What is XRP (Ticker: XRP)?

XRP is the native cryptocurrency of the XRP Ledger, a fast, low-fee Layer 1 blockchain developed by Ripple Labs to improve global payments. First launched in 2012, XRP was designed to serve as a bridge currency for cross-border transactions, offering near-instant finality and minimal cost—features that have made it one of the most adopted digital assets in the banking and fintech world.

Created by Ripple co-founders Chris Larsen and Jed McCaleb, the XRP token aimed to solve the inefficiencies of traditional financial systems like SWIFT, particularly around international remittances. With a fixed supply of 100 billion XRP, no mining, and rapid settlement times (3–5 seconds), XRP offers a scalable alternative to legacy networks and has been integrated into Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) solution used by over 1,000 global institutions.

XRP is also gaining traction as infrastructure for CBDCs, stablecoins like RLUSD, and tokenized assets. Its recent regulatory clarity in the U.S. after the SEC lawsuit—where XRP was ruled not to be a security for public trading—has further solidified its position. As of today, XRP continues to rank among the top cryptocurrencies by market cap, with strong daily volume on platforms like Upbit, and ongoing relevance in both crypto and traditional finance ecosystems.

Whether tracked via XRP price charts, Ripple news, or XRP/USD trading pairs, XRP remains one of the most closely watched digital assets globally.

What Makes XRP Unique?

XRP stands out due to its ultra-fast transaction speed (3–5 seconds), low fees (fractions of a cent), and a consensus mechanism that avoids energy-intensive mining. Unlike many cryptocurrencies, XRP was pre-mined with a fixed supply of 100 billion tokens, making it resistant to inflation. Its real-world utility has been validated by adoption among banks, payment providers, and governments, including for CBDC pilots and stablecoin issuance.

Core Features

• Interoperability: The XRP Ledger supports the issuance of custom tokens, enabling interoperability with fiat, stablecoins, and CBDCs.
• Liquidity Bridging: XRP is used in Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) solution to facilitate near-instant conversions between currencies without needing pre-funded bank accounts.
• Regulatory Footprint: Following the conclusion of a multi-year SEC lawsuit in 2025, XRP gained clearer regulatory standing in the U.S., strengthening its position in traditional finance.

How Does XRP Work?

XRP runs on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), a Layer 1 blockchain that uses a consensus protocol known as the Ripple Protocol Consensus Algorithm (RPCA). This is not Proof-of-Work or Proof-of-Stake. Instead, it relies on a group of trusted validator nodes that agree on the state of the ledger every few seconds. This unique mechanism ensures energy efficiency and high transaction throughput.

• Consensus: Federated Byzantine Agreement (via Unique Node Lists)
• Blockchain Layer: Layer 1
• Operation Model: Validators rather than miners; no staking required

Performance & Scalability

• Transaction Speed: Finality in 3–5 seconds
• Throughput: ~1,500 transactions per second (scalable up to 65,000 TPS with proposed upgrades)
• Fees: Minimal—averaging a fraction of 1 cent per transaction
• Block Time: Not block-based; instead, it confirms transactions in “ledgers” every few seconds

Unique Features

• Tokenomics:
• Max Supply: 100 billion XRP (all pre-mined)
• Ecosystem Integrations:
• Used in RippleNet by over 1,000 financial institutions
• Supports CBDC pilots (e.g., Bhutan, Palau)
• Hosts RLUSD, Ripple’s stablecoin, and facilitates real estate tokenization
• Governance & Security:
• Validator selection is decentralized but curated via community-chosen Unique Node Lists (UNLs)
• XRPL supports decentralized exchange (DEX) functionality natively
• Ongoing community development with third-party contributions and planned smart contract extensions via sidechains/hooks
• Cross-Border Payments
  XRP is used as a bridge currency to enable fast, low-cost international money transfers via RippleNet and On-Demand Liquidity.
• Bank and Fintech Adoption
  Over 1,000 financial institutions use XRP to power global remittance and settlement services.
• CBDCs and Government-Backed Stablecoins
  Countries like Palau and Bhutan have piloted CBDCs and national stablecoins using the XRP Ledger.
• Enterprise Stablecoin (RLUSD)
  Ripple launched RLUSD, a USD-backed stablecoin on XRPL and Ethereum for institutional payments.
• Tokenization and Custom Assets
  XRPL allows issuance of stablecoins, tokenized assets, and wrapped tokens directly on-chain.
• Decentralized Exchange (DEX) Integration
  XRP Ledger has a built-in DEX for native asset swaps without relying on third-party platforms.
• Micropayments and Streaming
  XRP enables real-time micropayments for digital content and financial streaming due to its low fees and fast confirmation times.

