XRP is the native digital asset of the XRP Ledger, an open-source blockchain optimised for fast, inexpensive cross-border payments and currency exchange. It uses a federated consensus protocol rather than mining, settling transactions in 3–5 seconds.
The XRP Ledger and its native token launched in 2012, founded by Ryple Labs co-founders Jed McCaleb, Arthur Britto, and David Schwartz. XRP has been at the centre of high-profile US regulatory disputes, most notably the long-running SEC v. Ripple case partially resolved in 2023.