XRP

XRP is the native token of the XRP Ledger (XRPL), an open-source blockchain designed for fast, low-cost cross-border payments and currency settlement. The ledger uses a federated consensus protocol rather than proof-of-work or proof-of-stake, enabling transaction finality in 3-5 seconds with minimal energy consumption. Ripple, the company most closely associated with XRP, has built institutional payment products including On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) that use XRP as a bridge currency for real-time cross-border transfers. XRP was pre-mined with a fixed total supply, portions of which are held in escrow and released on a scheduled basis. The token's price history has been significantly influenced by its prolonged legal dispute with the U.S. SEC regarding its securities classification. For traders, XRP carries a distinct profile shaped by regulatory developments, institutional adoption milestones, and retail community sentiment.