According to Ripple CTO David Schwartz, the XRP Ledger uses consensus through users’ voluntary selection of trusted validators and software, rather than staking (locking crypto to support a network) or mining.
Ripple CTO David Schwartz said the XRP Ledger operates through a consensus model in which users voluntarily choose trusted validators and software implementations, rather than relying on XRP staking (locking crypto to support a network). He argued that mining and staking rewards can increase centralization, highlighting a governance approach that depends on participant choice instead of direct token-based validation incentives. The comments point to a key structural difference between the XRP Ledger and blockchain networks that secure activity through mining or staking.