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$XRP

Sovereign Assets • Layer 1s • Payment Networks

native XRPL payment asset

$XRP is the native digital asset of the XRP Ledger, an open-source blockchain designed for fast, low-cost cross-border payments. Created by Ripple Labs, XRP serves as a bridge currency for transferring value between different fiat currencies and financial networks. It is known for its high transaction speed, scalability, and energy efficiency compared to other major cryptocurrencies.

Use Case: A payment provider uses XRP to instantly convert USD to EUR for a customer transfer. Instead of waiting days for traditional settlement, the transaction completes in 3-5 seconds with fees of less than a penny, using XRP as the intermediary bridge asset.

Key Concepts:

  • Bridge Currency — XRP’s role in connecting different fiat currency pairs for efficient conversion
  • Cross-Border Payments — International transfers that XRP is designed to optimize
  • Ripple Labs — The company that developed the XRP Ledger and promotes XRP adoption
  • Open-Source Blockchain — The XRP Ledger operates as a transparent, community-maintained network

Summary: $XRP is built for global payment infrastructure, offering institutions a fast, scalable, and cost-effective way to move value across borders. As the native asset of the XRP Ledger, it combines speed, low fees, and environmental sustainability to serve as digital bridge currency in the evolving financial system.

Feature Bitcoin ($BTC) $XRP
Transaction Speed 10+ minutes 3-5 seconds
Transaction Cost $1-$5+ (varies) $0.0002 (fractions of a cent)
Consensus Mechanism Proof of Work Federated Consensus
Energy Usage High Minimal (carbon neutral)
Primary Use Case Store of value Cross-border payments and settlement
Scalability ~7 TPS 1,500+ TPS

 
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What Is XRP and How Is Ripple Involved?

XRP is a digital asset designed for fast, low-cost international payments. It operates on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), a decentralized, open-source blockchain created to settle transactions in seconds with minimal fees and energy use.

Ripple, the company, is a private fintech firm that utilizes XRP and the XRPL in its payment solutions. Ripple’s goal is to modernize global finance by enabling banks, payment providers, and institutions to send money across borders more efficiently.

While XRP and Ripple are separate entities, Ripple holds a significant amount of XRP and actively builds utility around it—especially for enterprise use and cross-border liquidity.

Ripple & XRP

An Introduction to XRP

Why create a sidechain?