The XRP Ledger recently faced an issue causing a 64-minute pause in block production, sparking discussions about the network's centralization.
Cause and Resolution
The issue occurred at block height 93927174, freezing network activity for 64 minutes before being resolved on February 4 at 10:58 am UTC. According to David Schwartz, CTO of XRPL, it seemed that consensus was running, but validations were not being published, causing the network to drift apart. Despite this, very few UNL operators actually made changes, potentially aiding the network's spontaneous recovery.
Community Reaction and Implications
Validator operators had to manually intervene to reestablish network stability. However, about 88,000 transactions were delayed due to the disruption. This incident has raised questions about the degree of centralization in the XRP Ledger, as many noted that all 35 nodes picked up validation at once. RippleX, meanwhile, reassured customers that their funds remained safe during the incident.
Structural Changes in XRP Ledger
Earlier last year, a Ripple-operated validator was shut down to uphold a policy of 'one entity, one validator'. In March, the UNL was expanded to 36 validators. Meanwhile, discussions are ongoing about introducing Multi-Purpose Tokens (MPTs) via the XLS-33 proposal, which could significantly alter the XRPL ecosystem.
Despite recent events, the XRP Ledger continues to evolve, implementing changes aimed at enhancing the network's security and functionality, stirring active discussions within the crypto community.
