XRP Ledger developers test zero-XRP wallets to simplify stablecoin payment applications
A proposal submitted Oct. 15 would let an existing XRP Ledger account create a new one and cover its reserve, so wallets could hold no XRP. The change still depends on a sponsorship amendment that lacks validator support.
CryptoSource: CoinDesk
Developers working on the XRP Ledger are testing a method for creating accounts that hold no XRP at all. The aim is to let payment applications and automated software run without first placing the cryptocurrency in every wallet.
The code proposal, submitted on Oct. 15, introduces a transaction called SponsoredAccountCreate. It would let an existing account open another account and pay that account's reserve requirement on its behalf.
At present the ledger demands a minimum reserve of 1 XRP per account. The funds stay locked while the account remains active, which discourages the network from being filled with empty wallets. For a company opening 100,000 separate accounts, that means setting aside 100,000 XRP to satisfy the reserves alone.
Under the proposal, a sponsoring account would carry that cost, so the new wallet could keep a zero XRP balance. The network's overall reserve obligation would not change; only the party bearing it would. Sponsors could also pay transaction fees through a wider sponsorship mechanism, which would allow applications to cover those charges for their users.
The issue has become more relevant after Ripple partnered with Privy, which is owned by Stripe, to bring embedded wallets to applications on the XRP Ledger. The integration is meant to support payments in XRP and Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin, including automated payments by AI agents. Those wallets currently need XRP funding before they become active, even if they are intended only to hold stablecoins.
The new transaction builds on the Sponsored Fees and Reserves standard, which lets one account pay network costs without gaining control over the user's private keys. The new code would create an account directly without sending it any XRP.
The proposal is not yet ready for deployment. The pull request remains open, with two unresolved automated code-review findings. It also relies on sponsorship changes that have not been activated on the mainnet. Those changes need approval from the network's trusted validators. According to XRPL Dashboard, the sponsorship amendment had 11 votes as of Oct. 19, well short of the 29 it needs out of 35.
Based on reporting by CoinDesk.