Native XRP Staking Possibility on Ripple
Date: 2025-11-21 Author: Gabriel Deangelo Categories: CRYPTO PAYMENTS
RippleX team leader Ayo Akinyele and CTO David Schwartz shared conceptual ideas for implementing native staking on XRPL. According to Akinyele, this initiative arose from reflections on how to increase the token's utility through new features. "We started thinking: what if we implemented native staking support in XRPL? How could that work?" he noted.
The expert emphasized that the Ripple network architecture was originally designed for the fast and efficient transfer of on-chain value, which significantly distinguishes it from Proof-of-Stake (PoS) blockchains. According to him, two key elements are necessary for implementing staking: a reward source and a mechanism for their fair distribution. Implementing these objectives will require significant changes to the XRPL structure.
Currently, transaction fees are burned on the network, fueling token deflation. Akinyele suggested the possibility of forming a staker reward pool through new fees associated with programming features. He also noted that reward distribution must be carefully considered, as staking changes the interactions between participants and validators, adding financial incentives that could increase activity but simultaneously alter the network's governance dynamics.
Some XRPL validators have expressed doubts that a PoS system could seamlessly integrate with the current Proof-of-Association algorithm. In XRPL, nodes operate without direct financial incentives, without competing to include blocks, and there is no penalty mechanism for violations. David Schwartz proposed two possible paths: the first is to transition to a two-tier consensus model with a limited number of validators, using staking and slashing; the second is to maintain the existing consensus but use transaction fees to pay for proof of correct smart contract execution without energy-intensive computation.
Schwartz emphasized that these changes, along with the implementation of smart contracts, are aimed at expanding XRPL's capabilities in decentralized finance (DeFi). He noted that the blockchain world has changed significantly since the network's inception in 2012. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse also encouraged the community to share ideas for developing the platform in DeFi and integrating new applications for XRP.
Earlier, VanEck's head of research, Matthew Siegel, noted that XRP does not generate returns for holders, and XRPL's capabilities remain limited.
Therefore, the implementation of native XRP staking is still in the discussion and conceptual phase, and its practical implementation may take considerable time.
