SendPay Business
Woman smiling while working on her laptop

What is XRP? How the XRP Ledger works and how it differs from Ripple

By SendPay Business · · 2 min read

Ask about this page:Ask ChatGPTAsk ClaudeAsk Perplexity
Your numbers, worked out
  1. Type in your own numbers
  2. The tool works it out
  3. See the answer clearly

XRP is the native cryptocurrency of the XRP Ledger, a public blockchain that went live in 2012. It was built to settle payments quickly and cheaply, and it's often linked with Ripple, a US company that uses it in some of its cross-border payment products.

XRP vs Ripple

Ripple is a company. XRP is a digital asset that runs on the XRP Ledger, which is open-source and run by independent validators. Ripple holds a large amount of XRP, but the two aren't the same thing.

Woman in a grey jumper using a laptop

How the XRP Ledger works

  • Transactions are confirmed by a group of validators agreeing on the ledger, not by mining.
  • Payments usually settle in a few seconds.
  • Each transaction burns a tiny fee in XRP, which helps stop spam.
  • The ledger can also hold other tokens and swap between them.

Try it

Name your platform and watch it come to life

Type a name, tap a colour and pick what it does. The phone changes as you go.

Colour

What it does

Build mine

Design and preview your whole platform free, then launch when you are ready.

Risks to know

Like other crypto, XRP's price can rise and fall sharply, and you can lose money. It isn't protected by the FSCS. Only buy what you can afford to lose.

Man in a suit smiling in a meeting room

Where SendPay fits

SendPay platforms let your customers buy, sell and hold crypto under your own brand, with assets held by regulated partners and a trading fee you set. Check which coins your platform offers.

Woman in glasses working on a laptop

How it works

Your own money app
  1. Name it and pick your colours
  2. Choose what it does
  3. Launch when you are ready

Why sign up

Create your free SendPay account

It's all about creating your own financial platform with ease. Start with a free account today.

  • A free business accountOpen it in about a minute with your business name, email, password and mobile. No card and no documents to start.
  • Get paid from day oneTake card payments, and share your own payment link and invoices so customers pay in a click.
  • A free business websiteFree to build, free to publish and free to keep, with unlimited visits.
  • Your own financial platformDesign and preview your whole platform free, then launch when you are ready.
Create a free business account Create a free websiteStart building your platform

SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank. Accounts, cards and payments are powered by licensed partners.

Questions people ask

What is a coin's market cap?

Work out market cap from price and supply.

Crypto market cap calculator →
What is a blockchain?

The shared ledger XRP runs on.

What is a blockchain? →
Coin or token?

XRP is the ledger's native coin.

Crypto coin vs token →
How do bank transfers cross borders?

Most still use SWIFT.

What is a SWIFT code? →

Read next

Spotted a mistake or something out of date? and we'll fix it. How our guides are made

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. Other companies named in this guide are reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.