Luke Judges, Head of Partner Relations and Director at Ripple, shared insights on how the XRP Ledger ecosystem and its competitive environment are changing. He drew a parallel with the operational successes of the competing Layer 1 network Solana. Drawing on his experience in the Solana ecosystem, where he managed a large validator, Judges noted that technical strength alone is not enough for a network to remain significant over the long term.
This article discusses the conclusions of Ripple executives about what can be learned from competitors and what operational solutions are necessary for the XRP Ledger to evolve. The conversation also addresses technical updates to the XRPL and what strategic steps are currently important for any layer one blockchain.
Lessons to be learned from Solana's experience
Judges' approach is unique and directly related to his past work. He has managed two startups and operated a validator in the Solana network, through which over $30 million worth of staked tokens passed during a full market cycle. He shared this on November 30, 2025, on X, noting that he observed both the peak value of the network and its decline, followed by subsequent recovery.
Such practical experience led him to conclude that the success of layer one blockchains in the competitive race is often determined by factors that go beyond pure technology. According to him, Solana wins through a pragmatic approach and speed, and it is these qualities that attract developers and keep their attention.
The main idea is that the speed of decision-making, sound engineering practices, and a well-thought-out go-to-market strategy may be more important than theoretical leadership in technologies on the path to ecosystem growth.
At the same time, Judges believes that other networks should look at how Solana manages its infrastructure. According to him, there is no point in pretending that there are no competitors around. For XRPL, such observations highlight potential areas that require attention. Technical achievements alone do little if not supported by an active promotion strategy and entry into new market segments.
Technical updates in the XRP Ledger
XRPL is expanding its technical capabilities. One of the main steps is the launch of smart contracts in the AlphaNet network. Initially, XRPL was created as a fast and inexpensive tool for international payments based on federated consensus. Now the focus is shifting to broader functionality and working with decentralized finance.
At the same time, the views of Judges and David Schwartz, the Chief Technology Officer of Ripple and one of the creators of XRPL, diverge. Schwartz believes that the strength of XRP lies in its reliability, efficiency, and stable operation for large clients. He insists that this approach makes XRPL more suitable for financial services than networks that only bet on speed like Solana. According to him, XRPL does not need to change its strategy to remain competitive.
Schwartz criticizes blockchains like Solana for prioritizing speed over stability, and the history of network outages confirms that such an approach is not suitable for financial systems where uninterrupted operation is crucial.
From his perspective, the XRPL consensus mechanism provides predictability, stable final confirmation of transactions, and virtually zero fees. He believes that it is this reliability that gives the network a strategic advantage. In his opinion, this advantage should be prioritized rather than attempting to replicate the ecosystem model that Judges describes as pragmatic and fast.
Developers and ecosystem
One of the key points that Judges emphasizes is the developer experience and ecosystem support. Convenient tools, clear documentation, and a simple onboarding process help attract application creators and motivate them to stay within the network.
In his comments, Judges highlights the fundamental challenges faced by layer one blockchains. One of these is the need to build a sustainable validator economy. He acknowledges Solana's success in attracting developers but points out a problem. The number of validators in the network is rapidly decreasing, raising questions about long-term decentralization and the viability of the current incentive model.
For XRPL, this is a warning example. The network must anticipate such risks in advance, especially in light of discussions about the possible launch of its own staking mechanism. A poorly designed incentive system can lead to a concentration of power and weaken the network.
It is these differences that shape different approaches to architecture. The XRPL consensus mechanism is valued for its stability, transaction confirmation without delays, and reliability focused on institutional users. The main task now is to implement new staking mechanics that will enhance the network's utility without undermining its key advantage of predictability and constant availability. This is in direct contrast to the instability faced by some high-performance networks.
An interesting detail. In his post on X, Judges noted that the Ethereum Foundation has become much more focused in its go-to-market strategy. This is related to the transition to layer two solutions. Such a move has allowed them to respond to user complaints about high fees and low speeds of the main network, and Solana actively leveraged this same shortcoming to attract new participants.
Market context and strategic actions
The main message from Judges should not be perceived as a threat to XRPL. Rather, it is a constructive signal that the network needs to adapt. His viewpoint reflects a general market trend where those who can quickly implement ideas win, rather than just having a technological advantage on paper.
Practically speaking, Judges believes that XRPL needs to focus on three areas:
To make developers' work easier and faster. This means adopting Solana's focus on user-friendly and understandable tools that allow for rapid project launches within the XRPL ecosystem.
Clarify the promotion strategy so that new technical capabilities, such as smart contracts, are quickly turned into concrete advantages for partners and users. It is not enough to simply release new features; it is necessary to explain how they are beneficial and why one should choose XRPL.
Maximally leverage the reliability of the network that is already attracting corporate clients. It is also important to adopt speed of decision-making and flexibility from competitors to adapt more quickly to demand.
In summary, Judges' position reminds us that to reach the next stage of blockchain industry development, XRPL needs to adjust its strategy to market demands. How well the network learns to translate its technical achievements into real products and convenient solutions will determine its competitiveness. A feature of XRPL is its leadership in international payments, but to maintain its position, speed in delivering these achievements to users is necessary.
