The XRP Ledger is a shared public record of accounts and transactions. Many independent computers keep copies and work together to agree on the latest version. Anyone can look up a payment or balance with a ledger explorer.
What “blockchain” means
A blockchain is a public record that links each new set of confirmed transactions to the history before it. On the XRPL, these confirmed records are called ledgers. Once a ledger is accepted, it becomes part of the shared history.
The network is decentralised: no single company runs every computer or decides which valid transactions are recorded. Independent participants run servers, and some of them act as validators. Validators compare proposed transactions and reach agreement on the next ledger. The process does not use mining or a race to solve energy-intensive puzzles.
XRPL transactions usually settle within seconds and use a small network fee. This is a description of how the network is designed to work, not a guarantee that every wallet, payment service or transaction will be instant or free.
Send a transaction
A wallet asks the network to make a change.
Validators agree
Independent validators check and agree on the next ledger.
Shared record
The confirmed result is copied across the network.
What you can do on the ledger
The XRPL includes features that other networks often provide through separate services:
- Send XRP. The network's native asset can move between accounts.
- Create tokens. An issuer can create a token, such as $DROP or a stablecoin. A token's issuer matters: different issuers can create assets with the same displayed name.
- Trade on the built-in exchange. People can post offers to swap assets. The ledger can match offers at available rates.
- Use automated market maker pools. These pools hold two assets so people can swap against their reserves. See How XRP Ledger trading pools work.
- Collect and trade NFTs. The ledger can record unique digital items as well as interchangeable tokens.
Some features need a website or wallet app to make them easier to use, but the account and transaction records live on the ledger.
What the DROP community sees in it
We value having payments, tokens and markets on one public network that people can inspect. We believe that can make it easier for communities to experiment and connect. That is our view of the technology; it does not mean every project will succeed, every service will use XRP, or token prices will rise.
The ledger records what happened; it does not guarantee that a token is valuable or that a transaction can be reversed. Check the asset and transaction details before you approve anything.
Where next
Read What is a meme coin? to understand the kind of project $DROP is, then What is a trustline? to learn how an XRPL account opts in to holding a token.