SEC Lawsuit and Regulatory Clarity: The XRP Legal Battle

A pivotal chapter in XRP's history began on December 22, 2020, when the U.S. SEC sued Ripple Labs, alleging it conducted an unregistered securities offering by selling over $1.3 billion in XRP tokens. The SEC argued XRP qualified as a security under the Howey Test.

Immediate Fallout: Delistings and Market Shock

The lawsuit triggered a sharp downturn in the XRP price and wiped billions off its market cap. Major U.S. exchanges like Coinbase, Binance.US, and Kraken delisted XRP, cutting off retail access in the U.S. Ripple’s American partnerships stalled, though XRP crypto adoption outside the U.S.—notably in Asia and Latin America—remained strong. Platforms like Upbit and Bitstamp continued listing XRP, and RippleNet usage persisted globally.

On July 13, 2023, Judge Analisa Torres of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a landmark split ruling:

• XRP is not a security when traded on public exchanges (programmatic sales).
• Institutional sales of XRP with contracts were deemed unregistered securities offerings.
• Other distributions, such as those to developers and employees, were not securities.

The ruling marked a partial victory for Ripple and the broader crypto market. It introduced legal nuance: a token's classification depends on how it is sold, not just what it is. Following the decision, XRP surged over 70%, and major platforms like Coinbase, Kraken, and Gemini promptly relisted XRP, boosting market confidence.

Final Resolution: Ripple vs. SEC Ends in 2025

Though the SEC pursued further penalties into early 2024, the case officially concluded in March 2025, when Ripple and the SEC reached a settlement:

• Ripple agreed to a $50 million civil penalty (down from the original $125M).
• There was no admission of wrongdoing.
• The court’s previous judgment—that XRP is not a security in secondary markets—remains final.

This resolution ended the nearly five-year lawsuit, granting Ripple and XRP much-needed regulatory clarity in the U.S.

Market Impact and Current Status

The outcome was broadly viewed as a regulatory win for Ripple and the crypto space. With legal uncertainty lifted, U.S. institutions could re-engage with XRP token integrations, and global exchanges saw renewed interest in XRP trading.

As of August 2025, XRP is firmly positioned among the top 3 cryptocurrencies by market cap, with high daily trading volume across major platforms like Upbit, Binance, and Coinbase. Investor sentiment around Ripple XRP news remains strong, and the XRP price today reflects renewed confidence and sustained global adoption.

XRP Coin History

XRP (Ticker: XRP) is one of the longest-standing cryptocurrencies, launched by Ripple Labs on August 4, 2013. At its initial listing price of $0.0059, XRP offered early investors over 569x returns. Unlike Bitcoin, XRP was pre-mined with a fixed supply of 100 billion tokens, making it deflationary by design.

The XRP crypto was developed by Chris Larsen, Jed McCaleb, and David Schwartz to solve inefficiencies in cross-border payments. Built on the XRP Ledger (XRPL)—a fast, energy-efficient Layer 1 blockchain—it enables transactions in just 3–5 seconds, with extremely low fees, making it ideal for global remittances and real-time liquidity.

Between 2013 and 2019, Ripple raised over $300 million across multiple funding rounds. Key investors included IDG Capital, Blockchain Capital, DCG, Accenture Ventures, and CME Ventures. Notable rounds include:

• Seed Round (2013): $3.5M
• Series A (2015): $28M + $4M extension
• Series B (2016): $55M
• Series C (2019): $200M

This funding allowed Ripple to expand globally, onboard over 1,000 financial institutions, and drive real-world adoption of XRP token via RippleNet and On-Demand Liquidity (ODL).

