🤖For Engineers

XRPL uses a consensus protocol, in which designated servers called validators come to an agreement on the order and outcome of XRP transactions every 3-5 seconds.

All servers in the network process each transaction according to the same rules, and any transaction that follows the protocol is confirmed right away. All transactions are public, with strong cryptography to guarantee the integrity of the system.

Anyone can operate a validator; currently, over 150 validators are active on the ledger, operated by universities, exchanges, businesses, and individuals. Additionally, the consensus protocol ensures the blockchain becomes more decentralized over time as the validator pool grows.

Unlike most other blockchains, the XRP Ledger does not need mining, so no energy is wasted in the transaction process. Learn how this compares to other platforms with our Green Currency Calculator.