Ripple Chief Technology Officer David Schwartz has rejected the idea that Ripple has control over the XRP Ledger. Speaking in a recent interview, Schwartz explained that the network operates as a public blockchain where every node enforces the same rules, leaving no room for any single party to alter or censor transactions. “By far, the biggest misconception is that Ripple somehow controls the ledger,” he said. Ripple runs one validator on the network with no control over the entire network. Schwartz explained that the XRP Ledger’s consensus process ensures transparency and accountability. Schwartz has repeatedly debunked claims that Ripple controls the XRPL . “There’s nobody who’s ever had a transaction stopped by Ripple,” he said, adding that if anyone attempted to block a valid transaction, it would be immediately visible to the network and the public. Debunking XRP Myths With Ripple CTO David Schwartz "Ripple Cannot Control XRP Ledger" @JoelKatz pic.twitter.com/S1mjl6DyFH — Decrypt (@DecryptMedia) August 12, 2025 Role of the Unique Node List The discussion also addressed the Unique Node List (UNL), which currently contains about 33 validators. According to Schwartz, the UNL exists to prevent malicious actors from flooding the network with false identities that could disrupt consensus. In other blockchains, this scarcity comes from mining power or staked assets. On the XRPL, the scarcity is a matter of selected validators that participants trust to follow the rules. Validators cannot create or destroy XRP outside the network’s original rules. Any changes to how the ledger operates require both adoption of new code and coordination among validators to activate it. Schwartz said that if validators refused to enable a controversial change, “people are going to switch to the validators that are going to do what they want.” In 2024, Ripple’s Chief Legal Officer (CLO), Start Alderoty, revealed the SEC’s plans to run a node on the XRP Ledger , proving that the network is open to everyone. We are on X, follow us to connect with us :- @TimesTabloid1 — TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) June 15, 2025 Security Principles for the XRPL On the question of lost ledger data from XRP’s early history, Schwartz confirmed that some transactions were lost due to a bug. He said this occurred when XRP had no market value and that only a tiny fraction of the total supply had been distributed. Schwartz also discussed the ledger’s safety approach. The network follows what he called an “anti-robustness principle,” which means it halts whenever something unexpected occurs rather than continuing to process transactions under uncertain conditions. While this has led to rare outages, including a one-hour halt earlier this year, he said, “the safest thing to do is to require a human being to say, yeah, that’s okay.” The XRPL is transparent and decentralized, structured so that no single party, including Ripple, can control it. Disclaimer : This content is meant to inform and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not represent Times Tabloid’s opinion. Readers are advised to conduct thorough research before making any investment decisions. Any action taken by the reader is strictly at their own risk. Times Tabloid is not responsible for any financial losses. Follow us on X , Facebook , Telegram , and Google News The post Ripple CTO Debunks Major XRP Myths appeared first on Times Tabloid .
