A recent exchange of opinions between Ripple and the XRP community began with comments made on a podcast and sparked active discussions.
Comments that Sparked the Dispute
On the Gold Goats ‘n Guns podcast, Long asserted that XRP has not fulfilled its early goals as a bridge currency for the banking sector. She expressed doubts that the network's structure and Ripple's approach to funding had instilled confidence among major financial institutions. Long also speculated that if the U.S. Treasury were to choose a blockchain for tokenizing Treasury bills, Ethereum would likely be the choice over Ripple.
Responses from XRP Defenders
Long-time XRP supporter Vet countered Long's remarks on social media with a detailed rebuttal. He insisted that XRP's launch bore no resemblance to an ICO, explaining that all 100 billion tokens were created in the genesis ledger with no initial market value. Vet also pushed back on the decentralization critique, noting that the XRPL is maintained by over a thousand nodes and more than a hundred independent validators worldwide. He added that Ripple continues to use XRPL in its payment systems and that RLUSD is issued directly on the ledger.
Potential Dialogue Between Parties
Amid the back-and-forth, Ripple CTO David Schwartz suggested a meeting with Long for an open, fact-based discussion regarding Ripple's technology, the purpose of RLUSD, and the XRPL's role in the broader blockchain landscape. It remains to be seen whether Long will accept this invitation, but the exchange has already drawn significant attention — not just for the criticism itself, but for Ripple’s leadership’s willingness to engage openly in the debate.
The discussion between Ripple and XRP critics highlights the importance of open communication in an industry where opinions and facts can differ significantly.
