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>>Ripple’s chief technology officer explains how XRPL stops any single party from controlling the network.

Ripple’s chief technology officer explains how XRPL stops any single party from controlling the network.

crypthub

1 day ago

Design Philosophy

The XRP Ledger was built so that no single party, including Ripple, can control it. Nodes choose which validators to trust, and consensus refuses double‑spends unless operators collude. This architecture lets the network say “no” to external pressure by being technically unable to comply.

Validator List Controversy

Critics claim the Unique Node List (UNL) gives Ripple hidden power, arguing deviation could cause forks. Schwartz calls that “objectively nonsensical,” noting honest nodes simply ignore dissenting validators. Even if validators conspire to halt progress, they cannot force double‑spends, and nodes can switch to a different UNL.

Regulatory Pressure and Resilience

Ripple must obey U.S. court orders, but the ledger’s design prevents it from censoring transactions. Schwartz compares changing a UNL to switching Bitcoin’s mining algorithm after an attack. A two‑tier staking proposal was earlier floated to add rewards without centralising influence.

Network Activity

Recent metrics show active users and payment volume falling sharply after the XLS‑81 permissioned DEX launch moved institutional traffic off public view. Despite the dip, the debate highlights a persistent split between those who see validator lists as soft control and those who trust XRPL’s consensus limits.