What is XRP?
XRP (XRP) fact sheet with live price · reviewed November 4, 2026
XRP is the native coin of the XRP Ledger, a blockchain built for fast, cheap payments that has run since 2012. There's no mining: all 100 billion XRP were created at launch. The company Ripple uses XRP in its payment products and holds a large share, but it doesn't control the ledger.
- 24h high
- —
- 24h low
- —
- Market cap
- —
- 24h volume
- —
- Rank
- —
Loading live price…
Key facts
| Launched | June 2012 |
|---|---|
| Created by | David Schwartz, Jed McCaleb and Arthur Britto; Ripple co-founded with Chris Larsen |
| How it's secured | XRP Ledger consensus among validators (no mining or staking) |
| Total supply | 100 billion XRP created at launch; small amounts are destroyed as fees |
| Settles in | About 3–5 seconds |
| Smallest unit | 1 drop = 0.000001 XRP |
| Account reserve | 1 XRP must stay in every account (since December 2024) |
| Ways to invest besides coins | US spot XRP ETFs since November 2025 |
Who runs it
The XRP Ledger is open-source software run by independent validators, including universities, exchanges and businesses, plus Ripple. Ripple is a separate private company that builds payment and custody products and promotes XRP. It holds billions of XRP, much of it locked in escrow that releases up to 1 billion XRP a month, and typically returns most of each release to escrow. See XRP vs. Ripple.
What it's used for
Moving value between currencies quickly, especially cross-border payments, plus a built-in exchange and tokens issued on the ledger, including Ripple's own dollar stablecoin, RLUSD. Most XRP is held and traded as an investment.
How it works
Every 3–5 seconds, validators compare proposed transactions and agree on the next version of the ledger. Each validator trusts a list of other validators it considers reliable, rather than racing to mine. Each transaction burns a tiny fee in XRP, so total supply very slowly falls. Every account must keep a 1 XRP reserve.
The SEC case and its outcome
In December 2020 the US SEC sued Ripple, saying its XRP sales were unregistered securities offerings. In July 2023 the court ruled that Ripple's sales of XRP to the public on exchanges were not securities offerings, while its direct sales to institutions were. On August 7, 2025 the SEC and Ripple dismissed their appeals, ending the case. The court's final judgment, including a $125 million penalty against Ripple, stands.
Where things stand (November 2026)
Spot XRP ETFs from several fund managers have traded in the US since November 2025 (see XRP ETFs). On October 26, 2026 the OCC gave Ripple final approval for Ripple National Trust Bank, which oversees the reserves behind RLUSD. That's about Ripple's business; it doesn't change how the XRP Ledger works or make XRP a stablecoin.
Risks to know
- Ripple holds a large amount of XRP, much of it in escrow, and its sales can affect supply.
- Price is volatile and often driven by legal and ETF news.
- Copycat "XRP giveaway" scams and fake Ripple support accounts are common; Ripple never asks you to send XRP.
- Exchanges may require a destination tag when you send XRP; forgetting it can delay or lose funds.
Buying and storing it
If you decide to buy, use a regulated exchange you reach directly, check fees with the true cost calculator, and store long-term holdings in a wallet you control, with the seed phrase written down offline. Read how to buy crypto safely. This page isn't a recommendation to buy.
Questions
Is XRP the same as Ripple?
No. Ripple is a company; XRP is the coin of the XRP Ledger, which Ripple uses and supports.
Is XRP a security?
A US court ruled in 2023 that XRP sold to the public on exchanges was not offered as a security, and the SEC case ended in August 2025. Other countries make their own rules.
Can you mine XRP?
No. All XRP was created at launch.
Is XRP a stablecoin?
No. Its price moves freely. Ripple's stablecoin is a separate token, RLUSD.
Compare XRP
See it side by side, with live data: XRP vs. Stellar. Convert it with the XRP calculator. Track it in the private portfolio tracker.
Where to next
Sources
- XRP Ledger history (xrpl.org)
- What is XRP? (xrpl.org)
- Reserves (xrpl.org)
- SEC Litigation Release No. 26369: Ripple appeals dismissed (SEC, August 7, 2025)
- Ripple receives final OCC approval for national trust bank (Ripple, October 26, 2026)
Facts checked against the sources listed, as of November 4, 2026. Live price data by CoinGecko. Educational only; not financial advice. How we write and check pages.