When it comes to the XRP Ledger (XRPL), many people's first reaction is low fees and fast transactions. But how exactly does this open-source public chain achieve that?

The story of XRPL begins in 2012. Three developers were pondering whether it was possible to create a blockchain that is both fast and energy-efficient. Over a decade later, what kind of ecosystem has XRPL become? Small payments, DeFi, NFTs (coming soon) are all running on it, with one application after another.

The key is that XRPL uses a consensus mechanism different from Bitcoin and Ethereum. It adopts a federated consensus—independent servers called validators negotiate the order and outcome of XRP transactions. It sounds complicated, but basically, these validators maintain the ledger. Currently, there are over 150 validators from universities, trading platforms, enterprises, and even individuals around the world. Rules are unified, transactions are open and transparent, and anyone can apply to become a validator.

Performance-wise, the numbers speak for themselves—1500 transactions per second, with transaction fees so low that they are almost imperceptible, and energy consumption significantly less than other public chains. This is why XRPL is regarded as a more sustainable project in the blockchain industry. Since its operation began in January 2013, it has processed billions of transactions, and the ledger's stability is unquestionable.