What the XRP Ledger is · Lesson 2 of 4

XRP, the ledger's own currency

XRP is the currency built into the XRP Ledger. It pays for transactions and keeps accounts open.

XRP is the digital currency built into the XRP Ledger. Every other asset on the ledger is a token that someone issued; XRP is the only one that belongs to the ledger itself.

All XRP was created along with the ledger: 100 billion of it. No new XRP can ever be created.

XRP does two jobs on the ledger. Every account keeps a small amount of it as a reserve, and every transaction destroys a tiny amount of it as its cost. Both protect the shared ledger from spam.

One XRP divides into a million smaller units called drops, so even very small amounts can be sent.

Sources

• What is XRP? (xrpl.org) (checked 2026-10-22)
• Tokens (xrpl.org) (checked 2026-10-22)

General information about how the XRP Ledger works, not financial, legal or tax advice.