XRP: Ripple CTO Ends Fork Speculation

What to Know:

• Ripple executives are exploring XRP’s potential in DeFi applications, both organic and on-chain.
• A governance token proposal is being considered to enhance the XRP Ledger’s governance mechanisms.
• The XRP Ledger’s Unique Node List (UNL) plays a crucial role in preventing network forks.

Ripple’s CTO, David Schwartz, and head of engineering, J.A Akinyele, recently engaged in a thought experiment regarding the integration of XRP within the decentralized finance (DeFi) landscape. The discussion highlights the potential for XRP to be utilized in both native on-chain applications and more traditional DeFi protocols. This exploration signals a forward-thinking approach to expanding the utility of XRP within the evolving crypto ecosystem.

The XRP community has been actively discussing the implications of staking mechanisms on the XRP Ledger, prompting Ripple CTO David Schwartz to hint at a forthcoming staking proposal. This proposal involves a “governance token” with a limited circulating supply and potentially no inherent value, designed to empower holders through voting rights. Such a mechanism could introduce a new layer of community governance and participation within the XRP ecosystem.

All public layer-1 blockchains are ultimately governed by fork. But I think it’s good to have robust protections from other governance mechanisms that help reduce the risk of a fork. XRPL’s published UNL is one such mechanism. Validator’s voting for amendments is another.
— David ‘JoelKatz’ Schwartz (@JoelKatz) November 19, 2025

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Schwartz addressed concerns about potential forks in the XRP Ledger, emphasizing that all public layer-1 blockchains are ultimately governed by forking. He highlighted the importance of robust protections from other governance mechanisms to mitigate the risk of such forks. The CTO pointed to the XRP Ledger’s published Unique Node List (UNL) and validator voting on amendments as key mechanisms in preventing network disruptions.

The UNL is a critical component of the XRP Ledger, comprising a list of validators trusted not to collude, and each server relies on its UNL to determine which validation votes to accept during consensus. To avoid network forks, XRP Ledger servers are configured with UNLs that share a high degree of overlap, requiring at least 90% overlap in a worst-case scenario. The XRP Ledger employs a system of recommended validator lists to facilitate a diverse set of validators with significant overlap, with the default configuration utilizing lists published by both the XRP Ledger Foundation and Ripple.

These discussions and potential developments indicate a continued effort to enhance the XRP Ledger’s functionality, governance, and resilience. The exploration of DeFi applications, governance tokens, and robust consensus mechanisms underscores a commitment to ensuring the long-term viability and relevance of XRP within the broader cryptocurrency market.

Related: XRP Price: $12M Max Pain for Bears

Source: Original article