Ripple Debunked: 21Shares Sets Record Straight on XRP

21Shares AG, an $11 billion asset manager, has released a guide to clarify misconceptions about XRP. The company explains that Ripple does not control the XRP Ledger (XRPL) despite its significant involvement in the ecosystem.

Ripple operates only one of the 35 validators on the XRPL's Unique Node List (UNL), while more than 150 validators operate across the broader network, including universities, exchanges, businesses, and individuals.

The asset manager distinguishes between XRP, the XRPL, and Ripple. XRP is the native digital asset of the XRPL, while Ripple is a private company that develops payment and custody infrastructure using the network.

XRP has a fixed supply of 100 billion units, created when the ledger launched in 2012. The network does not rely on mining or inflationary issuance to create new coins, and no additional XRP can be issued beyond the original supply.