Ripple CTO Urges End to Baseless Speculation Over Foundation’s XRP Ledger Allegations

▲ XRP / ChatGPT-generated image

Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer has strongly refuted allegations that the XRP Ledger’s Unique Node List (UNL) system grants absolute power to the Ripple Foundation, calling the claims baseless speculation lacking objective evidence.

According to cryptocurrency media outlet U.Today on February 25 (local time), Justin Bons, founder of Cyber Capital, recently claimed on X (formerly Twitter) that the XRP Ledger hands network control to the Ripple Foundation and the company through its Unique Node List (UNL). Bons characterized not only Ripple but also blockchains with permissioned validator structures, such as Stellar, Hedera, and Algorand, as centralized systems, urging investors to reject such chains. He argued that deviating even slightly from the validator list would result in a hard fork, effectively placing control of the chain in Ripple’s hands.

Ripple CTO David Schwartz dismissed the claims as “objectively absurd” and responded directly. Schwartz criticized Bons’ logic as “no more sensible than claiming that someone with a majority of mining power could create one billion Bitcoin (BTC).” He emphasized that just as the existence of multiple miners on the Bitcoin network does not allow them to arbitrarily change the system’s fundamental rules, the XRP Ledger is similarly structured so that no single entity can operate it unilaterally.

Schwartz technically explained that validators on the XRP Ledger do not have the authority to permit double spending or censor transactions. Individual nodes independently follow protocol rules and only verify whether validators within their chosen Unique Node List reach consensus. Even if a specific validator attempts dishonest behavior, each node is designed to reject it according to the protocol, thereby preserving the integrity of the entire network. He added, “A user’s node does not agree to double spending or censorship unless the user chooses to do so.”

According to Ripple, the purpose of the Unique Node List is to enhance efficiency and security rather than to control the network. Schwartz stated that a list of trusted validators is necessary to prevent spam attacks through the indiscriminate creation of fake nodes. While Bitcoin secures scarcity through the computational power of mining equipment, the XRP Ledger builds trust by selecting validators believed to follow the rules. He also reflected that designing the network so Ripple cannot control it was ultimately a more favorable choice for regulatory compliance and judicial risk management.

The XRP Ledger is now moving beyond centralization controversies and focusing on expanding real-world use cases through partnerships with institutional financial entities. Schwartz’s recent rebuttal has served as an opportunity to correct technical misunderstandings and reaffirm the network’s transparency and independence to investors. The digital asset industry is watching closely to see whether this debate will lead to a productive discussion on the true standards of decentralization in blockchain. Ripple is expected to continue expanding its ecosystem while maintaining its identity as an open network.

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