, as a user’s exchange account isn’t strictly a wallet since it doesn’t hold XRP. As such, when sending cryptocurrency to an exchange account, there may be some form of identification system or memo in place to ensure that the funds reach the correct user.
XRP Energy Consumption
One of the main aims behind the creation of XRP was to provide similar functionality to Bitcoin but reduce energy consumption, which was considerable even then.
This was accomplished in large part thanks to XRP Ledger not using a proof-of-work consensus mechanism. The Federated Byzantine Agreement doesn’t require a huge network of computers to provide a significant amount of computing power for securing the network.
However, despite remaining relatively decentralized, XRP Ledger’s use of trusted validators takes away from the trustlessness inherent in many other cryptocurrency projects.
According to theXRP Ledger’s website, the XRP network’s energy consumption is approximately 474,000 kWh. This compares very favorably to proof of work cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, which consumes over 200 TWh according tothe Digiconomist.
Is XRP a Good Investment?
XRP has many advantages, foremost among them being that it can actually provide what it aims to: fast, low-cost global transactions with very low environmental impact. It has also existed for a long time, certainly long enough to qualify as being ‘battle-tested.’
However, given that the XRP Ledger uses trusted validators, concerns over centralization remain. The massive amount of XRP held by Ripple is a concern to many investors.
Finally, the SEC lawsuit is regarded by many to be a potential catalyst for price appreciation, with many investors hopeful of a successful outcome.
