XRP proves decentralization with over 150 validators and global ownership despite Ripple’s holding a large token supply.
Ripple’s 2025 legal victory confirms that XRP is alleviating the fear of centralization rather than security, and increasing the confidence of the XRP ledger.
As the US moves forward with clearer cryptocurrency regulations, is XRP centralized, one of the most debated topics? – I finally found the resolution. Many critics have long argued that Ripple’s control over the majority of XRP supply is centralized. However, recent legal and technical facts have proven that not the case.
Why do you think XRP is centralized?
The confusion is primarily due to ripple, which holds around 40% of the total supply of XRP. This has led many to believe that Ripple Controls controls the network. However, this is a misconception about how XRP works.
On June 26, renowned crypto attorney John E. Deaton addressed this on X (formerly Twitter), saying:
“The 75K XRP holders in 143 countries around the world are quite distributed to me. I often confuse network tokens with the network itself.”
He made it clear that owning a large number of tokens is not equal to controlling the protocol.
Ripple’s legal victory clarifies XRP status
The debate on centralizing XRP was intensified by the SEC lawsuit that began in 2020, accusing the XRP of selling it as unregistered security. After nearly five years of legal proceedings, the case was officially concluded on May 8, 2025, with Ripple winning a favorable outcome and reducing the penalty.
Importantly, the court confirmed that XRP is not security when traded in the secondary market, strengthening its status as a decentralized digital asset. The decision provided legal clarity and increased investors’ trust.
Why XRP is technically decentralized
Beyond legal clarity and community ownership, some technical aspects of XRP ledgers support its decentralized nature.
1. Independent validators
- XRP ledger Runs in a consensus model over 150 Independent Validators.
- Ripple control only One validatormeaning you cannot force changes or manipulate the network.
2. No intensive mining
- XRP does not use proofs of work such as Bitcoin or Ethereum.
- This avoids control by mining the pool and ensures equal participation from the validator.
3. 80% consensus required for change
- XRP ledger updates must be approved by 80% of validators for two consecutive weeks.
- These strict requirements make it impossible for Ripple to control unsolicitedly.
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Ripple CEO: Utility over ideology
Even Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently argued that decentralization should not be the sole benchmark. He emphasized that it is not just ideology that matters, but network utility, transparency and security.
Ripple holds a significant amount of XRP, but has no control over the rules or validation process for the XRP ledger. That power lies in a diverse and global community.
Final Thoughts
The longstanding debate about XRP centralization has finally been resolved thanks to increased facts, legal clarity and global participation. With 75,000 XRP holders in 143 countries, more than 150 validators and a network that calls for consensus on change, XRP has proven itself to be its core distributed asset.
