Ripple CTO Highlights XRP Role on XRPL Beyond Being a Gas Token

Ripple CTO David Schwartz shares insights into XRP’s role on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) beyond being just a gas token for the movement of other assets.

In a recent conversation with Saul, an active member of the XRP community, David Schwartz, Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), shed light on XRP’s vital role within the XRP Ledger (XRPL) ecosystem.

The discussion centered around the concept of XRP as a “gas token,” a term commonly used to describe the native cryptocurrency that fuels transactions and operations on a blockchain network. 

XRP Gas Token Theory

Saul referred to the gas token idea previously introduced by Digeratis, which posits that XRP’s sole reason for existence is to act as the fuel for the XRPL. In this context, XRP’s purpose is akin to the gas used in other blockchain networks to facilitate transactions and execute smart contracts.

It turns out that @Digeratis1‘ “gas token theory” was right all along

XRP is simply the gas token of the XRPL; nothing more, nothing less

This was presented as part of a negative outlook on price, but I see it in the opposite light

— Saul 🏴‍☠️ (@uptownsaul) July 20, 2023

However, contrary to a negative outlook presented by some, Saul viewed XRP’s gas token role in a positive light.

For context, Digeratis, a crypto trader, theorized last December that the XRP Ledger was designed for tokenizing other assets, and XRP’s original purpose was to serve as the gas token for the movement of these assets. 

In his comment today, Saul agreed with this. He further highlighted the XRPL’s high efficiency, suggesting that transaction volumes on the network might not significantly impact XRP’s price as many believe. In essence, the demand for XRP as a gas token might not affect its price as much as people think.

Notably, the XRP Ledger operates on a consensus mechanism designed to be more efficient, fast, and scalable compared to proof-of-work systems. Instead of using miners to validate transactions, the XRPL relies on a set of trusted validators to agree on the order and validity of transactions.

Due to this efficiency, the cost of processing transactions on the XRPL is generally much lower compared to networks using proof-of-work. Saul believes this efficiency results in less demand for XRP as a gas token despite the high volume. As a result, its role as a gas token would not drive price actions that much.

Ripple CTO Reacts

David Schwartz agreed with Saul’s observation. However, he emphasized that while high volumes on the XRPL do not need to impact XRP’s price significantly, it does not mean they won’t have such an impact.

That is absolutely true. But that something doesn’t need to happen doesn’t mean it won’t happen. XRP also has special features (such as autobridging) that makes it extra liquid on XRPL.

— David “JoelKatz” Schwartz (@JoelKatz) July 21, 2023

Beyond its gas token functionality, Schwartz also pointed out additional special features that make XRP stand out on the XRPL. One such feature is “autobridging,” which enhances XRP’s liquidity on the network. This also presents more utility, driving demand.

Autobridging enables seamless exchange between different assets on the XRPL without the need for individual order books for each asset pair. The purpose of the feature is to leverage XRP to improve liquidity on all currency pairs on the XRPL.