XRP vs Stellar: Which Payment Coin Wins?
XRP and Stellar both target cross-border payments and financial inclusion. Despite similar origins (Stellar's founder co-founded Ripple), they've diverged significantly.
XRP and Ripple
XRP is the native token of the XRP Ledger, designed for fast, cheap cross-border payments. Ripple Labs builds enterprise solutions (On-Demand Liquidity) using XRP as a bridge currency.
- Speed: 3-5 second settlement
- Cost: Fractions of a cent per transaction
- Enterprise focus: Banks and payment providers are target customers
- Legal clarity: SEC lawsuit resolution provided regulatory clarity in the US
Stellar and XLM
Stellar focuses on financial inclusion—connecting the unbanked to the global economy. Its consensus protocol (SCP) enables fast, low-cost transactions with a focus on asset tokenization and stablecoin issuance.
- Mission-driven: Non-profit Stellar Development Foundation
- USDC native: Circle issues USDC on Stellar for cheap transfers
- Soroban: Smart contract platform expanding Stellar's capabilities
- Anchors: Real-world asset on/off ramps in developing markets
Head-to-Head
| Feature | XRP | Stellar |
|---|---|---|
| TPS | 1,500 | 1,000 |
| Finality | 3-5 sec | 3-5 sec |
| Focus | Enterprise payments | Financial inclusion |
| Governance | Ripple Labs (centralized) | SDF (non-profit) |
| Smart contracts | Hooks (limited) | Soroban (expanding) |
Verdict
XRP wins for enterprise adoption and liquidity. Stellar wins for mission alignment and stablecoin infrastructure. Both are stored securely on Ledger.
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