XRP Price XRP

What is Ripple?

San Francisco-based Ripple (formerly known as Ripplepay) is a fintech business that was founded in 2004. The company’s primary goal remained the same even before it entered the cryptocurrency space in 2012: to enhance the outdated settlement mechanisms for cross-border transactions with quicker and less expensive settlements.

Ripple has established a whole worldwide payments network called RippleNet since breaking into the cryptocurrency industry with the introduction of its native token, XRP. Compared to the current, established settlement and transfer infrastructure, the network makes cross-border banking easier, more inexpensive, and quicker by providing real-time gross settlements for financial institutions.

RippleNET was created with the intention of replacing SWIFT, one of the biggest money transfer networks. It may be used to trade a wide range of currencies, including fiat currencies like Bitcoin and even commodities like gold. To use the network, users must pay a negligible transaction fee (in XRP) to Ripple.

What is XRP?

XRP is a digital asset that was established in 2012 with the goal of promoting innovation in the financial payments industry. It is the native token on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), a permissionless, distributed, open-source blockchain run by a network of peer-to-peer servers called unique nodes.

With the use of XRP, two distinct currencies or networks can exchange information directly, negating the need for a middleman. Consider it as the ability to transfer money to a recipient abroad directly, bypassing the involvement of a bank or payment processor. Because XRP is peer-to-peer, it is an easy way to bridge two currencies in a matter of seconds rather than days. This streamlines international transactions and saves time and money. For regular hawala transfers, banks across several nations have also embraced XRP.

How Does Ripple (XRP) Work?

The Ripple Protocol Consensus Algorithm (RPCA) is integral to the Ripple network, responsible for validating transactions. It achieves this by comparing data from designated servers until a supermajority consensus is reached. Compared to more conventional blockchain networks, XRP can process transactions in three to five seconds and execute up to 1,500 transactions per second.

Banks can use Ripple’s messaging technology to improve their current currency transfers or utilise XRP as a bridge currency for cross-border payments. For example, in the case of a dollar transfer from Bank A to Bank B in euros, the network can determine the most cost-effective route, whether via XRP or straight currency conversion. This flexibility enables banks to maintain control of their operations while reducing transaction costs.

How is XRP different from Bitcoin?

There are many key differences between the two cryptocurrencies. Firstly, Bitcoin uses a Proof of Work (PoW) model to validate transactions and achieve network consensus, whereas XRP uses a consensus protocol involving a vote among participating nodes. As this method is less energy-intensive, some might argue that XRP is more environmentally sustainable than Bitcoin.

Additionally, Bitcoins are released into the network through mining. In contrast, XRP was pre-mined at launch. The release of any future tokens on the network is controlled by a smart contract, not miner activity.

Lastly, while both projects are open source, XRP was created and distributed by a private company, whereas Bitcoin is not owned by any individual or organization.

How to buy XRP?

The easiest way to buy XRP is through a crypto exchange like BTCC. BTCC makes purchasing XRP easy and accessible whether you use fiat currency or crypto. Trusted by over 9.1 million investors across 100 countries, BTCC is dedicated to offering excellent crypto trading service for all trades. If you’re ready to dive in and make your first XRP purchase, register with BTCC today!