XRP: What Is Ripple Currency?
XRP, the digital asset of Ripple, is supposedly capable of settling a payment within 4 seconds and handling 1,500 transactions every second.
Though Ripple has differed from other cryptocurrencies in a
number of ways, one way it remains similar is that there is a finite amount of
XRP created, and that is all there will be. In the case of XRP, 100 billion
exist, 60% of which are owned by Ripple.
Were a financial institution to use xRapid to help with
cross-border payments from one fiat currency to another, XRP is what is used
mid-transaction for liquidity. This makes Ripple and XRP a bit unusual in the
world of cryptocurrency: It's not really used as a currency, to the point that
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently told a conference audience,
"I don't think about the digital asset market. I think about the customer
experience." What is cryptocurrency XRP
Because so much XRP is owned by Ripple and isn't really used
as a currency, some have alleged that it should be considered a security.
Garlinghouse, however, has said he believes it should not be, as it serves a
utilitarian purpose, and owning XRP does not mean owning a part of the company
Ripple.
Ripple vs. Bitcoin
Bitcoin, as the most well-known cryptocurrency with easily
the largest market cap, is an easy comparison to make when discussing other
cryptocurrencies. However, Ripple is quite different from bitcoin in a number
of ways.
Some notable ways are how Ripple sells itself, especially
with regards to transaction speeds. One of the more notable complaints about
bitcoin is how long a transaction can take. With the extreme volatility of
bitcoin, it creates the risk that when the transaction is finalized, you may
not be getting the amount of BTC you expected when you first initiated it. But
with Ripple claiming 4-second long transaction times, that's far less of a
concern.
Bitcoin is entirely decentralized, as it was made with the
purpose of allowing for financial transactions without the need of a third
party like a bank. Ripple, on the other hand, literally sells its services to
banks and financial institutions. With most of the XRP being owned by the
company, the network is far more centralized.
Despite each falling under the large umbrella of
"cryptocurrencies," ripple and bitcoin's purposes couldn't be further
apart. Bitcoin was made in the hopes of creating a brand new financial system
entirely. Ripple, creating its digital token to help with asset transfers,
seeks to assist existing financial systems and upgrade their capabilities for
worldwide transactions.
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