Where Can You Buy XRP?

XRP (Ripple) is widely available across leading global crypto exchanges, both for spot and derivatives trading. You can buy XRP using USDT, USD, EUR, FDUSD, USDC, BTC, and even stablecoins like RLUSD, depending on the platform.

Top exchanges where you can buy XRP

Binance, Coinbase Exchange, Bybit, Bitget, OKX, Kraken, LBank, WEEX, HTX, BitMart, Gate.io, MEXC, KuCoin, Bitstamp, XT.COM, Crypto.com Exchange, Phemex, Bitrue, Toobit, CoinW, Bitbank, Zoomex, Ourbit, DigiFinex, WhiteBIT, Bullish, GroveX, CoinEx, Azbit, Biconomy.com, KCEX, Bitvavo, Bitunix, BitKan

XRP Coins Supported Wallets 

Hardware Wallets:
Ledger, Keystone, SafePal, OneKey

Mobile & Software Wallets:
Trust Wallet, MetaMask, TokenPocket, iToken Wallet, Assure Wallet, SafePal, Coinhub, SimpleHold Wallet, Atomic Wallet, Coin Wallet, Coin98, Halo Wallet (KuCoin Wallet), Wirex Wallet, XDEFI Wallet, Venly, Coinomi Wallet, BitPay, Bitcoin Wallet, Frontier Wallet, Gem Wallet, Blocto Wallet, Conio Wallet, FxWallet, Magic Wallet, Omni Wallet, ONTO Wallet, Uniswap Wallet

Exchange-Integrated Wallets:
Binance Wallet, OKX Wallet

XRP Coin FAQ

• Can XRP Reach $100?
  • Reaching $100 per XRP would require a total market capitalization of $10 trillion, given the token's 100 billion maximum supply. This would make XRP more valuable than the entire current crypto market and most global financial institutions combined. As of now, XRP is primarily used for cross-border payments, and while adoption is growing through RippleNet and On-Demand Liquidity (ODL), there is no realistic scenario where its utility justifies such a valuation without drastic changes—such as large-scale token burns, global financial system integration, or mass removal of Ripple's escrowed supply. For now, XRP’s price potential is more reasonably tied to factors like regulatory clarity, volume growth, and institutional use—not extreme, mathematically improbable price targets.
• What is XRP and what are its use cases?
  • XRP is a digital asset developed by Ripple Labs, designed for fast, low-cost cross-border payments. It serves as a bridge currency between different fiat currencies and is used by banks, remittance providers, and payment networks via RippleNet and On-Demand Liquidity (ODL). Other use cases include stablecoin issuance, CBDC pilots, tokenization, and micropayments.
• Who created XRP and when was it launched?
  • XRP was created in 2012 by Ripple Labs co-founders Chris Larsen, Jed McCaleb, and David Schwartz. The XRP Ledger officially launched on August 4, 2013, with 100 billion tokens pre-mined at genesis.
• What is the total and circulating supply of XRP?
  • XRP has a maximum supply of 100 billion tokens. As of now, around 53 billion XRP are in circulation, with additional tokens held in Ripple’s escrow accounts and slowly released each month.
• Is XRP used in the real world?
  • Yes. XRP is actively used by banks, fintech firms, and remittance providers for cross-border settlements. It's also been piloted by governments (e.g., Palau and Bhutan) for CBDCs and stablecoins, and is integrated into payment tools, tokenized finance, and enterprise-grade liquidity solutions.
• What makes XRP different from other cryptocurrencies
  • XRP is known for its speed, scalability, and low fees, settling transactions in seconds with minimal energy use. Unlike Bitcoin or Ethereum, XRP uses a consensus protocol instead of mining, making it more efficient for payment processing at scale.
• Is XRP a security?
  • As of March 2025, a U.S. federal court ruled that XRP is not a security when traded on public exchanges, ending the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple. Institutional sales made with contracts were deemed unregistered securities, but general XRP use and trading are now legally cleared.